How To Make Tissue Paper Art for Decorating a Wall In Your Home
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Add a splash of color to any wall in your home by creating tissue paper art on a canvas. This easy paper craft technique can be adapted for any style of home decor from modern to rustic. Find out how easy it is to make wall art using tissue paper in this step-by-step tutorial post.
I wanted a piece of colorful modern art for my daughter, Mandy’s home, but didn’t want to spend a lot of money. I found inspiration after reading about tissue paper crafts. Most of the ideas were for younger kids and including many bleeding tissue paper art ideas that were creative and looked nice, but not he look I wanted.
After finding a colorful pattern of tissue paper, I came up with the idea to use whole sheets instead of strips of tissue paper. I call my art masterpiece a tissue paper Picasso.
I have made tissue paper flowers to use as decor in my house as well as used red tissue paper to make accent flowers on Valentine gift wrap.
How to Make Tissue Paper Art Tutorial
Working with tissue paper is an easy craft to make for your home’s decor unlike tissue paper painting that requires a bit more skill. Many of the creative art ideas using it use different colors of tissue paper squares. For my modern art, I used entire sheets of tissue paper.
I found the colorful circle pattern of tissue paper at Michael’s. They have many fun patterns to choose from, so your options are endless. I started out with an old canvas I found at a yard sale.
Printed Tissue Paper Resource
supplies needed:
- artist’s canvas – any size
- tissue paper
- Mod Podge or decoupage medium
- 1 – 1’1/2′ wide bristle paint brush
- ribbon – enough to go around circumference of the canvas.
- Optional: furniture nails/tacks, pencil, ruler or measuring tape
The artist canvas I used measured 24 x 29. I needed 2 sheets of tissue paper to cover the top and to wrap around the sides. I used Matte Mod Podge, as I didn’t want the finishing sealer to be shiny.
- Measure Canvas
To figure out how many sheets of tissue paper you will need to cover, measure your canvas.
If your tissue paper has a pattern on it, lay the paper or pieces on the canvas to center the pattern over the canvas so the pattern is centered both width and height wise.
For instance, I centered one full piece of the tissue paper on the canvas, then cut another piece in half to add to add to the sides. I had to trim the paper and match the circles where the paper would overlap in places.
2. Add Side Piece of Tissue Paper
The other piece of the tissue paper that I cut in half went to the left and right sides of the center piece of paper. Don’t worry too much about keeping your cuts straight. It won’t matter once you Mod Podge it to the canvas as the edges of the papers will blend in with each other.
3. Apply Mod Podge
Mod Podge works as both a glue to adhere the paper to the canvas and also to as a top coat sealer.
Pour Mod Podge onto the canvas and spread it around on the entire canvas surface and sides with a paint brush.
Lay the center piece of tissue paper onto the canvas and then brush more Mod Podge on top of the tissue paper. Move your brush in all directions – this will create a brush stroke look like a real painting has to the canvas once the Mod Podge dries.
Apply the Mod Podge to the left and right sides in the same manner. Wrap the excess paper around to back of the canvas frame and adhere with Mod Podge. Cut excess tissue paper on the back with scissors.
4. Let Dry
Let the tissue paper canvas dry over night.
Helpful Tip:
If you see any large air bubbles in the paper as it dries, you can press the tip of a pin into the bubble. With a Mod Podge covered finger that will slide along the paper, gently press the air out.
How to Finish the Edges of the Tissue Paper Art Canvas
Trimming the outer edge of the tissue paper canvas frame is optional, but it does add a nice decorative accent.
You will need ribbon and furniture nails to finish the edge of the canvas.
Use a ruler and a pencil to mark the spacing around the frame that you would like to see the nail heads.
Starting at one corner, place one end of ribbon and press the furniture nail into the ribbon and frame. Don’t hammer this all the way in yet, as you will have to place the opposite end of the ribbon under this end once you place the ribbon all around the frame and the ends meet up. Then you can place this nail head in permanently.
Wrap the ribbon around the frame and place a nail where your pencil marks are. For my canvas, I used 5 nails on each side.
TIP: Cover the nails with a towel or fabric so you don’t ruin a painted or decorative nail with the hammer.
