Beaded Leaf Wall Art
Use simple stenciling techniques on a canvas to create this Beaded Leaf Wall Art, perfect for a bedroom or hallway. Adjust the colors to suit your decor, or make a series of canvasses and add some fun elements to a drab wall. These lovely colored leaves are embellished with small seed beads to give your canvas a unique look and texture.
Materials:
- Pattern of leaf
- 6” x 6” white canvas
- Acrylic paint in the following three colors: sweet memories (light pink), plum and antique bronze
- 20 small pink seed beads
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Utility knife to cut out the design on the X-ray film
- Thin paintbrush
- Artline 210 Fineliner Pen
- Clear drying craft glue
- Piece of X-ray film, which will be used to make the stencil
- Quick-drying clear matt spray varnish
- Sponge ~ use one that was inside a medicine bottle
- Few sheets of old newspapers to protect the working area
Instructions:
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Use the pencil and the ruler to divide the canvas into four equal squares, each sized 2.4” x 2.4”.
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Trace the pattern of the leaf onto the piece of the X-ray film. Use the knife to cut away the inside of the pattern that you have traced onto the X-ray film.
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Now use the sweet memories paint and the leaf stencil. Place the stencil on the appropriate place ~ for this design, the stalks of the leaves must all point towards the middle of the canvas. Hold the leaf stencil down with one hand while painting, so that it will not move while applying the paint.
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Dip the sponge into the sweet memories paint and remove excess paint from the sponge by dabbing it on the sheet of newspaper. Then paint the stencil design onto the canvas by repeatedly dabbing all over the design.
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Carefully, lift the stencil and move it to the next appropriate place. In order to have the stalks of the leaves pointing towards the middle of the canvas, it will be necessary to gently wash and dry the stencil first, and then turning the stencil over, before adding the last two leaves.
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Leave to dry thoroughly.
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Use the thin paintbrush and the plum paint to paint the edges of the canvas, as well as the frames all around the leaves.
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Leave to dry thoroughly.
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Now use the sponge and the antique bronze to fill in the background of each block with a stenciled leaf. Be careful not to dab the sponge over the leaf when filling in the background.
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With the Artliner 210 Fineliner Pen, add some veins to the leaves. Add the finishing touches by gluing a few seed beads onto the leaves. Use a sharp needle to handle the seed beads more easily.
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Leave to dry thoroughly.
- To protect the paint from wear and tear, apply one coat of the quick-drying spray varnish.
