DIY: Textured Minimal Art
Hello! I hope everyone is having a lovely week so far.
I’m bringing you a mini tutorial today on how you can create a custom textured art piece for your space. It’s seriously beautiful and can fit with so many interior styles!
So, I actually did this technique back in February on a canvas for my bedroom and I was so pleased with the outcome, it’s about time I let you guys into the secret.
I understand that this has since been seen on TikTok in some format but i’m not on the app. I haven’t seen how they’ve done it unfortunately but I think it may be similar in some ways.
If you like this mini tutorial then let me know and I might film a tutorial too if that would be useful.
Let me share with you how I achieved this look in 3 very simple steps…
Step 1:
Grab your canvas or whatever you’d like to create this art on and place it on top of a covered surface. This can get messy so its best to try and avoid that!
Mix your plaster of paris in a bowl. Typically this doesn’t stick to surfaces however if its mixed with pva glue it does. You’ll need to mix with the ratio 8:5:1. This means if you use 2 cup of plaster of paris, you’ll need 1 1/4 of a cup of water and 1/4 cup of glue. Leave the mixture for a couple of minutes and then give this a stir. I would also mix in smaller quantities often rather than one large quantity, the mixture dries pretty fast.
If you do find during working that the mixture is drying too fast then you can add a dash more water and give it another good stir. The consistency you’re looking for is like toothpaste.
Step 2:
Once you have your mixture you can start to work it on to the surface. For my canvas, I actually just used a butter knife. I found that this gave a combination of smooth and rough textures. You can use a palette knife, a scraper or even a spoon. Experiment with different tools to achieve the desired look!
Scoop out some of the mixture and start spreading it over the area. You don’t want it to be perfect, you want the lumps and bumps! This is a very easy process but it can be a long one depending on the size of the board you’re covering.
I didn’t cover the entire area on my bedroom canvas, I saturated one side and then faded it into the raw canvas. You can do this or just work the middle section or cover the entirety, it’s your personal preference. Then you can just go ahead and let this dry.
Step 3:
It’s really important to let the canvas dry fully and this can take some time. It’s advised to leave it on a flat surface for 24 hours to cure through. Once it’s done you can decorate the piece to your choosing.
These are optional steps. You can just leave it minimal white or you can add some colour. There are a couple of ways to do this. You can paint on top of the plaster of paris in block colour or different tones, I used an off-white colour on mine to create depth. The other option is to add the colour into the mixture when you put it on the canvas. You can also just colour a new smaller batch and place it on the top of the white layer. I would avoid using anything that’s water based (water colour, poster paints, ink) as this could change the integrity of the plaster. It’s a very versatile but eye catching art technique.
You could get really fancy and add some metallic foils on top, it works really well as the foil cracks around the textured peaks. It’s a chance to get creative!
It really is as easy as 3 steps! Just note that the plaster is naturally brittle so the piece will be fragile. I’ve had mine hanging for just over 7 months, it’s still so pretty and completely in tact so this does work! It’s a great way to add in a new layer to your space or it could make a lovely gift for someone.
If you give this a go let me know how you get on! I can’t wait to see your designs.
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Have an amazing rest of the week and i’ll see you very soon! x