The This Ordinary Life School of Do-it-yourself Art
Who said great art has to be expensive? I am a recent graduate and big advocate of School of Do-it-yourself Art. You too can become a graduate of this school by following my 6-step programme. This programme will not only give you confidence in making your own art, but also allow you to turn a noise up at those that think real art can only be bought at great expense.
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Step 1 – Creative concept
Find a great photo. I used a close-up photo of grass I took while on a trip to Cornwall, so this is where your creative side can shine through. I think macro (close-up) photos of plants (flowers, branches, grass) work very well, but make sure the image you use was taken at, at least, 5 mega-pixel quality.
Step 2 – Make the concept a reality
Find a service that will print large format images (76cm x 51cm). I used the online service Photobox, who charge £18.95 (you can always find a discount code on the Internet to make this about 10-20% cheaper) and can deliver your print in about 3 days.
Step 3 – Accessorise
Purchase frame and border. This is an important part of the process as it sets the scene for your image. If you are in the UK, Habitat has some excellent frames at very reasonable prices. I chose one of their 70cm x 100cm black birch frames at a cost of £30. For the mount and border, I used A1 heavy board from Paperchase at a cost of £6. Both Habitat and Paperchase have a variety of colours and styles to choose from making the combinations available to you almost endless.
Step 4 – Assemble
You will need to cut the board mount down to size with a very sharp knife or razor so that it just fits into the frame. I found it easiest to use the backing from the frame as a stencil. It took a few adjustments before I had mount down to the right size, but then it fit like a glove. To stick the photo on the board, I would recommend using 3M spraymount and avoid traditional glue (it can soften the photo and cause bubbles). Be careful to centre the photo on the mount and then leave to dry. Finally, place the mounted photo in the frame and presto, a work of art that could rival many.
Step 5 – Displaying your masterpiece
If you successfully followed the above steps, you will have produce a very substantive piece. I don’t only mean striking, but bloody heavy. Make sure that you use heavy gauge anchors and screws if possible to make sure it stays where you put it. It’s also handy to use a water level to make sure its level as once you’ve gone through all the work to hang it, it won’t really be going anywhere.
Step 6 – Step back and enjoy
I think this step is self explanatory. Although, I might suggest you accompany this with a nice glass of Pinotage and a cracker topped with some blue vein cheese.
Congratulations! You're an artist...
So congratulations, you have now graduated from the This Ordinary Life School of Do-it-yourself Art. Please let me know you got on, but I am sure you passed with flying colours.