DIY Artwork: Botanical Prints

-- Cold-press board
-- Frisket masking liquid
-- Paint brush
-- Silk or plastic greenery
-- Spray paint
-- Eraser
-- Kraft paper or newspaper
(See "Tips for Success," below, for buying information.)

Cover work surface with kraft paper or newspaper. Decide the size and number of frames you'll use for your arrangement. For each frame, cut a piece of cold-press board an inch smaller on all sides than the inside measurements of the frame.

To create the irregular white border on each board, brush frisket along the edges of the cold-press board with an imperfect stroke and let dry. The frisket will prevent spray paint from getting onto the board wherever it is applied. The frisket dries quickly, so you will need to move fast when applying it.

Place silk or plastic greenery on each board. It's okay if the greenery extends past the edges of the edges of the cold-press board because the final result will be more graphic. The greenery should lay as flat as possible. (You might need to manipulate the piece, bending the greenery so it lays flat.)

Spray the board with a single coat of paint. (Nearly any spray paint will work. Practice on a scrap piece of paper first.)

Remove the greenery, and allow the paint to dry, following the recommended guidelines on the paint can for dry times.

Carefully remove the frisket. Start at the corners and use your fingers to begin lifting the frisket off the board.

Use an eraser (a regular pink eraser works well) to remove the portions of the frisket you cannot lift off with your fingers

Affix each print to a white paper backing and place it in a frame.

-- Cold-press board is a sturdy, textured paper found in crafts stores.
-- Frisket is a liquid similar to rubber cement. Look for it in the model-building section of a crafts store.
-- You can use real flowers and greenery if you wish.
-- When selecting flowers and greenery, keep in mind that some forms will work better than others. The examples on the left-hand side of the photo illustrate what won't work as well. The red roses won't lay flat on the board, and the pink flowers are too wispy. On the right in the photo, the tulip has a thick stem and bold form, and the leaf also has a bold form and will lay flat. Both would work well for this project.
-- Heavy flowers or greenery also work better than lighter items, as they will move around less during spray-painting.
-- Industrial pavement spray paint works well for items that are wispy because it produces a more forceful, directional spray. Keep in mind that this type of spray paint is available only in a limited number of colors.

Paint Resources:
Gloss Purple (purple print), Gloss Watermelon (pink print), Satin Pimento (red-orange print) -- Krylon; krylon.com; Satin Encounter (light blue print), Gloss Tropical Oasis (turquoise print) -- Valspar; valsparspray.com; Traffic Yellow (yellow print) by Seymour -- Lowe's; lowes.com.

Decorating Updates Under $50

Fast & Fabulous Decorating Projects

Try New Paint Colors with My Color Finder