I have had this idea running through my head for a year and just never took the time to execute it. I love the art at Thrift Stores. Its quirky and strange and cheap and has a story to tell. Sort of like me!
Yesterday I went thrifting with one of my FAVORITE people in the world, Hailee (you might remember her from her Living Room Makeover and The Thrifting Adventures of Wanda and Sylvia)
I found a ton of great crap. Nothing huge furniture-wise just lots of small things, like those sweet books above for $1.00 each, and I am a little obsessed at how they are sun bleached ombre. I love them.
One of the things that I nabbed for $4.00 was this oil painting:
I have been looking for something that has texture in the picture and this wintery landscape was perfect, it had TONS of texture.
I gave it a few really light coats of Classic Gray. With this type of project you have to do REALLY light coats because you want to keep as much as the texture as possible, texture is your BFF right now.
After my paint dried I used just a basic white acrylic paint mixed with a glazing medium and glazed the picture.
For those that don’t know what that means, sit down my child and let me show you.
Cover the area with your glazing mixture. Make sure that you get in all the nooks and crannies and other such orifices.
With a damp cloth wipe it off in one direction.
Then with a damp cloth go back over and clean it up a little bit more, wiping in the same direction.
Let it dry and if you want it to be heavier go back over it again! (Just remember when you are doing something with such small details to be patient and just know that you might have to glaze it a few times!)
SO easy right? Now you are an official glazing genius!! Congrats!
Also, do you follow me on Facebook?
Cause if you don’t you are SERIOUSLY missing out on awesome stuff, like this little happy nugget of thrift store awesomeness that I shared yesterday….
I mean, HOW could we not buy these?! Finding one was amazing but finding two?! A freakin miracle.
Love Your Guts, Mandi
Absolutely a FABULOUS idea for upcycling old artwork! The technique is spot on and the results are beautiful! ~ KIM @ Sand & Sisal
ReplyDeletewow! i never would've thought of this. looks so cool!
ReplyDeleteHey, awesome idea! I've always avoided that kind of art (the way yours started out). It totally reminds me of stuff my parents would have bought in the 80's, and also of that old guy with the puffy hair who used to be on tv teaching people how to paint and would talk about "happy little trees"...(he could paint the crap out of a landscape though, no doubt!) Anyways I love that you found a way to make that kind of art modern!
ReplyDeleteOh and the dresses are great. I'd wear that to church just to see what looks I got!
I know about glazing but this art project takes it to another level for me! Genius. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWonderful! I love how the trees look ghosted. I wonder if dry brushing would work too.
ReplyDeleteThat's cool! I also love (covet) your chair! absolutely pretty in green!
ReplyDeleteCool idea! I have a weakness for old children's books at thrift stores. I've found some in great condition from the 60's and earlier. :o)
ReplyDeleteHoly Crap! That is STINKIN' AWESOME!
ReplyDeleteOooh, that is awesome! Now I know how to use that medium--and what a great way to get exactly the colors you want for your art/home dec!
ReplyDeleteLove, love it! What a fantastic idea. I also love the comment about the "happy little trees." That is exactly what I thought when I saw the painting, "Oh look at the happy little trees." I used to love watching Bob Ross paint.
ReplyDeleteThe painting turned out great, but leave the dresses in the 80's.
ReplyDeletelove. it.
ReplyDeletestill having flashbacks of my grandma's old couch...
Oh that painting is awesome! I love it!
ReplyDeleteOh wowsers, I am awesified!
ReplyDeleteLove the art! Great idea! :)
ReplyDeleteThe painting looks phenomenal! What a great idea!
ReplyDeleteThose dresses are my favorite in all of forever.
ReplyDeleteOhHolyNight!! Those dresses are beyond words.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the painting revamp. Another awesome VR project!
How could you paint over that rad bob ross paining???
ReplyDeleteJust a happy little tree!!
Very cute
Love the painting....
ReplyDeletenow you're outfitted to move to Colorado City!
Love your canvas! What a terrific way to bring that painting into today! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI'm really shocked. I didn't think there was anyone that would buy those "granny" dresses. You go girl!
ReplyDeleteGenius! Somewhere, floating around in my family, is this giant landscape painting in that exact style (the "before") that my parents had hanging over our couch in the 80's-90's. I've always used my perpetually small living spaces as an excuse not to be "gifted" the painting, but next time it comes up for grabs, I'm taking it! You clever, clever girl! (Love the dresses, too!)
ReplyDeleteAmazing! Pinning this for sure :-)
ReplyDeleteI might scream and holla the day I find awesome books at the thrift store! LOVE LOVE LOVE the painting idea. You flippen rock!
ReplyDeleteLove thrifting and junking & grrreat glaze job! Good thing original painter had some impasto going on. Fun!
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ReplyDeleteI love the finished product! It's so simple and yet very, very cool! Who would've known how you made it! What a great idea.
ReplyDeletecraigslist-buyers always want to bring prices DOWN. never had seller try to get me to increase price. something about truth in advertising makes me adverse to haggling and i would yard sale if i wanted to take the time for that stuff
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