DIY Large Abstract Art

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This DIY project is so easy, I promise! Below, I break down the steps for you to recreate your own. I knew that I wanted a large piece of artwork for our sitting room but didn’t want to break the bank on the purchase. Ultimately, I decided to create something on my own and so the process of stalking Facebook marketplace began. I knew the dimension range of the canvas I needed because I taped it out on the wall. Picking the dimensions helped so much when looking through the listings because it really narrowed down the search. My hope was to find a canvas in my dimension range that was already framed and inexpensive. I finally found the perfect size so I grabbed it and this DIY project began. 

Let’s Get Started

If you are starting with a canvas that has already been painted, make sure to cover canvas with a primer to block out all previously used paints. In this tutorial, I recreated the original painting. I start with a blank white canvas. If you already have a blank canvas, there is no need to paint over with a primer. 

To Begin, You Will Need The Following...

– 2 Paint colors

– A Blank Canvas

– Scraper or Putty knife

– Paint Brush

– Water 

– Rag or Paper Towel

Start painting with your darkest color. Make sure to leave space between the edge of the canvas and your painting. You will want to leave the edges very “messy” so the overall look is more abstract. Do not worry about filling in all the space. It will come together as you take the next step. 

You can get this canvas and this brush. 

Before moving to the next step, go back around the edges with a very small amount of paint on the brush. 

Give the canvas very light strokes in places that appear to need more. Make sure that you do not have a lot of paint on the brush because you want it to only cover a portion of the canvas when stroking. 

The goal is to keep the edges messy to create a more abstract look. You do not want them to look too uniform!

Next, you will add the other color you have chosen. It needs to be lighter than the previous color. This color will be added before the first coat is dry so that it can be blended. 

Try to spread out the paint as much as possible instead of constantly adding for coverage. You will want to blend as you go to cover the entire portion that has already been painted.  

In this step, you will need a spatula or scraper. 

Once you have finished with the second coat of paint, use your scraper to scrape off a portion of the paint. This will add texture and dimension to the painting. Do not be afraid to do lots of scraping in many different directions. 

Make sure to not drag or pull the scraper all one way. You will want to pull it in many different directions to add dimension. 

You can get a similar scraper here. 

Next, you will use the light paint again but mix with water this time. 

You will want to make sure that your brush is fully saturated with water before putting on the canvas. I dip mine into a small portion of white paint, then into water, then apply to canvas. Before getting anymore paint, I dip in water again and go back over the paint I just applied to make sure it is fairly thin. 

Once I have covered the entire portion painted again, I move to the next step. 

Use an old rag or paper towel to remove all excess paint or water from your canvas. Do not be afraid to put some pressure. This will only add more dimension and texture. 

You want to get your painting fairly dry in this step. 

Last, you will go back over your painting with the spatula or scraper. This is the last step in the process to add additional lines and texture.

If you are not satisfied with the dimension of your painting or want more texture, you can always repeat the steps above. 

If you finish and do not love it, my advice is to paint it all white and start again. That is the beauty of DIY painting. You can always start over!