Walmart challenged me this month for Mother’s Day not only to come up with an easy breakfast idea that kids could make for mom, but also a Mother’s Day gift idea that took something from their store and personalized it in a special (and easy) way. I knew immediately what project I wanted to try! Photograph Art!
Here is a quick and stunning DIY decorating project that you can do in a flash-and customize in a million ways! All you need is a word, enough frames for the letters, your camera, computer and some time 🙂
Now as the old quote goes “There is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). . .I found this idea over at Sweet Grace with her “Easy photo project Valentines Mother’s Day Birthday” and made a few minor (very minor) changes. I wish I could draw as neatly as she can-but oh well, you make do.
I chose to use the word “LOVE” for Mother’s Day-but you could just as easily have used “MOM” “NANA” “FAMILY” “FOWLER” (well, only if your last name was Fowler) or anything else!
Photograph Portrait Word Art
Materials:
Camera
Printer
Photo paper
Computer Paper
Clipboard
Frames
Instructions:
1. Create your letters.
I did this using standard 8 1/2 x 11 computer paper. I opened up Powerpoint, switched the slide orientation to “portrait” then messed around until I had single letters of the right size to completely fill the page. In my case that was “Bookman Old Style” for the font and “714” for the size.
Variation: You could hand write out the letters on computer paper with a marker, stencil them or let the kids draw or color them. You could also use larger sheets of paper-I just went with what was easy for me!
2. Clip the letters onto a clipboard.
I used the clipboard to keep the letters flat & stiff while the kids were holding them. I placed a plain white sheet under the letter I was using (and the others all behind it) so that the other text wouldn’t show through the paper.
Variation: You could print on card stock or something stiffer so you don’t need a clipboard, you could put the letters inside of a frame (without the glass perhaps to cut down on glare?) or you could even use a small whiteboard and draw on the different letters.
3. Start snapping photographs.
I took about 60 pictures of my kids in order to get the 4 that I used. I knew I wanted to alternate the kids-Buddy, Princess, Buddy, Princess-in the final project, so I used 2 letters for each. L&V for Buddy, O&E for Princess.
I wasn’t sure what would look best in the final shot, if I wanted to have them all with the same backgrounds, or with various backgrounds. Whether they should be looking serious, or silly, or away from the camera. Sitting, standing or even laying down. I knew I wanted to change it to black and white after, so that was a consideration as well!
4. Change the photos to black & white.
I knew I wanted the photos to be “artsy”. . . and I liked the way black & white look so graphic. Look at the difference it makes in a shot:
There are tons of ways you can go about changing your photos to black and white.
If you don’t already have a way to change yours, you can do what I did and use the online service called Picnik.com. They have a free service (which should do everything you need) and a paid “premium” membership (which I have). You just create an account, upload your photos, go to the “Create” tab, chose “effects” and apply a filter-I used one called “Holga-ish” on these.
Variation: You don’t just have to do black & white. Color, Sepia or various other filters & effects can take a plain old photo and make it “artsy”.
5. Print the photos.
I have an option on my printer where I can do two 5X7 prints of the same photo on one full sized sheet of photo paper-so that’s what I did. Obviously you can print these out in any size that works for your frame.
Variation: If you don’t like the quality of your printer’s photos, you could always upload the photos to a photo printing service (like Walmart) & pick them up later. That’s also a great service if you want a weird photo size 🙂
6. Frame the photos.
Just cut them out (if you need to) make sure your glass is clean and pop the photos in.
That’s it!
This really is a simple project-take the pictures is the most time consuming part. I started the project in the afternoon-took about 45 minutes to take the photos and then was able to change the colors, print everything out and frame them in the commercials of my favorite show.
It’s inexpensive too. I already had the photo paper on hand, so all I had to buy was the frames!
So don’t worry-you still have time to complete this project before Mother’s Day! I love that it is so customizable too. I could just see getting photos of all my mom’s grandkids-spread as they are all across the country, each with a letter to spell out “Nana”.
****This is a sponsored post****
Disclosure: This is a sponsored review I am participating in with the Walmart Moms. Walmart has provided me with compensation for this post. My participation is voluntary and opinions, as always are my own.
Linked to: Get Your Craft On
Liz says
Now, this, THIS, is awesome!!! I love giving (and receiving) simple DIY gifts, like this. Thanks for sharing. So, so, stealing…I mean…borrowing the idea 🙂
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
Go for it! As I said-there is nothing new under the sun! I also thought it would be cool to do up a set for Christmas-maybe with some sort of funky tinted filter so they are red & green. . . I could even use the same frames & change it out to NOEL.
Amyrlin says
I love the picture of Princess holding the O side by side color and black and white (very photogenic!), great idea Jenn!
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
Amyrlin-she is beautiful, isn’t she 🙂
Donna says
Very creative idea Jenn!
susie says
love the idea, very creative & cheap, love it, i will deffinitly be doing something like that as well, cant wait for more creative ideas, i realy like how much detail you put into sharing the info
Melody says
I will try this, but use a “collage” type frame and use smaller prints 🙂
THANKS!!!
Debra says
Love this! Great idea…thanks for sharing!
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
So glad you liked it! Happy my note to you send you over here to look around. . . and can’t wait to share the link to your sugared violets soon!
Kelsey says
Hi Jenn! I saw your comment on my blog and wanted to thank you for stopping by! I am checking out your blog, and love all of it! I especially love this portrait word art! What a great idea 🙂 I will be following your frugal powers on Facebook… definitely my kind of style! – Kelsey!
Nicole says
Wow…thanks so much for linking to my Thrifty Thursday! Your blog is amazing and I absolutely love this idea. I may use this idea for my daughter’s gallery wall and have her pose with the different letters of her name. Thanks! 🙂
ashley says
this is sooo darling!!!
Melissa says
LOVE this idea… i’m thinking that I might do each one of my kids with the letters of their name! thank you for sharing that is an awesome idea
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
I’m so glad you liked it! It is such a fun and easy way to make a very personal gift/art. I smile every time I see mine 🙂
Krista says
Have been looking for something different for our family room beside the standard studio portraits. I think this would be great in the space I have. Thanks so much for a wonderful idea!
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
Yay! I’m sure it will turn out great.
Michelle says
I did this as Christmas gifts for my two daughters, each ones set had their two children. Of course, I did one for myself that had all four of them in it. They turned out wonderful:)
Michelle says
Great idea! FYI: the Sweet Grace link says it leads to a site with malware. Just thought you should know.
gabrielle says
How did u get the 4 frames together? With a glue of some sort?
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
Actually they are 4 separate frames. I slid them close together on the photo shelf to make them fit better in the picture. I actually have them displayed with a bit of space in between them currently.