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Try This: DIY Modern Art for a Vintage Frame

Budget: $$, Crafts, D.I.Y. Project, Home Decor, Try This, Wall Art
By Mandi Johnson

Make this bold and textural art— perfect for mixing with antique frames!Hi, guys! It's Mandi here to show you a really quick and easy art project you can make for your home. I've had this antique frame for a few years now, and since moving from a beautiful old apartment into a midcentury modern ranch, I just haven't figured out what to do with that darn frame.

Then I laid eyes on this little notepad designed by Garance Doré, and I thought what a simple, graphic design that I could implement into some homemade wall art! The combination of bold simplicity with the ornately carved frame seemed like a lovely match for my home. If you have an old frame that needs to be filled, or if you simply need some modern art for your home, why not try out this bold and textural project?

Make this bold and textural art— perfect for mixing with antique frames!Supplies:
-1/4" oak plywood cut to fit the opening of your frame (I bought mine for about $5 and had it cut for me at the lumberyard)
-painter's tape
-primer + paint (spray cans are optional)
-masking paper (optional, but helpful for larger spaces that need covering)

Make this bold and textural art— perfect for mixing with antique frames!Step One: Prime and paint the 1/4" plywood with the lighter of your two colors.

Step Two: When the paint has completely dried, tape off the negative space of your artwork.I cheated and used an X-Acto blade to cut away extra tape so the X in the middle was really precise. Make sure you run your thumbnail along the edge of the tape, or paint bleeding may occur.

Step Three: Paint over the exposed area with a couple of lights coats of paint. I used black paint, but if you're looking for less of a "hazardous materials" vibe, you might choose a different hue. When the paint has dried, gently peel off the tape and put your art in its frame!

Make this bold and textural art— perfect for mixing with antique frames!I really love how the texture of the grain is still very visible, despite being covered in paint. That's a quality of oak that's really great if you're aiming for a textural finish. You can also use other materials besides oak plywood, such as maple or birch plywood, but you won't have that beautiful grainy look after painting. Heck, you can even use foam board if you have some extra laying around. But as far as cost goes, you might as well spring for oak plywood for just a couple more dollars.

Make this bold and textural art— perfect for mixing with antique frames!Make this bold and textural art— perfect for mixing with antique frames!The juxtaposition of styles is just great for our home, but if you're less into antique frames than I am, you might try doing this project on thicker plywood and simply hanging the finished wooden piece without a frame. All you would need to do is attach picture-hanging hardware to the back. Such a simple idea with a big impact! -Mandi

Credits // Author and Photography: Mandi Johnson, Photos edited with Color Pop of the Signature Collection.

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