Photo to Canvas Painting

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to attend the launch of HGTV Home by Sherwin Williams. I was excited to see a few of my favorites coming together to make beautiful colors and fabulous paints easily accessible.

Each color stands gracefully on its own, but the palette collectively creates a stunning rainbow. It reminded me of our visit to Carmel just the week before, where between sunrise and sunset, we experienced a complete color palette.

In effort to relax and enjoy our vacation in Carmel, I rarely traveled with my camera. I captured a few iPhone photos, but nothing frame-worthy.

When we travel, we try to take home a keepsake that we can integrate into the decor of our home. We searched an array of galleries while in Carmel for an oil painting for our living room, but none seemed to fit our budget and color palette.

Recalling the HGTV Home by Sherwin Williams colors, I decided to attempt taking my photo to canvas, painting a canvas of my own. I enlisted Chris’ help so that I could take a few photographs along the way. We interpreted the photograph in colors that relate well in our home.

I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to loosely interpret one of my iPhone photos into a canvas painting I was anxious to display in our home. I am anything but an artist and haven’t lifted an artist’s paint brush in years.

I selected pure silk for the sheep, crescent blue, tidewater and downy for the sky, ryegrass seed, mountain moss and gritsmill greige the pasture.

Original photo: 

Cropped photo:

To create your own canvas painting you’ll need:

a print out or full page view on your computer of your image

paint brushes

a variety of paint colors

water {I love using this when the girls’ are doing art as well}

canvas

pencil

Step-by-step details:

1. Sketch your main details. For our landscape painting, it was the horizon lines. 
2. Start by painting your main area the most dominant color. Allow it to dry. 
3. Proceed to painting your second primary area, again in the most dominant color. Allow it to dry. 
   
4. Begin painting the details in your main area, in an alternative color or blend of colors. We started by using the lighter crescent blue, then blended it with downy to create clouds. We didn’t take it too literally, swirling and streaking with the brush. 
   
5. Add in layers of details to the secondary section of your painting, again blending paints to create a natural look.
   
6. Add final details.

Tips:

Blending paints gives a painting depth.

Layer – allow each layer to dry {often just a few minutes between each}. 

Don’t be too literal. Your interpretation will feel casual and beautiful rather than forced. 

Try again. Don’t like the result? Just paint over it and try again!

I’m so excited to add another piece of art to our walls that has significance to Chris and I. Thank you to Lowe’s for sponsoring this project and carrying such an inspiring color palette that compliments our home. As always, all opinions and ideas are my own.

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Table of Contents

Photo to Canvas Painting

Turn your favorite photo into a hand painted canvas.

Course DIY

Prep Time 0 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours

Author Julie Blanner

Cost $10

Equipment

• Paint brushes
• Canvas
• Pencil

Ingredients

• a print out or full page view on your computer of your image
• a variety of paint colors
• Water

Instructions

• Sketch your main details.
• Start by painting your main area the most dominant color. Allow to dry
• Proceed to painting your second primary area, again in the most dominant color. Allow it to dry.
• Begin painting the details in your main area, in a na alternative color or blend of colors. We didn't take it too literally, swirling and streaking with the brush.
• Add in layers of details to the secondary section of your painting, again blending paints to create a more natural look.
• Add final details.

Notes

• Blending paints gives a painting depth
• Layer- allow each layer to dry {often just a few minutes between each other}