Art that’s for the birds

This project–from start to finish–took less than a day.  (Which seems like a ton of time if you say 24 hours–but I’m not saying 24 hours.)

Wall art–I needed some.

There was a really great idea on Pinterest.

Here’s the site with the idea.

And this is the spot of wall in need of art.  These two canvases have been stark raving spotless and sitting there since shortly after the insulation man fell through the ceiling last year (August 2012). 

[I know.  I a little bit can’t believe that that actually happened either–but it did.  If you’re longing to check the facts, here’s the post. If you’re not, well–that’s still the post.]

The configuration of stark (not Iron Man) white canvas against a very neutral wall with a smidge bit of color didn’t horrify me–and Handsome Dude probably thought it was intentional–which very clearly explains why approximately seven months have come and gone with nary an alteration made.

[Except for a fine layer of perfectly distributed dust particulates.]

Until now.

Tun-tun-tun-tah!  The finished art.

I loved.loved.LoVeD that it was a quick and simple project.  I didn’t have to do much thinking–mostly just dreaming.

Here’s a list of materials I used:

–two canvases (mine are 16×20)
       [I went to the local Joann Fabric Store armed with a coupon.  You can also find canvases at Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, or other craft stores–and they all usually have coupons.]

–Mod Podge–I know that there are crafty and clever recipes for making this stuff, but I’m content (quite so) just to purchase it.
       [Does Did anyone else ever call it Modge Podge or is was that just me?]

–a foam brush (I only needed one for the entire project. I used the mid-sized brush.)

–sheet music (I used the originals of three different songs, but there are other ways to do it.)   
      Decorating Diaries shows you how to make vintage looking sheets of music from regular old white sheets of legally printed music.  Legal is good.
     Sheet Music Fox has printable music–with and without words.  Excellent. And free.  Free is good.

–cardstock (This is what you draw your design on–cut out–and then trace around on the canvases.  It’s sturdier than copy paper–sturdy is a good thing.)

–2 permanent markers (I used a new fine point and a new king size marker–which means a sharp point/edge–nice. Also–these markers didn’t leave any uneven coloring anywhere. Or marker strokes. You can’t tell where I began and ended on any portion of the art.)

That’s it.

Now to the construction part.

Place your music (or book pages, or scrapbook pages, or construction paper, or wrapping paper…) on the canvases.  It would be easy to lay entire sheets on the canvas and simply overlap them.  Do whatever you want.  You’re the boss of it.

Arrange it until you like it.

Mod Podge (piece by piece, section by section) the music to the canvas. (If you haven’t ever in your adorable life Mod Podged anything, it would be a benefit and blessing to you just to ask someone what it will be like.)

[Above all–do not eat the Mod Podge.  It doesn’t taste anything like the stuff we you used to eat in grade school. Do not dip strawberries in it.  Or pretzels.  Seriously.]

Allow it to dry.  (In this case, overnight was sufficient.)

Draw your pattern.  If you can freehand it–fabulous.  If you can’t, find the shape of something you’re interested in on Pinterest, Google, a book, a blog–print it–and cut the shape out.

Lay the canvases side by side.

Place the pattern where you want it to go.  (Play around with it until you like what it looks like.  Take a picture of it and send it to a friend to ask for their opinion.)

[And just so you know–I panicked a little when the more than slight contrast in the sheets of music became apparent. I had three different colors and that’s not what I intended at all. I wanted a uniform color–which happened with the first canvas, but not the second. Long story short–I like it.]

Trace the pattern onto the canvas.

Trace, trace.

Fill in the pattern with the permanent marker.

Fill, fill.

I filled in the branches first.  (I was careful to make sure my drawing hand didn’t rest in fresh ink to avoid smudges.)

–branches
–birds
–leaves
–touch ups

~grin~

And, yes I am going to post the finished project photo one more time.

I like it.

The bird in the middle looks like it a little bit wants a hug from the bird on the left.  Or a smooch.

Love birds.

Love birds with a chaperone.

~grin~

One of these days, I’ll give you a view of the entire wall.

One of these days.