When you reach the beginning corner, remove that first nail and then place the other end of the ribbon under the existing ribbon. Tack the nail down again.
Hang the finished art on the wall using picture hanging hardware.
Other Tissue Paper Craft Ideas
The main picture shows a 1/4 circle covered but the instructions do not, how do you do the 1/4 circle?
Hi Ann –
I am not sure I understand your question. Can you elaborate? If you are asking how the bottom of the canvas and sides only show 1/4 of the circles, that is simply how I centered the tissue paper over the canvas. When using the Mod Podge to adhere the paper I tried my best to center the tissue paper just right so the top and bottom circles as they go over the edge of the canvas were the same in size. That didn’t happen – that is why along the top the circles are full and then bottom they are only half.
Thank you, Diane, for a great idea that is affordable and looks like fun!I’ll be on the lookout this week for tissue paper and wrapping paper at Dollar Tree, and for a canvas I can use at Good Will.
Heya i’m for the first time here. I found this board
and I find It truly useful & it helped me out much. I hope to give something back and aid others like
you helped me.
I love this!! It looks fabulous!! Thanks so much for sharing! I have some really cool tissue paper– I so want to try this!! :D
My 12 year old draughter and I just made this for her room. It turned out really cute. We fund a 12X12 canvas painting at Goodwill for $1.99 and used some white primer we had on hand to give us a blank canvas.
Can you post a photo so we can see more examples?
Wow! This is fabulous way to make your own art piece. Definitely going to try this. Thank you for sharing.
NJ
http://www.twopinkcanaries.com
Looks awesome!! I wonder if you could do this with circles cut out of paint chips, if you didn’t have the right paper…
Eu nao entendi até agora a parte das bolas,não entendi..o que foi que você fez,realinhou elas ? Obrigado !
Love your ideas!
Thanks Denise
This is great and I would love to try it with a beautiful Paisley tissue paper I found. Can you also do this with other paper textures such as wrapping paper? Do I need to iron the paper (under a towel) to get the fold lines out?
I adore your site and you ideas….you are so creative and unique!
Thanks Lisa-
You can do it with all types of paper. The thinner the paper the more you may have to deal with some wrinkling. Thicker paper doesn’t wrinkle when Mod Podge is applied. I like using brown bags. I have used many different types of giftwrap. The heavier type works better, but it all depends on the look you are trying to achieve. A few wrinkles can give a piece some character. :)
As far as pressing the folds from the tissue paper before you apply it to the canvas- a low iron should be ok right on the paper, but the inks may transfer to the plate of your iron, so an old t-shirt or as you stated a towel would be good to use as a pressing cloth.
I was wondering do you think I could modge podge zebra printed tissue paper on my laundry room ceiling?
Hi Dawn-
Of course – you can Mod Podge anything! The hardest part about applying it to your ceiling is it will literally be a a “pain in the neck”, but will look fabulous once you have it completed. The only other thing I would consider would be how long do you think you will want it on your ceiling? If you tire of it someday and want to paint over it – your ceiling will look textured. If you don’t want to damage the ceiling you can do what I did for a decorator showhouse. I had a small room and I wanted to cover the ceiling, but could not damage it in any way. I ended up applying fabric to foam core boards that I bought at the dollar store and then used small pins to attach them to the ceiling to cover it. I had to cut some of the boards to fit and used those at least seen part of the ceiling. When the showhouse was over , it was a cinch to take it all down, leaving the ceiling intact. I think the zebra print tissue paper would really make a statement and may make you enjoy doing your laundry more. :)
I love this!! I wanna make one for my craft room!!!
Hi Laura-
It is so easy. You will be able to do it in less than an hour. Let it dry and hang. I would love to make more, just waiting for a sale at Michaels to buy more canvases.
This is so great! I think I am the last to find your wonderful idea and tutorial. I love this! Just shared on our Facebook wall. Love your blog – new reader!
Hi Sally-
Thanks so much and thanks for connecting with me. I will come over and visit.
I have done this with fabric, too. I used an old stretcher frame, it is basically just four pieces of flat wood in a rectangle. Then just stretch the fabric round to the back, and staple.
