I am so excited to share this easy and beautiful tutorial for to make your own DIY Canvas Photos from inexpensive craft supplies!! I finally set aside the time and put a picture of the girls on canvas for Graham for Father’s Day. It was such a quick and easy project and I think the results are super cool.
PLEASE ALSO READ: CANVAS PHOTOS DIY REVISITED
Comments & Reviews
Christy says
I love this and want to try it myself. I live the way your photo canvas turned out ESP with the acrylic paint. I was wanting to know what kind of paper did you print the photo on. I am so excited to try this. I’m glad I found your blog.
Laura says
These are great; and I tried it- but how do you get the mod podge on the picture to not be streaky?
girlinspired says
Hi Laura, Try to use a wide foam brush and create as smooth finish as you can, most of the streaks will smooth out when the project dries, but the streaks that are left are what give it more of that textured canvas look.
Gillian says
Hey Stef,
Thank you for your reply. The copy shop I go to informed me that they do print photos on the heavy photo paper, but I’m not sure if they use the matted paper. In any case, I will take my own and they can print on that, but the important thing is using the laser. The trays are still a work in progress and I would be happy to send you photos when completed. I’ve learned a lot from trial and error, it is the thought that matters. For my youngest who is in college I found a wooded box with four drawers. It was painted this gray/beige color. I painted the box black, but not the drawers because they have these stars painted on them with clear little handles. The black off-sets the drawers really well, and she can use this for jewlry, desk supplies or whatever she wishes. This too will have photos around it of her with her family and friends. She will be here at Xmas and that alone is exciting.
Your work is absolutely beautiful and your girls are adorable. As a mother of three girls I know how much it means to make something personal for them. Photos are of great importance to me and doing projects with them makes it all the more special.
For my husband’s project I got the arcylic paint in the charcol color, which is perfect for the black and white photo and the border is a rather unusual charcol striped paper with small designs (very Roman). It should all coordinate nicely.
Thank you again for your input, and I am so pleased to have found your website. Take care. Gilli
Gillian says
I just found your website approximately two weeks ago. I’m working on Xmas gifts for my daughters to send to the U.S., and I had never done decoupage before and saw many ideas online that I thought would be awesome. I bought two serving trays from a store here in Rome that has the heavy-duty trays, and they were painted with acrylic paint, and sanded it off due to the slippery thing of trying to get paper to stick. Anyway, I made collages of my girls since they both have been married on Windows Publisher and I am having it printed at a copy place with the laser printer so it won’t run. I used the ink-jet I have, sealed the photos, but it was a mess due to other things, but it all has worked out. My husband’s mother passed away in August and when I saw your canvas photos it struck me as the perfect thing to make for him and his sister for Xmas, and very personal. I have all his parents’ photo albums for scanning purposes for both of them and access to all their wedding photos. I thought of a nice black and white photo on the canvas with some sort of the photo album paper around the edges and I found the acrylic paint in a nice charcol grey/black…very awesome. Okay, my question is, did you have your photos printed on photo paper or just off of a laser copier onto regular acid-free paper? I have photo paper that I can give to the copy place, top of the line paper and print it that way onto matted photo paper, Let me know because I don’t want to mess this up. Everything else about this project is really simple to do and I am thrilled with it. Thank you for your wonderful ideas, and tips. Gilli
girlinspired says
Hi Gillian, You have so many beautiful projects in the works! I order my prints from a photo processing center and just rely on whatever photo paper they use. How do you order printed photos in Rome? I would think the laser printer would be just fine with either type of paper, but the photo paper may hold the color in the picture better? I would go with whatever type of paper you typically would have a photograph printed on. Just a guess, though. Let me know how they turn out! I’m excited for your family – those trays sound amazing and your husband and sister in law will love having those special photos. Have fun!
Krystal Niemczura says
Hi there! Ok, Im actually in the process of doing this ( hoping you get this comment NOW and respond, lol) Anyways, my 16×20 photo is slightly hanging over the edges of the canvas, which is also 16×20, strange! Did you happen to have this issue? What is the best way to trim the edges…scissors? I am so afraid of not cutting it just right. Confused :-/
Lana K. says
I tried this yesterday!! I was a bit nervous, but mine turned out great!! Now I am so excited to make more!!! Thanks so much for the tutorial!!
Linda says
I just read your note, hopefully my pics will work. I didn’t use photo paper, but had the lady copy on card stock and that is what I decoupaged.. It is done now. Hope it lasts! Live & Learn! Again, thanks!
Linda says
Sorry, I posted on wrong page. I sent you some emails with my project on it – you really inspired me! Thanks for your hard work.
Linda
girlinspired says
Hi Linda,
The books look amazing! I’m so glad you jumped into the project! I know your family must appreciate it so much!
Linda says
Hi Steph,
I luv this! I want to do a 12 x 12 canvas with some old pics for a family reunion photo. Will this work? I wanted to print to regular paper, glue down and then use Mod Podge over the top. I would love to hear from you and your opinion! Thanks for such a precious idea and love the photos etc.
Linda
girlinspired says
Hi Linda!
Definitely do not use printed pictures from your home computer – the ink will run and the paper will probably bubble and/or crumble. Take the pictures into a photo development center and have them print them up for you there – I’m sure they can scan in an old picture if you don’t have it digitized yet, and then they can print it onto professional grade photo paper with photo-appropriate ink. Hope that helps!! And have fun!
Linda says
Thanks. I was going to try with regular copy paper. Will this work???
Fotoviva says
The final piece (next to the window) looks superb! A lovely idea for a unique canvas.
truman testa says
You Did great job, i love this DIY canvas tutorial, i want to do that, many thanks for sharing.
Rachel says
Where are the instructions for that DRESS!!! hahaha =)
lyn elrick says
Thanks for this been trying to find a method to use with a drawing.thanjs
Donna Sutton says
I was just wondering if you use regular photos or were they special printed…where I live we don’t have a Costco or anything like that….
Devonte joseph says
Love it! I have been wanting to try this.Thanks for sharing this lovely pics.