Blog / DIY Canvas Art Project

July 22, 2020

It is officially summer, which means there is no better time to get started on DIY projects. If you want to spruce up the decor of your home or office, create your own one-of-a-kind canvas wall art! With a Trimaco canvas drop cloth and a handful of materials available at your local craft store, you can build, design and paint multiple canvas wall art pieces in only a few hours. This is a fun, creative, at-home project to do with friends, family or by yourself!

Step One: Gather Materials

• Trimaco SuperTuff 6’x9′ Drop Cloth – 4×5 and 9×12 options are also available, depending on your desired canvas size.
• Wooden canvas frame
• Tape measure
• Scissors
• Paint brushes
• Acrylic paint gesso primer
• Acrylic paint
• Optional: Trimaco X-Paper Surface Protector

Step Two: Measure & Cut

First, measure your wooden canvas frame to determine the size of your art piece. You should cut your SuperTuff Drop Cloth so that it is larger than the frame – we recommend adding at least three inches.

Step Three: Assemble

Once the canvas is cut, stretch it around the frame and make sure it is positioned evenly. Next, staple the canvas onto the back side of the wooden frame. The canvas should be tight and smooth. You can then cut off any additional fabric.

Step Four: Prep and prime

Place your leftover drop cloth or the Trimac X-Paper Surface Protector under your canvas. Use a larger paint brush to coat the entire canvas in gesso primer.

Priming your canvas creates a smooth surface, prevents paint absorption and makes your paint colors pop. You can dilute the primer with water to create a thinner coat. Let the primer dry.

Step Five: Paint and create

Time to get creative: gather your acrylic paint and any additional art materials you want to use for your art piece. You can seek inspiration online or come up with an original piece. Let your canvas painting dry for at least a day. Once it is dry, hang up your art and enjoy! For more How-To and DIY projects, like DIY canvas prints or a DIY dust barrier, check out Trimaco’s blog.