Make Easy Raindrop Art from an Old Magazine

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Painting walls can be very, very boring.  So, as usual, I’m working a few easy DIY projects into the mix to keep things fresh.

Today’s project:  DIY raindrop art made from old magazine pages.  You’ll need (contains affiliate links):

• scissors (Actually, I would think you’d assume you would use scissors for this project.  If you planned to use your teeth and were surprised I asked for scissors, maybe this isn’t the right project for you)
• Mod Podge (I used the matte kind because it was the only one I found in my craft closet that wasn’t glued shut/completely dry from disuse.)
• any old magazine (I used the winter copy of Lowe’s Creator for a majority of the cutouts)
• foam brush
• flat canvas or heavy cardstock
• thick white frame

I was originally inspired by this print from Etsy, but wanted something that looked a little more loose and free-form than a grid pattern.  I have to get on a lot of conference calls at work, so mindlessly clipping out teardrop shapes seemed a perfect task for my idle hands.

Just about any magazine will work, but the trick is to keep your eyes peeled for patterns and textures within the printed pages.  Anything without enough contrast will look flat and boring in your final project.

Cut out each droplet, but don’t worry too much about conforming to an identical size or shape.

It may help to turn the magazine upside down so you see it less as a reader and more as a texture identifier.  For example, the hat on this page has some great light blue/dark blue texture that really pops against the white background of the canvas and is just large enough to cut a tear shape.

Be sure that you have plenty of colors, textures, and sizes to choose from when all is said and done (cut out more than you’ll likely use).  In my case, I had to take the cutouts home before moving onto the next step, but if you’re already in front of all your supplies, you can just start arranging them onto your canvas.  I probably re-arranged mine four or five times, so it was helpful to have extra options to switch in and out.

Important step: take pictures of your work before you start gluing.  I’m glad I had a reference point to keep coming back to as things were set into place.

When you’re happy with the way it looks, remove the pieces of paper off the canvas and coat one quarter with Mod Podge.  I started at the top right and used my iPhone picture to keep going back to.  Then work on the next quarter of the canvas and so on until you’re finished.  Use the Mod Podge to secure the paper, but do NOT coat over the top with more MP until the bottom has dried.  I find I get air bubbles if I am impatient and try to do the top coat while the bottom is still drying.

After everything is dry, pop the art into a frame (the one pictured is a RIBBA frame from Ikea), and there you have it: a little more color for my hallway.  I don’t plan on keeping it propped on the entryway bench, but I want to wait to finish a few more art projects before hammering holes into the newly painted wall.

It’s been a while since I’ve done a true craft project, and it felt good to flex my creative muscles.  I may even paint another wall tonight.  How about you?  Have you worked on any small, creative projects lately?