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If you're looking for a way to mount my murals or any drawing project on canvas at a modest cost, here’s your answer. This is my Kandinsky Circles Mural fused to a 36" x 24" pre-stretched canvas ($15), using dry wax paper ($15 per 1,000), white glue and lots of Sharpie Permanent Markers.2. While taped to the template, I trimmed each sheet along the outer guides. I use a rotary cutter to get a precision cut. If you're using scissors, don't worry. Some waivering that results in overlapping hardly detracts.
3. I mixed a 50/50 solution of white glue and water. Using a 1" flat paintbrush I generously coated the mounting area and the back of the first page. The dry wax paper is remarkably sturdy when wet so don't worry too much about tearing as you maneuver the page into place. I then brushed my glue solution over the top to minimize air bubbles and wrinkles. A slight bubbles and wrinkles will shrink away when dry and don't worry about saturation as it all dries to a clear matte finish. Also, some of the darker Sharpie pigments may bleed a little, especially reds. Any runoff onto the canvas can be covered with white paint.
3. I mixed a 50/50 solution of white glue and water. Using a 1" flat paintbrush I generously coated the mounting area and the back of the first page. The dry wax paper is remarkably sturdy when wet so don't worry too much about tearing as you maneuver the page into place. I then brushed my glue solution over the top to minimize air bubbles and wrinkles. A slight bubbles and wrinkles will shrink away when dry and don't worry about saturation as it all dries to a clear matte finish. Also, some of the darker Sharpie pigments may bleed a little, especially reds. Any runoff onto the canvas can be covered with white paint.
4. Repeat step 3 for each page, meeting the edges as closely as possible. It's better to overlap than to leave gaps. When dry, the drawings are fused to the canvas and appear to be painted on. You can’t even feel the edges. Sweet.
39 comments:
I LOVE this! I am looking for group project ideas for our upcoming auction and this is the perfect method for the collages. Thank you!! How much does the sharpie ink generally bleed?
The bleeding is very minimal, I just felt I should mention it. I only noticed it when one very red panel made a small pink shadow on the canvas edge, which was easy to fix with white paint.
I am looking to do this for a sunday school group. But I am confused about the process. is the sharpie the final "painting" or do you paint the canvas once it is mounted. Thanks.
I'd like to do this with a group of Kindergartners, but am with Lauranne, not quite following the process. Do you paint the wax paper or the canvase?
thanks!!
I love this idea and want to do something like it with my son's 1/2 grade class. What is dry wax paper? The kind you'd buy at the grocery store or more of an art-specialty type wax paper? Do the student artists draw with sharpies on the wax paper? Thanks for the idea!
Hi Mary Jane,
I found my dry wax paper at Smart & Final, if you have one. It's the stuff that food is wrapped in. You can also order it online if you Google "dry wax paper". And yes, the kids trace their drawing right on to the wax paper, and then that gets glued to the canvas. Hope that helps!
Hi Mary Jane,
I am also thinking about working of this idea with my Grade One class. Can I paint with acrylic paint on the wax paper? and after are they to outline the shapes with sharpie?
Thank you!
So the original plain paper that you mounted to the wax paper, ends up between the mounting face of the canvas, and the wax paper?
I tested your process on a small canvas with one section from the Kandinsky Circle mural and it worked beautifully! If someone is unsure about the process, I would highly recommend trying it out with a single sheet on an 8" x 10" canvas. You will have the added expense of the smaller canvas, but it is worth it if you feel more confident once you are working on the large canvas.
Wow - I love this too, but am a little unclear like the other comments. I'm sure it's obvious once you've done it, but I'm not visualizing the whole process yet.
1. Do you use the original paper printout, or just toss it once you're done tracing from it?
2. Are you using sharpies just to outline the drawing, or do actually do all the coloring in with them.
Thanks for clearing it up - can't wait to try this!
Where do you find dry wax paper? is there another name for it? Michael's did not have it.
Dry wax paper or deli wrap is a restaurant supply item. Some have a waxy surface on one side. That type doesn't work. It must be matte on both sides with the wax locked in. Your local Pizzeria uses the right stuff for their box liners and they're likely to buy it from a local source. It also comes flat and folded. Flat is best as the folds will hold more ink causing faint lines to appear. It takes a little more legwork but the results can be well worth the trouble.
Amy, I outline in color and then fill in. I then trim along the outer template guides and discard. The dry wax paper is then glued directly to the canvas. When dry it's fused so that the canvas texture shows through. See my Popsicle Portrait posting. The same process works nicely on wood as well.
Hi Kathy, I can't wait to try this! I love the mounting on canvas idea, but also love the oil pastel effect, like in the van Gogh Irises example. Would it work to mount on canvas with the dry wax paper, but use oil pastels instead of sharpies? Or would the oil pastels not work with the gluing process?
Thanks, Susanna
Hi Susanna,
I had that thought myself, but because the pastels I like are water soluble, I was pretty sure they would end up smearing with the brush stroking that is needed to get rid of bubbles. But I may try it out anyway, just to see if there's a way around that. Will be sure to post any solutions, if I find one. Thanks!
Thanks for all the great info! I have a question: does this method work mounting images that are not completely colored in? Does the dry wax paper become transparent, and only the canvas background show through, or does the wax paper have a color of its own?
