I love the look of subway art & since I live in the Windy City, I wanted a "Chicago" one for my wall. But they're pretty pricey. So what's a girl on a tight budget to do? Make it yourself! Here's how I did it...
Supplies I used:
12x16 Canvas
Stencils with 1" & 3/4" letters
Paint color of your choice
Foam Brush
Chalk Pencil
Artist Tape (tape I used was 1/4" wide)
Fixative spray
The first thing I did was map out the wording on paper to make sure it would fit correctly
I then painted the front & sides of my canvas.
After cutting the paper into word strips, I placed them on the canvas to figure out the spacing.
Using the artist tape, I made guidelines to help with the stenciling. It took me several tries to get the measurements & spacing correct, so keep at if you don't get it right the first time!
With the chalk pencil & the stencils, I started creating the subway art. I used the paper lettering as my guide for letter spacing & the artist tape to keep is straight.
I also found it handy to use a small paint brush to sweep away chalk residue. But be careful not to brush over your chalk lettering, it will smear!
Once you have all the lettering done, spray the fixative over the lettering to set it (follow the instructions on your fixative can). And be sure to have proper ventilation, the fixative is potent!
And voilá, your new subway art!
Total Cost:
12x16 Canvas - Free (given to me by a friend)
Paint - $0.33
Chalk Pencil - $0.89
Stencils - $2.87
Artist Tape - $3.38
Fixative - $4.31
$11.78