It is like Instant Art- love it!
Love it! I’ll have to do this also!
Check mine out if you have a chance. :)
I loved your tissue paper artwork….i would love to see the other one you did… did you post it???? cant seem to find…. but all the same i love it… cant wait to try!!!!
this is adorable! thanks for the great idea. visiting from one pretty thing!
its awesome…great ,thnx 4 sharing
Hi love this thinking of making something similar for my newly decorated lounge but in shades of blue/lime/white/and black
Thanks for the inspiration
Suz x
Hello! Saw you on Crazy Domestic. I LOVE this project! I love Mod Podge but can never seem to find enough projects to use it on. Recently I decided that I wanted to make some new wall art for my dining room and I was thinking of painting several little squares onto a canvas – but I don’t have any paint and didn’t want to have to go buy it all brand new…I think I’m going to try your idea instead! Looks great! :D I’m a follower now.
What a great creative way to brighten a space. It looks beautiful and fun! Great job.
What a cool idea to use tissue paper! It looks like it took 100x times longer because I thought you painted it!
Very cute – and I love that paper you found! I linked to this on my weekly roundup, the post is under my name. Thanks for sharing!
Wow! What a great way to fill an empty wall fast! I’m so impressed, I really love this idea.
I saw it on One Pretty Thing and just had to hop over
ps. I’m a follower now :)
WOW a fabulous idea!! I have gotta try this! Thanks for the directions.
Oh how fun! I can’t believe it’s tissue paper! Thanks so much for the great idea, I’ll be linking.
Love you and your site, Rachel xo
I LOVE that. Your daughter will love apartment life. I have a whole post on my blog about my cute apartment since I had to move back home due to the economy. It sure was fun decorating the ones I lived in. Its fun for the moms too.
So CUTE!! love it! I hope you’ll link this up at sundae scoop http://iheartnaptime.blogspot.com/
Another great project! Love it!
I love this! So cute and so many options! Thanks for sharing. :)
Love this! Turned out GREAT!!!
Great idea! Love the brights and polka dots, so cute!
So cool! Very cute–I love the bright pops of color. That’s right up my alley.
Way too cool for as simple as that is! Thanks for sharing … I’ve posted a link.
I appreciate the tutorial and your attn to detail. I was working with modge-podge this weekend and having some questions about how to work with it. I also like the finishing touch for the edges. I’m going to use that on the item I was working on this weekend. Thanks!
So cute! Love this idea!
love this idea and your blog!!
so cute and clever!
i am your newest follower!
i’d love to hear back from you!
http://www.lovelypapershop.blogspot.com
Thanks and happy Tuesday!
OMG – this is SUPER CUTE!!!!!
This is a fantastic example of FRUGAL wall art. I love the furniture tacks!
that is awesome!! love it!
This looks AWESOME! Thanks so much for sharing – this is a definite MUST do!!!
This turned out great! What a great fun piece ~ even for a girl/teen bedroom. How was it working with the tissue paper and Mod Podge?
Hi Kathy-
I thought the tissue may have been hard to work with once it was coated with the Mod Podge, but I lifted it off the canvas a few times to repostion and it did not rip or tear. It took me only about 15 minutes to get the tissue paper onto the canvas. I let it dry overnight, before I added the ribbon trim.
Ok! That is way too easy to be such a cool piece of art! I love it and wish I could find tissue paper like that! Amazing!
Love this idea, how simple, quick, easy and cheap! And I adore the tissue that you used, so fun and eye-catching! Thanks for the inspiration!
This is gorgeous! Originally I thought you had cut all those circles out of colored tissue paper and lined them up and I was really impressed by your perseverance. When I saw the printed paper I knew you were a very clever woman. I love the way this turned out!
When I was shopping at Michaels and saw the circle tissue paper I had to have it, as it was so colorful. It reminded me of modern art, even folded up in its packaging. Thinking what I could use it for besides wrapping a gift and wanting to see the paper in its whole state was how I got the idea to add it to canvas and make art out of it.
Oh my… I love this idea! I will have to do this when my daughter moves out.
Thanks so much. Love it!
~C~