14 DIY Canvas Art Ideas to Personalize Your Walls

Basic Craft Materials Will Transform Blank Walls into Artistic Centers
No specialty materials or formal education are required to make stunning works of art. These easy DIY canvas projects begin with a bare surface and an explosion of imagination. Use these tips to create customized artwork that generates conversation in any room.
1. Wallpaper Canvas Art
Ditch the brush—opt for peel-and-stick wallpaper for a no-fuss, high-impact canvas design without the pain.
Select a wallpaper design you love and purchase enough to cover your canvas.
Stack the top of the wallpaper against the edge of the canvas, then slowly peel off the backing and press it in place as you go.
Mat your finished canvas and hang using wall anchors or screws.
2. Geometric Tape Art on Canvas
You only need paint samples and painters tape to make a beautiful, modern piece of art.
Mask in triangles or abstract designs, taping edges over.
Use a number of shades or metallics, adding coats if needed.
Paint each shape independently, sides and all, removing the tape when paint is sticky.
3. Watercolor Word Canvas
Rubber cement keeps your words and watercolor materials a splash of color.
Write directly on canvas with rubber cement and a round paintbrush—use a quote or passage of your choice.
Thicken lettering and make legible, then let dry.
Mix three watercolors—adjust with water or black paint.
Paint in strokes with horizontal brushstrokes, deepening to lightening as you move downward.
Keep canvas flat when drying to avoid drips; no need to remove the cement—it adds texture.
Tip: Paint in a well-ventilated area, since rubber cement has strong fumes.
4. Splatter Paint Canvas
Create energetic, abstract art with some wrist flings.
Position a canvas on a drop cloth or covered surface.
Flick the paint onto the canvas using a spoon, stirrer stick, or brush.
Repeating with varying colors and motion for a layered, expressive look.
Allow to dry thoroughly, then frame and hang.
5. Ocean-Themed Resin Canvas
Bring the ocean’s whirling beauty with colored resin.
Mix resin in several cups and color each with acrylic paint. Reserve some clear resin.
Drizzle alternating stripes of color and clear resin over the canvas. Blend softy with a finger or whirl with a heat gun.
Cover with box or bin to exclude dust and allow drying flat for at least 24 hours.
Note: Coat the canvas prior to use with a varnish or light resin covering to prevent absorption.
6. Gold-Dot Cityscape Art
Transform a city skyline into a modern dot painting.
Paint your canvas with a base coat and permit drying.
Cut out a city skyline stencil and glue down with repositionable spray.
Use round sponge brushes to spot gold paint about the template, grouping towards the center and spreading outwards.
Take away the stencil and allow dry before hanging.
7. DIY Portrait Art on Canvas
Make private art with a photo and firm paint strokes.
Convert a favorite photo to black-and-white with high contrast, then print.
Rub graphite on the back of the picture and pin it onto the canvas.
Follow the white space to transfer the outline.
Fill out those shapes with tempera paint, let dry.
Add on colored acrylic brushstrokes, let dry, and then wash off the tempera to reveal the portrait.
8. Swirled Watercolor Canvas
Use water and watercolor to create organic, flowing abstract pieces.
Soak your canvas with a foam brush and pure water.
Add in watercolor and let pigment run freely.
Add a secondary color, and tilt the canvas so the paint swirls around.
Try blowing ink with an empty condiment bottle or tilting to create visual action.
9. Fabric-Wrapped Canvas
Turn clothing into instant art with this easy trick.
Use a printed fabric and drape over a canvas frame as a quick wall decor solution. Staple in position on the back, and it’s ready to hang—no painting required.
10. Rope Stamp Art
Make a DIY stamp for unique texture and overlapping impressions.
Glue skinny cotton rope into a spiral or swirl on scrap wood or cardboard.
Coat gently with acrylic paint and stamp on your canvas.
Stamp a few times with various colors to achieve depth.
11. Abstract Stamping With Paint
Overlap strong colors for a bright, contemporary canvas look.
Paint your canvas off-white and let dry.
Load one side of a yardstick with a heavy coat of dark paint and press it onto the canvas.
Do this repeatedly at varying angles with other colors until satisfied with the design.
12. DIY Flower Painting
Use botanical loveliness with oil paints and refer to images.
Paint the canvas black and allow to dry.
Take a floral photo for inspiration—your own, or from a magazine.
With oil paint and palette knives, paint the flower picture freehand, shading and blending to achieve natural depth.
13. Embroidered Canvas Design
Add texture and homemade flair with embroidered details.
Sketch a geometric design with ruler and pencil.
Paint each section watercolor in contrasting color.
Freehand-draw out the feathers, and then outline them with yarn and an upholstery needle.
14. Paint Swatch Gradient Canvas
A tidy, sophisticated project perfect for newbies.
Select three colors belonging to the same color family.
Mark canvas thirds with painter’s tape.
Paint from lightest (top) to darkest (bottom).
Remove tape, allow to dry, and label each section with whimsical names using white paint.