With the world in bloom, artists can find endless inspiration outdoors. This DIY project will show you how to make a one-of-a-kind canvas wall-hanging using flowers and leaves. So get your plant clippers ready and see what you can find!
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Supplies:
Fresh flowers
Sheet of canvas
Sheet of newspaper
Hammer
Masking tape
Newspaper
Paper towel
Permanent marker (optional)
Step 1: Collect your materials
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When collecting your plant materials, you will want an assortment of brightly colored flowers. Bold colors will show up the best against the canvas fabric.
Step 2: Set up your workstation
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This project is best done on a sturdy wooden surface, such as a table, patio or even a tree stump or wooden board. Lay your sheet of newspaper flat on the table and cover it with your sheet of canvas. Make sure your canvas is flat with no wrinkles.
Step 3: Arrange your flowers
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Lay your flowers flat onto the canvas. Arrange them however you want to create a fun composition.
Step 4: Tape down the flowers
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Tear off strips of masking tape that are long enough to cover the length of your flower composition. Lay each strip of tape down one at a time, partially overlapping your strips until you’ve covered the entire floral design.
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Step 5: Flip over the canvas
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After you’ve covered all of your flowers with tape, flip the canvas over so that the tape is touching the newspaper.
Step 6: Hammer Time!
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Fold a paper towel in half and place it on top of your canvas. Gently hammer the paper towel continuously, until you see pigment from the flower coming through the canvas.
Pro tip: Start gentle; if you hammer the canvas too hard the flowers’ pigments will blend together and will not make a clear image.
Step 7: Peel away the tape
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Once you see that your flowers’ colors are seeping through you can peel the tape up from the canvas. The flowers should stick to the tape and be pulled away from the fabric.
Step 8: You’re finished!
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Admire your work and give your arms some rest. If this piece didn’t come out as well as you hoped, make a note about which flowers worked best and try again, adjusting your pressure if needed.
Optional: Outline or doodle on your print
You can give your print a more graphic feel by outlining the flowers in permanent marker and adding patterns to various flowers and leaves.