That's a good question, and no, the dry wax paper does not have any color of it's own. You could glue panels that have open areas (not colored) on the canvas and they virtually blend in with the white canvas.
Here's another link I found to get dry wax paper through Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Dixie-Kabnet-Paper-Deli-10-75/dp/B0023XS15S
Kathy,
I am looking for a group project for my daughter's 4th grade class to make for our parochial private school's auction which is our biggest fundraiser of the year. I would love to have them do one of your mural kits, it would be perfect! I just want to make sure I'm not breaking any copyright laws by selling the finished product.
I am planning to have my daughter's class make the butterfly mural for her teacher. Would I be able to mount this in the same way? What are the options for coloring (markers? oil pastels?) Also, where is the best place to get canvas and what type/ brand do I need? Thanks in advance for your help!
Hi Kathy,
Thank you so much for posting all of this. I'm going into my son's first grade class today to start the project. I'm wondering though if I can just by-pass making the template, and have the kids just draw the circles directly onto the dry wax paper? What do you think?
Cynthia
Hi Cynthia,
You could certainly try just having the kids do circles on their own. I find though that 1st graders tend to draw very small and you might get a lot of very tiny circles. But then again, as long as they fill in the squares entirely, it could have a very cool different look. I'd say give it a shot, and if you're not happy with the results, call it a practice and then try it with a template to control the outcome a bit more.
Hi Kathy,
I love all of your ideas! I am working on a school auction project for my daughters 2nd grade class and wondering if you have tried this with acrylic on the dry wax paper?
thanks!
Casey
This is an awesome project! Thanks for the great idea. In looking for a project for a school fundraiser that each class makes and donates, we were going to have the class use molding paste on canvas then later go back with acrylics but I think this is way less mess and quicker and easier!
What if I had the kids draw on paper in whatever medium they wish, then just modgepodge the back side to the canvas? When smoothing out bubbles, lay another piece of paper over the top of the artwork to protect it, then smooth away. In theory, this seems like it would work. ? Anyone tried it? Obviously there would not be a sealer coat over the top.
Kathy-
Can you use decopage medium instead of the white glue/water?
I think you could use decoupage medium, as long as you thin it with water so it is about the consistency of milk. When both surfaces are really "watery" wet, and not goopy wet, the dry wax paper hugs the canvas and seems to even shrink onto it. Any thickness would prevent that hugging process from happening...I think. :)
oh! thanks for the" watering out the decoupage medium" tip. I started mounting the dry wax with the decoupage medium and it seems a bit thick. The bubbles and wrinkles are tough to get out. I will add water now! I did the project with kindergarteners and it is looking really good! thanks!
Kathy,
I just love your blog. I've been e-mailing you regarding faux canvas.
I didn't have access to enough permanent markers so that 26 kids could use efficiently. What I found to work just as good was oil pastels and glue (not diluted). I had the kids crinkle the wax paper (just a little) then applied the glue and (mod podge?) intermittently. I was amazed at how it looked like they painted on canvas. Thanks again!
This blog is a fantastic google find.
I was wondering if I sell these class murals for a school fundraiser am i breaking copyright?
Don't worry, when an artist has been dead for more than 70 years, there is no longer a copyright to their original art. All of my murals either fall in that category, or I have made my own, just in the style of the master like Georgia O'Keeffe. Mural away!
Hi Kathy - I just attempted two of you mini murals, however I just can't seem to get the seams smooth - I can see the lines where the wax paper meets. So it definately looks like individual pieces. I'm thinking the faux canvas works best with kandinsky or Warhol ?I think I'm using the correct dry wax paper. I got the dry wax squares from our school's cafeteria. How does your o'keefe poppy look when using faux canvas.
I tried this on a 30 x 30 canvas with 25 seperate wax sheets and had the kids draw bugs on them. It turned out well but I am wondering if I can put a second coat of glue over it? I can feel a couple of edges and wonder if this would help. Thanks!
Hi Kathy, I once saw a seattle skyline mural done by an elementary school class for an auction. It was so neat. It had a water color look to it. I'd like to do it of a San Diego skyline. Do you ever do city skyline templates? Have you tried other medium other than sharpies?
Thanks Deanna, skylines are a great idea. I'll put that on my list of murals to do. And I haven't had time to try a lot of other media with this design. If you learn something new, I'd love to hear about it.
I just tried out a sample section with oil pastels and there wasn't any smearing or smudging even when I brushed the glue and water over the wax. Let's see how it dries. p.s. is white glue PVA glue?
I just tried out a sample section with oil pastels and there wasn't any smearing or smudging even when I brushed the glue and water over the wax. Let's see how it dries. p.s. is white glue PVA glue?
I know it by "Elmer's Glue" but I'm pretty sure that's the same thing. Just school brand white glue.
Can you tell me the brand of oil pastels you used? I know my favorite are water soluble, but would love to know of other options.
I am a 4th grade teacher and have been wanting to try this for some time. We made a sample this afternoon using 3 of the Kandinsky circles and Craypas oil pastels. The result was beautiful! No bleeding, tearing or smearing! I can hardly wait to start this with my class for our upcoming art auction and sale. Thank you for your wonderful ideas!
Oil pastels – cool! I have to try that soon as it sounds like it's working for you and some others that posted. Would love to see a photo of the finished product if you can. :)
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