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Home » Crafts/DIY » Upcycled Thrift Store Statement Art : YOLO!

Upcycled Thrift Store Statement Art : YOLO!

By: Liz  /  Published: March 21, 2018  /  Updated: April 4, 2018  /   Leave a comment

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Do you ever have a harebrained scheme that you think about a lot but just never comes to fruition for some reason? I must admit I have them often. I am, however, proud to say that this blog post is about an idea that did finally come to life…even if it took a few years. I present to you, my Upcycled Thrift Store Art project!

A few apartments ago, I purchased a painting (well, a framed print) of a wooded cabin scene from an antique store for $15 or $20. I bought it mainly because I liked the gold frame and it was large enough to fill a big empty space on my wall. Here’s what it looked like:

Chanelle's apartment living room

Because I didn’t particularly care for the actual subject of the art print, I started to think of ways I could jazz it up almost immediately. At some point, I came across this project on Young House Love where they stenciled some words over a generic painting and was sold.

I just had to think of what I wanted it to say…

Chanelle YOLO art

You might have spotted it in this recent post

Well, I finally decided it should say YOLO! It’s my 2018 motto.

Sherry and John from Young House Love did theirs much more professionally than I did mine. They DIYed letter stencils with an actual font, while I just freehanded it. But it still turned out super cool. At least I think it did! To find out how I did it, keep on readin’.

YOLO upcycled thrift store art

I also gave a sneak peek of it in this post

How to DIY Graphic Lettering on Thrift Store Art

First, gather your supplies. You’ll need:

  • Paint that contrasts with your background art (I used a sample of wall paint I had laying around)
  • Small paintbrush
  • Ruler and/or measuring tape
  • Chalk

I also set out some painter’s tape and a larger paintbrush but didn’t end up using them. Sidenote: I totally forgot to take pictures of this project until I was almost finished…and I did it at night so the lighting is bad. Oops!

YOLO upcycled thrift store art

The first step was to measure the painting and make guidelines with chalk. You could also use a pencil, but chalk lines will be much easier to erase in the end.

I measured to the middle of the painting horizontally and drew a chalk line all the way across.

Then I divided the horizontal line into four sections; one for each of the four letters of the word I chose. I drew vertical lines at the midpoint of each of the four sections.

YOLO upcycled thrift store art

The next part I freehanded. If you’re using stencils, it will be much easier. I sketched out the letters in chalk, using the ruler as a straight edge for the Y and L.

Then I carefully painted in each letter with a small paintbrush.

YOLO upcycled thrift store art

I made sure to stand back and look at my work a few times to make sure things were even. I added some volume to some of the letters and straightened out some lines as needed.

Once I had filled in all the letters I went back and did a second coat to make it fully opaque.

After I waited for the paint to dry, the last, most satisfying step was to take a damp paper towel and wipe away all the chalk lines!

Chanelle YOLO art

Didn’t it turn out great? Now it’s not just a blah, generic painting, it’s a cool piece that shows my personality and has some sweat equity in it. 🙂

Upcycled Thrift Store Art

upcycled thrift store art with DIY graphic lettering

Even if you don’t copy this project exactly, I hope it inspires you to create something beautiful using things you already have! Happy upcycling!

About Liz

Liz is a midwestern mom gone southern (accent in transition). She lives in North Carolina and loves cooking, baking, traveling, movies, crafts, hot and cold tea, wine, pizza and the occasional nap. She also revels in the fact she's a crazy cat lady.

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I’m Liz! Thank you for visiting Eat Move Make. Here you will find a collection of easy & delicious year-round recipes, seasonal ideas, and DIY craft inspiration. Visit my About Me page for more of my story.

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Meet Liz

Meet Liz

Hey there, i’m Liz!

I’m the founder of Eat Move Make and a North Carolina mom of two humans and six cats. I love to cook, bake, craft and travel. I’m also addicted to tea (but not sweet tea).

When I’m not creating something in my kitchen, and since my kids are now adults, I’m all about my bucket list of travel destinations and adventures.

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