How To Make Tissue Paper Art for Decorating a Wall In Your Home
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.
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
More DIY Art Ideas For Walls
- DIY Picture Frame Mats Using Wallpaper
- Hang Art on a Wall the Way a Designer Does
- DIY Modern Wall Art Painting on Canvas
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