DIY Mini Photo Canvas | Wedding Photo DIY

Happy Valentine Eve.

I’ve been inspired by all the Pinterest pins about DIY canvas photos using Modge Podge glue and swore I’d make one someday.
Of course that never happened.
After I came across mini canvases with easels at JoAnn Fabrics a couple years ago, I thought it would look great in a petite version.
It’s a sweet little project that requires minimal planning, and is perfect for your wedding or engagement pictures.

Check out Mark & Jenn’s entire wedding post, here.

Materials:

• Mini Canvas – I’ve come across them at JoAnn Fabrics & Walmart. Walmart sells them in sets with the wooden easels, JoAnn lets you pick and choose them separately. I recommend getting them separately if you’d like to pick up more canvases than easels or want a variety of sizes.
• Easel
• Modge Podge & Old Paintbrush
• Scissors or X-Acto Knife
• Ruler
• Awesome Picture

First, I measure the canvas to make sure I order the correct size photo print.
Mine were 3.5 inches by 2.5 inches, so two fit just perfectly in a 4 x 6 print.

I used InDesign to set up a 4 x 6 inch document and resized my images to fit inside two 3.5 x 2.5 rectangles.
I’ve made these several times as gifts to friends & family, and I always order at least two extra prints.
Just in case the knife slips while I’m cutting or some other little disaster.

Cut the photographs to size.

Line up the photograph on the canvas that it will be glued on top of.
Make sure it is a good fit and doesn’t need trimmed {sometimes the canvases can be irregular shapes or my cutting is not quite perfect}.

Lay the trimmed picture on the canvas.
You have a moment or two to slide it around and set it so that it is centered.
Use a tissue to press the image on the canvas gently.
Leave it alone and let it dry for about five minutes.Using a paintbrush, brush a layer of the Modge Podge glue on the canvas.

Easy enough for a two year old to do.
Ha. He was jealous that I was making a mess so I invited him to join me as a bribe to keep him happy until I finished.

I like to make mine with a little bit of texture to mimic a painting.
I do this by painting on the front of the image.
It will feel scary to brush white Modge Podge on your photograph, but it won’t stay that way.
The glue goes on white and dries clear.
My personal rule is that I like to make sure that skin on faces is clear, and I use more texture on the outer edges.
I added a tiny bit of glitter dust to my family Christmas picture canvas and a friend told me her daughter made one with a lipstick kiss!

Thanks to Mark & Jenn for stepping out at sunset of their Cincinnati wedding so I could capture that gorgeous moment of them!

Prints $.45

Canvas $1.00

Easel $1.00

Modge Podge about $8 {you will only use about a teaspoon of the bottle}

Here’s a bonus image of one I made a year ago for my husband. I scanned an old photograph & had it reprinted.
Love seeing his Grandma holding him next to my kitchen sink!
They are great gifts for guys & you can make a few at a time so that you can switch them out seasonally.

Here is a little behind the scenes video I made with the Vine App of this process:

This is definitely not a new concept, but I hope someone feels inspired! ♥

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@AndreaDozier