Making a "canvas" print

I saw a company on Pinterest that would take a photo of your choice, place a poem on it, and print it on canvas for you.  It was pretty expensive to have it done, but I liked the idea...

... SO WHY NOT MAKE IT MYSELF?

Blurry picture- love but not useful

I have always loved this picture from our wedding day, but with it being blurry I never had a use for it until this project crossed my path.

I started with this raw picture.  In my photo editing program I trimmed it to 11 X 14 and added text to the image.  I decided to use our wedding vows instead of a poem because they have so much more meaning to us, and keep in mind that any picture will print slightly larger than the desired size so don't run your text up to the edge of the picture!  I sent the picture to be printed at Southerland's Photo so it would be the very best quality.  Plus, I would much rather give my business to a small business where the people actually care about the product they produce than some un-feeling chain company any day.

I purchased an 11 X 14 canvas and Mod Podge at Hobby Lobby.  I already had black acrylic paint, sponge brushes, and acrylic sealer from previous projects.

Finished project!  The blurry picture in the background really adds

to the beauty

Here's how I put it together:

(Super easy!)

1. Paint the edges and back of the canvas with black acrylic paint.  Canvas is porous so it took several coats.

2. Trim the picture to just inside the edges of the canvas so nothing hangs over.  My canvas was not perfectly square, so keep that in mind when you're trimming.

3. Use a black Sharpie to disguise the white edges of the printed photo.

4. Mod Podge the canvas face and apply your picture.  I flipped the canvas face-down and rubbed the back while the Mod Podge was drying so I got a nice flat picture without air bubbles.

5. Mod Podge the sides and front of the canvas.  Make sure to get the Mod Podge deep into the crevices along the edge of the print so nothing can catch on it and rip it off.  I did 3 coats (waiting about an hour between coats).

6. Spray with an acrylic sealer so it won't have that "tacky" feeling.

The white edge of the picture before disguising it with the Sharpie

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www.AshleyGesslerSHD.com