DIY Saturday: Paintings

After moving down to Florida from Massachusetts- I was in desperate need of some decor in my new apartment. Sure I had a couch, and a bed...but my walls were bare, and I had a lot of open space where a side table or lamp should be. My roommate and I discovered a thrift store about a mile away and it was love at first site. I've become addicted to re-creating and re-newing old findings that, at first site, don't look like anything you'd want to bring in your home...check out some of the pieces I've restored in our first DIY Saturday post! 

Before:

   

Behind our couch was just a big blank wall. I had my heart set on a huge abstract piece to fill that space, and also bring some color to our grey walls and neutral couch. However, after doing some online browsing, to get a large abstract piece was gonna cost me several hundred dollars. So when I came across this huge canvas, I immediately had the idea to create my own. I scored this painting for $4! Then I got to work...

The first thing I did was completely paint the entire canvas with Gesso- a white paint that serves as a base (similar to a primer when painting a wall) to cover up the painting that was originally on the canvas.

Then I got started with the actual painting part...

  

And just went with it...

After:

Total spent: $4 plus paint.

Before:

When I pointed to this one and said "How much?" my roommate looked at me like I was crazy. But thats the fun in thrifting- seeing the beauty and possibilities of something, well, like this. 

  

As I did with the last painting, I covered up those cheetah eyes with Gesso. 

  

I then randomly stripped painting tape across the canvas and then painted over it with a teal paint color. 

And then I started stripping the paint tape off...

After:

Total spent: $3 plus paint

Before:

While I loved the adorable brother and sister (?) portrait by the lake, I snagged this painting for an abstract painting to go above my TV in my bedroom. 

  

I started this painting by painting over it with Gesso, and then paintings a mix of grey's as a base background. Then, similar to the second painting, I covered it randomly with painting tape. Then, over that tape and grey background- I randomly painted different shades of grey and purple and white splatters...Then I let it dry. 

Then I began to strip the paint tape off...

  

After:

Total spent: $3 plus paint


Total for 3 Paintings: $10.

Safe to stay doing my own paintings were A LOT cheaper than buying something very similar for a couple hundred dollars. I'm gonna stick with the thrifting projects! Plus- way more fun!! 

Stay tuned for more DIY projects! And feel free to send us photos of your own at FinigansFundamentals@gmail.com.

F. F.