Monday, June 20, 2022

Make It Monday How to Create High End Art for a Few Dollars

Make It Monday How to Create High End Art for a Few Dollars

Today's Make it Monday project is super easy, costs less than $10, and can be varied in so many different ways to fit your decor and home style.

*This post contains affiliate links which means that if you choose to buy something from my link I might receive a small compensation at NO EXTRA COST to you.
Faux Tropical Leaves
I started with some fake tropical leaves that I got at the thrift store. I used some of these to inspire my front porch makeover that you can see in my previous blog post. You can buy similar leaves at the craft store or you can get some HERE.

A touch of gold and a frame and 20 minutes and you have a piece of art that definitely looks high-end and custom created.
How to Create High End Art for a Few Dollars
Fake leaves, a frame, background fabric or paper, paint and glue are the items you will need to create this project. Keep reading for the easy how-to plus ideas on variations for this idea.

How to Create High End Art for a Few Dollars
The leaves I chose to use were based on the frame I wanted to use. This was a thrift store frame. I liked the color of wood on it. You could use a larger frame and add more leaves, smaller frames that will display one leaf in each, a long rectangular frame to display a row of leaves. Decide what works for you and where you want to hang the artwork. Do you want a wood frame, gold, brightly colored, black? 
Antique Gold Rub N Buff
My favorite as of late decorating touch came out next--Antique Gold Rub-n-Buff that you can buy HERE. One small tube of this will last for dozens of projects. I used ab old brush to aplly it to the leaves.
How to Create High End Art for a Few Dollars
Make sure to apply it to the stem too. I let just a hint of green leaf show through. This gold makes the fake leaves look like they were dipped in 24 karat gold. Don't like gold? Use a different color on the leaves. Paint them rainbow colors or black or glossy white. They don't have to be leaf color. If your home is decorated with turquoise, paint them that. Use a faux patina kit and give them a verdigris look. Do what you like!
How to Create High End Art for a Few Dollars
Next, pick your background for your leaves. I chose a mossy green fabric that is a thrift store remnant. For a dressier look, I would have picked black with the gold. For a more casual look, I would have put the leaves on a piece of dropcloth. You can use scrapbook paper, a thin piece of wood, brown paper bag. This frame only had glass, not a back so I cut a piece of foam core board to fit. You can use the frames back. Using spray adhesive to adhere the fabric to the back helps gives you a nice, smooth background. You could use glue stick, hot glue, double stick tape. 
How to Create High End Art for a Few Dollars
Use hot glue to adhere your leaves to the background. Clean the frame glass and there you have it, easy art that looks like it came from an expensive gallery or shop.
How to Create High End Art for a Few Dollars
I would love to see an entire wall of these, framed in the same colored frames, but different sizes or 6 exact frames, hung in two rows of three. I plan to create more to sell, maybe using some different style fake leaves. Let me know what you think!

2 comments:

  1. I love this so much! My daughter living in Panama, Central America is looking for art ideas and this is perfect! Thanks so much for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful!! It looks high end.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, I really appreciate your kind words!