Affordable Art

It?s always great to brag about your most recent, modish find, whether it is a chic tapestry or a trendy painting. But it?s even better to boast when you?ve made it yourself! Contrary to popular belief, artwork need not be pretentious, exclusive or expensive to be impressive. Below are a few ways to break artistic ground in your place without breaking the bank.

Create a Canvas
The beauty of a blank canvas is not just for painters anymore. One simple, inexpensive way to spruce up any room in your home is to pick a beautiful paper and create the illusion of a painting. Visit your favorite gift shop or stationer, and select a sheet of handmade paper or even unique wrapping paper. Bold colors and detailed patterns work best. Using a spray adhesive, coat the canvas and place the paper over it, making sure to smooth out any air bubbles. Viola! Instant art.

For those who are a bit more artistically inclined, trace your favorite print or design directly onto the canvas and then paint it yourself. First, select a print you love?it can be anything from a magazine ad to a portrait to your favorite album cover. Take the print to your local copy center and copy the image onto a transparency. Then, using an overhead projector, cast the image onto the canvas and trace. Using watercolors, acrylics or pastels, color the image to add your own artistic style, or outline in black for a more contemporary feel.

Art Decoupage
If you don?t trust your artistic abilities enough to lift a brush to a canvas, decoupage may be your safest bet. It involves no drawing or painting?only cutting and pasting. With this simple and affordable technique, you can add a punch of panache to virtually any surface?from tabletops and lampshades to mirrors and barstools. All you need are cutouts you love, whether they?re old photographs, classic, iconic images or a collage of magazine cutouts.

Coat the back of each image with decoupage medium. Line the cutouts along the rim of a lampshade, use them to frame the four corners of a rectangular mirror or arrange them on the seat of a stool. Apply one to two layers of decoupage medium over the cutouts and let dry. The result is a striking surface with a professional look.

Picture Perfect
Any image you find aesthetically appealing can be made into art. Simply mat and frame it. Calendar photos, magazine ads, postcards and comic illustrations can all become one-of-a-kind artwork. If the image you want to frame is in a 3-D form, simply scan it. Scanners can be used to transform leaves, flowers, bottle caps, buttons and many other objects into glossy, ready-to-hang photos. Using 3-D objects will also leave shadows when scanning, adding an element of depth to your photo.

Art, by definition, is an expression of self, so express yourself! Keep your eyes peeled for wall-worthy prints, papers and photos. Your creations are only limited by your imagination.