Making: Birthday Art

I have recently been seeing lots of art with inspirational or loving sentiments written in bold text. Who hasn't seen a version of this popular print floating around the blogosphere? I was inspired to make something similar as a birthday gift for the hubby. I wanted a sentimental message, but to give it a little more edge I decided to use lyrics from a rock song.

The Top Contenders:
you're my wonderwall
you are my sunshine
don't stop believing
nothing else matters
hello, i love you
pour some sugar on me
besame mucho
all you need is love

I typed them up in Photoshop, with the approximate font size and layout to examine them graphically. In the end I decided on a landscape layout and the winning quote is...



This project is so simple. To create the words I used white chipboard letters intended for scrapbooking and the background is a watercolor painting I whipped up in less than an hour. Fear not: While I am familiar with watercolors I am by no means an artist or expert. However if you are intimidated by painting this could easily be done as a collage by layering different sheets of craft paper, wrapping paper, etc. I wanted a monochromatic look so I knew creating my own design would give me the outcome I wanted.

Before I began painting I laid my letters on the paper and lightly traced the outline of the curves so the text would work with the backdrop and not against it. I freehanded 3 gentle, swooping curves that resemble mountains in the distance. Feel free to use your imagination. Any simple background would look nice against the crisp white letters.

After the paint dried I cropped and flattened my paper to give me an even working surface. I used thread and painters tape to create temporary guidelines for laying down my letters then I attached the letters with Elmer's glue. I left the guides on the paper until the glue was dry - I didn't want any letters peeling up when I handled the paper. I would recommend letting the project sit under some heavy books for about an hour to ensure a good bond.

After the glue was set all I had to do was pop my painting into a frame. It was a quick, easy, inexpensive project that is more meaningful because I made it just for my hubby.





Here's what you need to make your very own piece, including a cost breakdown:

Materials
watercolor paper - $1-$5 per sheet, depending on size, thickness and texture
white chipboard letters - $7 for 72 piece alphabet
white frame - $30
watercolors - $0 - I already had these, but a basic watercolor kit costs less than $10

Tools
metal ruler (longer than your paper)
x-acto knife and cutting surface
thread or string
painters tape
pencil
Elmer's or other water-based glue