Everyone enjoys repurposing office supplies for the sake of art, and who hasn’t played with thumbtacks on the office idea board? Thumbtacks are actually a very versatile art medium, able to recreate art as complicated as a portrait or landscape through the theory of pointillism. Pointillism uses small dots of color and apply them to patterns that form a larger image.
While some artists choose to paint the heads of the thumbtacks specific color shades for more complicated pieces, our thumbtack art will require much less intricate detail while still maintaining that modern art flare. The following steps will help guide you in creating a one-of-a-kind thumbtack art design:
- Choose the Right Supplies
While you can use thumbtacks with tall, plastic heads, we recommend finding the kind with flat, metal heads instead. Metal thumbtacks are easier to work with and more durable. They will ensure the longevity of your design. In addition, metal thumbtacks have a subtle antique aesthetic that plastic thumbtacks lack.
A box frame canvas is likewise recommended for this project, as you will be reinforcing the back with cardboard. In the case of adding color to your canvas, you will also need spray or acrylic paint.
- Build Your Design
This is the most important step in the creation of your art piece. Sketch your design onto a piece of paper that is cut down to the exact size of your canvas. Graph paper is nice to use if your design includes words, as it can ensure level and same-sized letters. Cursive and foreign characters work especially well. If you are more artistically inclined, sketching a picture is also okay. Be aware that you will be replacing the lines with thumbtacks, so any kind of shading or more intricate lines may be difficult to convey. Simplicity is key.
- Prepare the Canvas
Your thumbtack design may look best on a white, unaltered canvas. However, it is more likely that a little bit of color will enhance your overall design. Consider what color your thumbtacks are; just about any color will work with silver or gold metal thumbtacks, so choose your favorite color or the color that goes best with your current decor! After you have chosen a color, spray paint your canvas and allow to dry. If you would prefer, you can paint the canvas with acrylics instead.
Reinforcing your canvas requires enough cardboard (in pieces or as a whole) to lay across the entire back surface of the canvas. Adhere the cardboard with brown packing tape or blue painter’s tape, whichever is available to you. This will give the thumbtacks something more sturdy to grip than the canvas alone.
- Imprint the Design
Lay your paper sketch over the top of the painted canvas. Secure it in place and use pressure to retrace the lines. The pressure will create an imprint in the canvas. The imprint doesn’t need to be easy to see. As long as you can follow the lines, the imprint is strong enough.
- Make an Impression
Remove the paper sketch and start tacking! Press each individual tack into the line impressions formed on the canvas, as close as they can be without touching. Don’t press them in too hard or the stretch on the canvas might “erase” the rest of your impression. Instead, wait until all of your design is tacked before ensuring they are pressed in firmly.
Way to harness your industrial art side! Now, it’s time to hang up your finished piece in your home or office. But before you do, consider Frame Warehouse for the perfect frame to showcase your work!
