Washi Tape Modern Art | DIY Interior Design

I've always been a fan of modern art and spent my time at MOMA in NYC at least once a week. I loved just sitting in the courtyard, after spending hours in the exhibits. When I travel, modern art museums are definitely on the of top of my list of places to go. If I had all the money in the world, I'd totally invest in modern art. Unfortunately, I have to resort to standing behind a velvet rope at galleries and creating dupes for my home.

There's something about painting straight and in between the lines that relaxes me. It reminds me of this one time I was in elementary and the principal visited our classroom and saw me painting and complimented me on how I neatly painted in between the lines. It just felt good to me, since then. I'm also obsessed with breather space and putting color combos into groups of primaries, pastels, unconventional pairings, and super bold colors.

This project all started, just because I needed something to fill up the space behind this pendant lamp (above my night stand). It kept bugging me, that where was this empty space on my wall. I also wanted to use some new washi tape, that I've added to my collection.

When it comes to my interior aesthetic, I refuse to purchase printed artwork, unless it's something I'm truly in love with. I've always wanted a gallery wall of printed botanicals and found this cool, vintage-y print of rock formations, so I bought them. If I tell myself, "I can make that!," then I'm most likely going to avoid buying it, because A: I probably can't afford it and B: I just think it's more fun to make it! It ends up being more than just something you purchase and slapped on a wall.

This was so much fun to make, I'm ridonkulously inspired to make more! I want to makes some with more primary colors and geometric movement: like coiled, intertwined, wind-y lines. Hmmm... I've also been really into typography, so maybe I might mix the media on a piece of work.

Hope you have fun making this!

Things You'll Need:

22 1/2" x 28 1/2" frame in grey or gold
canvas or cardboard to fit the frame (it could be the cardboard backing of the frame
acrylic craft paint in white, pink, yellow, and royal blue
washi tape in sky blue, yellow with gold dots, and black with white dots
blue painter's tape
gold leaf
craft glue
8" cake board
ruler

Instructions:

Paint entire cardboard in white acrylic paint. Leave as is, if using white canvas.
Follow the pattern shown in the pictures and place the round cake board on the top right corner, while allowing breather space on the top and right-hand side.
Underneath the cake board, with a ruler, draw out a 7" square.
Paint cake board with glue and adhere gold leaf and brush off with a fluffy brush. It's best to work on a large piece of paper that you can fold up and put the extra gold leaf in a container, when you're finished. It's easier to clean up afterwards. If there are sparse piece of gold leaf with the board showing, paint the spaces with metallic gold paint.
Glue cake board on desired position with a hot glue gun.
Below the square, draw out long rectangle lines with at least 1" - 2" breather space in between. Alternate the spacing and avoid them from being exactly alike. Some closer together and some wide apart. Alternate with washi tape, empty spaces for paint, and the blue painter's tape.
Continue by creating horizontal lines all the way to the top. I used an Exacto knife by laying out the tape with some slack on each end, pressing it down to adhere in the middle (leaving the sides unstuck). Then, get a ruler and use an Exacto knife to create an even margin all the way down (on both sides). Remove excess tape where your scored with the Exacto knife.
Create a border on the left side and top with blue painter's tape. Continue the border on the right side with yellow dotted and black-dotted washi tape.
Paint the square with pink acrylic paint.
Paint the bars/long lines underneath the square. Use a flat brush to stay in the lines. Clean out the edges with white paint on the outside of the square and bars.
Place in frame and hang it on wall. Style your space and have fun! Remember to give it your autograph!