Tuesday 20 September 2016

DIY Picture Wall On the Cheap




I had been wanting a picture wall for quite some time in this spot, but felt like it would be a big project to tackle. In the end, it wasn't at all! I mostly searched around on my own personal Pinterest and google for the images I printed out, which are 6/9 of the photos. 1 I just wrote a quote in, 1 is from a magazine, like literally just straight ripped out of it, and one is my own photograph I took while travelling. The majority of the frames are from Dollarama (4/9) or Ikea, and the littlest one is from Michael's dollar bins! 

My process:

1) collect all sorts of options from old magazines, online and your own photos that go with your colour scheme
       Pinterest, Google and tumblr are great starting points- search for things that match your interests
2) start to think about how they could work together, pairing down as you go
3) once you feel like you can't narrow down any more, get your frames!


  •    don't be afraid to repurpose old frames you have lying around, and remember you can always spray paint or acrylic paint them to change colours
4) Start printing according to options of frame size- this may take a few tries, I reccomend keeping a couple options for some frames
5) Pick the final contenders and their matching frames
6) play around with the layout-- I layed mine out on the floor first to get what looked right, then measured out and hung accordingly with a little picture hanging kit from Dollarama and a hammer :) make sure to take a picture once you like the layout so you won't forget. Taking pictures is also a great way to compare multiple layout options.


  • once you start doing the layout you may find you have gaps to fill or too many frames
  • go with your gut feeling on layout





This picture is of Kylie Jenner wearing a lace mask by Jennifer Behr that I tore out of an old magazine I had lying around- Elle Canada's December 2015 issue. I highly recommend looking through magazines for a poor (wo)man's version of art. I put a piece of printer paper behind it because I didn't even tear it evenly, and I love it as is. The frame is an Ikea Fiskbo and costs about $2.50 CAD.





I'm proud to say that this photograph is my own, I took it in the streets of Barcelona a few years ago. I just printed it out on regular printer paper and put it in a Dollarama frame, which I believe was $2 when I got it (I've been reusing this frame in my room with different things in it for a number of years), though it may not be now. This frame for whatever reason is actually my favourite of all, the matte black painted trim just pops so well against the wall.











This photo I found on Pinterest, I grew up dancing since I was 9, and have taught on and off for a little under 10 years. The closest thing I could find to a source is here, not really sure if that's who it was taken by. The frame is from Dollarama! I really lucked out on this one, ~$2.












This is the little frame the Michael's dollar bins at the front of the store with little knick knacks, I payed full price ($1.50) and I'm so glad I picked it up. I initially didn't know what I'd do with it, but when creating this picture wall I knew I could throw it in to add some texture. The finish of this frame is everything. The script is my own hand writing, with something I'm sure you've seen before, but still strikes a chord with me; mind over matter.








Another find from Pinterest, and it has absolutely driven me crazy that I cannot find the real source of this photo. I love it so much, but all I've really found is it circulating tumblr. The frame is from a 3 pack of what I think were Fiskbo frames? Again this was something I had bought well in advance (in person), knowing I would probably want it eventually.










I used another of the same frame for this picture which I also found through Pinterest. Yet again, I can't find any form of real source for this beautiful graphic, aside from some tumblr posts and sharing of it as an iPhone background, le sigh. Let me know if anyone knows its real source!






This fashion illustration, as well as the next, are something I found by literally just google image searching for pretty pictures. I tried looking up things like "fashion illustration tumblr" and eventually found it through some combination of the words fashion illustration beyonce and perhaps the world tumblr or Pinterest.


 The illustrations are by Adrian Valencia (http://www.adrianvalencia.com/ http://drawadriandraw.blogspot.ca/), a fashion illustrator out of London. Both are actual looks Beyonce wore: the first at the 2012 Met Gala in Givenchy and the second at the 2015 Grammy awards in a Proenza Schouler dress. While you can print out images that are an artist's like these for own DIY art on the cheap, they are beautiful work, and if I could afford it I would contact the artist to purchase prints. Give credit where credit is due, and support the arts where you can.

Both the frames for these two were from DOLLARAMA. Is that not insane? A copper metallic frame andddd an oblong glass frame? Incredible. I believe both were $3?







Yet another Pinterest find with no source I can find, even with Google's 'search by image.' It's a really interesting photograph, and I LOVE the composition with its asymmetrical balance. I printed this out on printer paper and "custom matted" the print by using 2 sheets of computer paper, an x-acto knife, a ruler and scotch tape on the back. I think its a pretty self-explanatory process. The frame is also from Ikea- another Fiskbo in the largest size available. These frames are very flat, clean and simple, making them great for picture walls.

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