DIY brush stroke art
Today I want to share a little DIY brushstroke art with you that I did right before we left for vacation.
I had been searching for a way to add some color to the corner by the couch where I had the framed catalog pages of my former art teacher. I just needed a change!
DIY brush stroke art
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I’ve had a huge crush on Made By Girl’s COCOA & HEARTS brushstroke paintings and while I hate taking someone’s idea, the cheapo within me won on this one. While I was in art school this was/is obviously a total no-no. And that still sits deep within me, but not deep enough, I guess. So sorry, please forgive me!?!?!? OK? Because I came up with my own DIY version for our living room.
Materials used
- 4 Canvases in 11×14 size
- acrylic paints
- flat brush
I also already have a large collection of acrylic paints, so I didn’t need to buy anything else. But you can buy a nice variety at any craft store.
Quick instructions
- Lay your canvas on a protected surface.
- You can price and paint the canvas white but I opted not to do that. Using the plain white canvas works just fine.
- Determine what colors you want to use and squeeze a small amount of each color on a plastic food container or plate.
- Use a brush that is as wide as the brushstrokes you want. This probably also depends on what size of canvas you are using. Like I said above, I used 11×14-inch canvases. For that use a brush that is about 1.5 inches wide to get about 7 brushstrokes horizontally across the canvas.
- You can use a pencil to lightly sketch where the brushstrokes should go but I just eyeballed it. You definitely don’t want them to look exact. I left about 2-inches of blank space around the perimeter of the canvas.
- Now have some fun with it and if you mess up… No worries you can always let the canvas dry, paint over it with white, and start again.
Photos of finished brushstroke art
Check out the painted thrift store lamps too.
You can hang the paintings the other way too so the brushstrokes are vertical.
Also, check out my multi-colored Christmas tree. Isn’t it perfect with the brushstroke artwork?
DONE.
I love this simple, cheap, and bright update. Don’t you? The colorful strokes seemed perfect to me.
Hope you all had a fabulous Memorial Day weekend too.
Tschüß,
Tschüß
(Youleeya)
Check out my other abstract art tutorial.
Or if abstract art isn’t your thing then check out my faux taxidermy on wood slices, DIY geometric wood wall art, long narrow wall art using macrame yarn, and DIY wall mural art on canvas.
A great pop of color!
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, no? 🙂
You are right, it is 😉 and thanks!
What a fun project! I love all the pretty colors, and I’m always looking for inexpensive wall art! Also, thanks for linking up to Frugalicious Friday!
Thanks Jane.
I love Frugalicious Friday 😉
Pretty! p.s. Love lake vacations, always takes me back to my childhood summers 🙂 I’ll be at the fam house in Pocono Summit in a few weeks!
Thanks!
it’s anice little happy spring touch! love the colors! and welcome back! i love summer fun like that, and i even somewhat like country music. and i like my moles. they all have grown on me, and are painful to take away. 😉
Yup, this is my kind of summer fun!
LOL, where do kids come up with this stuff? Both him and I have lots of moles 😉
Perfection!!! Makes me smile and looks like you paid a lot for them!
I’m so happy you had a great vacay, and I’m w/ you on the country music…I just can’t seem to wrap my heart around it! xoxo (love what your son said!)
Welcome back!
xoxo
Thanks Robin!
Laughing at the country music mole quote. I for one, LOVE COUNTRY. =) The artwork looks great. I love the pop of color in the room. Your living room is just too adorable! I love it.
Thanks!
And I had to laugh at it too! It’s a good one, especially since we both have lots of moles.
Love the soft pizazz it adds to your little corner!
Thanks Pam!
Those are beautiful! I have seen a few different versions of those and yours came out beautiful! I love the colors you used together. Also, where did you get your couches pictured above? I am in the market for one and am having a hard time finding one I love (that’s not way too expensive)!
Thank you Megan!
My sofas are the Claudia sofas from Macy’s.
Glad you had a nice vacation….and stayed away from the electronics! That would have been a little difficult for you!
Cute and simple DIY artwork!
Yes, it was hard. Felt like being on a diet 😉
Iove love love it Julia!!! So easy and so pretty. I think I may have to give it a try. I have a lonely corner that needs a pick me up. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thanks Shavonda! I loved them too until I saw Kristen’s (Hunted Interiors) art this morning LOL. DId you check hers out? So fabulous!
Schön das du einen tollen Urlaub hattest!
Die kleinen Bilder sind toll, das Gold mit dem Rosa ist wirklich hübsch, passte cht gut in den Raum!
Wozu teuer Geld ausgeben, wenn man es selber kann, ne?;)
Vielen Dank Lydia und das sehe ich auch so!
Thanks Kristin! And yes vacation was super fun but I’m exhausted today 😉
I love it! Great idea and who has to stick to RULES?
Agreed and thank you so much!
