How To Make An Art Print Look Like A Painting

  ✂︎

Favorite

Comment

List

       

Share

• 

  Step 1

  Find an art print that you like that already has a brush-stroke-y look to it. This will make the illusion that your print is a painting more real-looking. Cut any border with writing off of the print. If you are going to put the print in a certain frame, make sure the print is large enough to still fill the frame after the border gets cut off.

• 

  Step 2

  You will need a base for the art print. Nice foam core board is best. If that is more than you want to spend, I have used the cardboard tri-fold project boards with the sides taped to the main section as a base. Cut the foam core board (or cardboard) to be the same size as the print (or cut the print to fit the board). Make sure the board fits in the frame (if you are using one).

• 

  Step 3

  Take the board and the print outside for this next step. Spray the board with the spray adhesive well. Starting at one side, lower the print down on to the sprayed board. It is much easier to do this with a helper so one person can guide the print down on the sticky board and one person can hold the print up off the board until the "guider/placer" is ready for more print to be lowered on to the board.
  It is hard to pull the print up once it has touched the sticky board. If you are a little bit off getting the print on the board, as we were on this print, it won't matter as long as no board is showing when the frame is in place.

• 

  Step 4

  As soon as the print is on the board, use your hands to smooth the print out. Press with open hands all over the print to get it to adhere to the board all over. Try to get out any bubbles quickly. After you have the print smoothed out, you can spray it with the acrylic sealer. Use a spray sealer that says it is OK for paper. The sealer is going to protect the paper print from getting wet and wrinkling when the clear medium is applied. Put three thin coats of spray sealer on the print, letting it dry between applications.

• 

  Step 5

  Now for the fun part, putting on the clear acrylic medium. I like to use the "matte super heavy gel" to get the best brush stroke effect. You can find this in Hobby Lobby and Michaels. It is usually not on sale but you can use a coupon on it if you have one. You can apply the medium with a brush or with pallette knives if you have them.

• 

  Step 6

  Start applying the gel medium in the background area first. Follow the brush strokes that are, hopefully, in your print for the best effect.
  You can go back and add more medium after the first layer dries so don't make the gel too thick or it will not dry clear...it will look milky.

• 

  Step 7

  At times putting the gel medium on made this Fall scene look more like a Winter scene. You will get the hang of how much gel medium is enough to give you a brush stroke look when it dries and how much is too much to dry clear. If you do have a bump of gel medium that does not dry clear, you can dab a little acrylic paint on it (a similar color to what the print is underneath), let it dry, then put a little medium on the dry paint to give it a sheen.

• 

  Step 8

  See what great brush stokes the heavy gel medium leaves when it is dry? The print is glued and sealed on to the board so you don't have to use any kind of glass over the print. The spray adhesive, spray sealer and the gel medium that you get for one print is actually enough to do three prints.

• 

  Step 9

  You can do more prints in this same way with the supplies you have left over and change your artwork out with the seasons!

Comments

Leave your comment