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Try This: Easy Dry Erase Wall Art DIY

Budget: $$, Crafts, D.I.Y. Project, Kiddo, Kids Room, One Day Project, Renter Friendly, Try This, Wall Art
By Rachel Denbow

Dry Erase Blueprint Poster DIYBlueprint copies are an inexpensive way to create personalized, large art for your home, but they can also encourage creativity and help develop those fine motor skills at the same time. I made this dry erase poster for my daughter to enjoy after she showcased her first wall mural last week. It was lovely but we’re renters and are two weeks away from moving out! I knew I needed to continue to encourage her artistic tendencies in a way that would still help us get our security deposit back, so I started scheming. 

IMG_1608Supplies:
-printed photo
-access to a blueprint printer at a major copy shop
-dry erase markers
-washi tape
-poster putty

IMG_1607I decided we’d start with a fun little photoshoot with her dressed to the nines in her favorite princess accessories. I didn’t have to twist her arm for this part at all. I then loaded my photo onto my Mac with iPhoto and exported it to Photoshop. I converted it to black and white using the A Beautiful Mess actions and printed it out on my home printer.

Next I took it to my local Kinko’s and got help printing it on a blueprint sized printer. Then I had it laminated on glossy laminate. I then attached it to my wall using poster putty and added washi tape to the corners just because it’s pretty. Do you really need a good reason to use washi tape? You really don’t. 

Dry Erase Poster Turned Wall ArtI talked to Ruby about using these special dry erase markers on the poster and ONLY on the poster. I also showed her how easily they wiped off with a tissue so that she understood she could enjoy drawing on it, but also easily change something she didn’t like. It takes a lot of frustration out of the process when a kid knows they can fix something if they don’t like how it turned out. 

One Photo-Two WaysWe worked on the first one together, and then I made her a special drawing while she was occupied in another room as a surprise. She loved having fairy wings and seeing how easy it was to not only color in her clothes but to add on to the picture as well. 

IMG_1651We used a tissue to fix mistakes and change colors, but I think we might just keep a pretty wash cloth nearby from now on so we don’t end up with wadded tissue all over the floor. 

Dry Erase Wall Art DIYAfter letting a drawing stay on overnight, I noticed the Office Depot markers wiped off quite easily, but the Expo markers needed the Windex to sit on it a bit longer before it wiped off. My suggestion would be to have your little artist wipe it down at the end of each day it’s used for it to last the longest if you’re using the Expo brand markers.  

Sometimes all it takes is a trip to the copy store to buy yourself and your littles a few hours of fun! What kind of fun photo shoot would you dream up before printing out your own blueprint? –Rachel

 Credits//Author and Photography: Rachel Denbow. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess Actions.

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