My goodness Julia, you are so good!! I mean you took a simple technique and created a beautiful piece of artwork for your home. Did I mention how much I love it!
Thanks Brandi!
Come hang with me for a while and I will get you loving country music! I am a country girl through and through.
I love those paintings. Before I read what you wrote (I always look at pics first and then go back and read), i totally thought Cocoa and Hearts, and then you mentioned that was your inspiration…so…I would say goal ACHIEVED!
LOL, I doubt that I can be turned into a country loving girl. Believe me our VA friends try every year 😉
And I do the same, look at pictures first and then read 😉
Thanks!
OMG! I am so so so glad that you posted this. This is what I want to do in my living room. Thank you so much for the tutorial! 🙂 I will be using it!
Thanks Mandy and good luck with your project!
LURRRRRVVVEEEEEEE these!!!
Thanks Brittany!!!
I believe we gather ideas all the time… so no, they are not copied from anyone. They are YOU’RE own original paintings. I personally think you ought to sign them each. Then make a cute indiscreet tag and number, name and price each one. I would say at least $500 per painting.
You crack me up Sheryll!
It’s amazing how something so simple can look so mod and hip. Great addition to an already beautiful room.
Glad you had fun on your vacay, Julia!
Thank you!
I love it Julia! so pretty and bright, love those colors; pretty and chic! 🙂 I’ve been wanting to do a Super big one for my living room in black and blue but I don’t think it would look great! 🙂 & happy you had a great vacation with your family too! 🙂
Thanks Ingrid!
You should just give it a try. You never know…you might come up with a master piece 😉
Love the colors you chose! So perfect.
Thanks Kristen!
LOVE! What a great way to add color…and it’s cheap too (my favorite)! Sometimes you gotta borrow someone else’s project. You’re using different colors, and not copying stroke-for-stroke, plus you gave credit to original blogger too, which is more than what some people would do. They look great!
It’s good to get away and no country music for me either:)
This is a nice little update.. They add such a nice pop of color to your living room!
I would not worry about the copying thing.. Isn’t that what blogs are all about? Sharing and inspiring??
I love that art too ~ you did a beautiful job making it your own!
Love this idea and how it gives your living room a sweet pop of color. I am beginning to tire of my completely neutral living room and this project would be a great addition! And I’m with you on the pet sitter thing- I hate kenneling my dogs and really wish I could find someone to stay at my house since my sister moved to Chicago!
It always helps having a vet in the family who knows reliable young vet technicians who don’t mind making a few bucks and staying at our house!
And thanks Sarah!
I adore these paintings! They are beautiful! I did 2 very similar to these on tiny canvases I had laying around…and hopefully I’ll get around to hanging them in our gallery hallway one day soon!
Goodwill has an app???? Thank you for this golden nugget of information!!! 😉 The paintings are fab and I love the pop of color they bring in! Looks great! Jesse @ Scout & Nimble
My middle daughter is a BIG country music fan and wishes she lived somewhere that she could meet and marry a cowboy. I dont’ think she get far with that living in San Diego. I have been messing around with my acrylic paints as well. I want to do a large abstract for my studio, and honestly getting those brush strokes down and just walking away is what is really hard. I want everything to be perfect which it isn’t suppose to be in abstract. I told my youngest daughter today that I was trying to paint abstract art and she said “oh that is the easiest art to paint. A lady one $250,000 for one of her paintings in a contest and it turned out her kindergartner did it” Oh gee, thanks for the encouragement. lol Yours are perfect, I LOVE them!
How have I not found you until now?? Gorgeous!! And I loooove your living room! What color are the walls? Though if we’re going to be honest here, I’m gonna see if I can track them down elsewhere on your blog right now anyway.
Thanks so much!
In my living room I have Seashell Gray 4003-1A by Valspar
Just found your blog and I’m in love! I also adore the DIY brush stroke paintings.
Sarah xo
girlfriendshoes.com
I hope you see this! I wonder how you get your brush stroke to have that fade away effect? And how do you make them perfectly square within the frame? I taped around my canvas so my brush strokes look very harsh. You and Jen from MBG make it look so effortless!
This project is def. not as easy as I hoped :(.
I’m sorry that you don’t think it’s easy.To me it was very easy and fast. The fade away effect is all in lifting the brush slightly at the end. Taping it off won’t work for sure. Mine aren’t perfectly centered either. It’s just eyeballed. It’s one of those projects that won’t be perfect.
Sorry again.
Hello! I realize this was written nearly two years ago, but I was wondering if it would be possible for you to list some of the names/brands of the colors you used for the paintings? I love them even more than the Cocoa & Hearts paintings, and would like to reproduce yours as closely as possible. Thank you!
Oh my gosh thank you so much. I mostly use liquitex or any other acrylic paint sold at the crafts tore but I mix the colors to what I like. So I can’t list specific colors that I used. I’m so sorry about that.