It’s abstract and open to interpretation, of course, but for its inspiration - it’s perfect closet art for me. It also reminds me of my collection of pinstriped shirts (I didn’t know I had, like, eight until I moved everything into the new closet). To me, the painting is a nod to my beloved blue jeans. Start to finish, this took about 20 minutes and cost less than $20. I especially liked the streaks of unblended blue, black, and ochre that came ribboning through each band. I applied the paint in irregular strokes - uneven and patchy - sometimes adding a little extra water to the paint for a washed-out look. Using the same broad brush, I painted thick blue-black stripes over the canvas. Because I mixed it directly over the tan color, some of the warmth came through. I dappled it onto the canvas with a ¾-inch flat brush, letting tiny slivers of the original background peek through.Īfter the canvas was covered, I mixed a second color directly over the tawny color on my palette, blending Mars Black and Thalo Blue. I taped off the frame with painter’s tape and got to work mixing that background color on a paper plate: a pretty even blending of acrylic Yellow Ochre, Burnt Umber, and Titanium White. I took in the other colors and patterns, even from our clothing, and I knew what I wanted to do. I started scheming a background in this color, and I liked the idea of keeping something from the original. Right away, I saw that the original tan background looked great with the wall color and the area rug. I recommend this exercise because the room really “told” me what the painting needed. I brought it up to our almost-finished master closet, sunk a nail into the wall, and hung the framed canvas. The first thing I did was hang this piece in the room where it would go. We filmed the whole process if you’re more of a visual learner (watch below!) or you can keep reading for a process breakdown, including links to supplies. Painting over it can arguably increase its value when the result is one-of-a-kind. It’s OKAY to think of a frame and a printed canvas, like this, as materials. It is worth as much as the canvas it is printed on and the frame that’s wrapped around it. I wasn’t wild about the folksy-looking portrait within but was inspired at the thought of painting over it.īefore I get into this easy DIY (no artistic experience required), let me say this about mass-produced art: It is décor.

I loved the ornate, traditional gold - and at $16, it was a steal (even if it was just for the frame alone). I recently bought a canvas print at Target based solely on the frame.

Paint canvas pictures