Although I wish I was, I’m not one of those super talented painters or calligraphers you find on Instagram, Pintrest, and Etsy. This talent just doesn’t come naturally to me, and I’m okay with that. My husband and my mom on the other hand, have yet to accept this truth. They think I’m a talented painter…I think their love for me makes them view anything I do with rose colored glasses. To illustrate this loving and sweet quality they both have, let me share a quick story with you.
A few years ago for Christmas, my mom gave my husband a very thoughtful gift, which she knew he was going to love (and equally knew I wouldn’t like). She framed one of the paintings I had made in my high school art class, with matting and everything. Like it was a real painting by an actual artist. Just thinking about it makes me laugh! But wait, that’s not the best, and when I say best I really mean worst, part of it all. The “best” part is that my husband loved it so much that he insisted on hanging it up in our home…where people can see it! I can actually see it this very moment, as I’m typing.
I would take a picture of it to show you, but I don’t think the internet is ready for a Kristy Iskander, circa 2006, original painting quite yet! Okay, so I hope I’ve done a pretty good job establishing that I’m not the most artistic person out there. Even so, I was still able to create this beautiful Psalm wall art and so can you, no matter what your artistic skill level is! I have come up with an easy way to achieve the same look as those beautifully hand painted calligraphy prints, just take a look!
Unlike my high school painting, I’m not ashamed to hang this picture on my wall (even though I probably won’t, since my mom has already asked if she can have it). This was the first time I’ve painted in years, and I had so much fun doing it! It was really relaxing and even brought out my inner child a little bit. It was also SUPER EASY! How? I created a template on my computer, printed it out, and then painted over what was already drawn. No free hand painting skills necessary! If you know how to hit print on your computer, you’ll be able to make this beautiful wall print, no calligraphy class required!
What You’ll Need
- psalm 9:1 printed template (get it below!)
- various paint colors
- fine tipped paintbrush
- thicker paintbrush
- paper towels
- water
Instructions
- Right click the above image, click “Save Image As”, and save to desktop. Find the file on your desktop, double click it. Once it’s open you can print as many copies as you’d like!
- Using black paint, or any color you’d like, trace the scripture. Using the fine tipped paintbrush, trace the smaller words at the top and bottom of the print. Using the thicker paintbrush, paint the larger sections of the large letters, then use your fine tipped paintbrush to trace the smaller details. When tracing fine lines or small letters, I found that a little bit of water on the tip of the paintbrush helps it glide across the paper a little easier. Be patient, move slowly, and use small strokes.
- Once all words are painted, let it dry completely. Don’t worry if the lines are not super straight, this is just round one of the process. Look at what mine looked like:
- After all letters are dry, use the fine tipped paintbrush to fix any imperfections you may see (bumpy lines, smudges, etc.). Again, be patient AND cut yourself a little slack. This is the first time you’re doing this, its not going to be perfect or flawless, but that’s okay! Who cares if there are tiny imperfections? What makes handmade goods so special is that someone took the time to create it by hand, and that they are one of a kind!
- Choose paint colors with similar undertones and paint floral framing. Let dry completely.
- Frame it, display it on your bulletin board, or give it to someone special.
- Congratulate yourself on being a calligraphy/painting master!
Did You Make This Psalm Wall Art?
If you did, snap a picture of it, and upload it to Instagram with the hashtag #OrganicChristianLiving or post it on Facebook, and tag Organic Christian Living in the picture. I’d love to see your masterpiece!
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