Vintage style art never goes out of fashion. With some simple DIY techniques, you can easily transform ordinary objects into beautiful works of art with a retro flair. Read on to learn quick and easy vintage art projects that will liven up your home decor.
Gather Your Vintage Art Supplies
Here are some key supplies you’ll want to have on hand for your vintage art projects:
Canvas Panels or Wooden Boxes
Canvas panels and wooden surfaces like crates or boxes make great bases for vintage art. Look for inexpensive canvas pads or stretch canvases from an art supply store. You can also reuse old wooden crates, cigar boxes, or other wooden surfaces.
Acrylic or Craft Paints
Acrylic craft paints are perfect for vintage art projects. They easily adhere to various surfaces like wood, canvas, and fabric. Go for a variety of colors like cream, tan, turquoise, red, yellow, and robin’s egg blue which were popular shades in retro eras.
Sandpaper
Sandpaper is essential for distressing surfaces and giving them a timeworn look. Get a pack of varying grit sandpaper from coarse to fine.
Paintbrushes
Have a selection of different sized paintbrushes for basecoating larger areas as well as detail work. Craft stores sell variety packs with multiple sizes.
Rags
Old t-shirts or soft rags are useful for applying paints and stains.
Stencils
Look for fun vintage imagery like flowers, birds, butterflies, and damask designs. Check craft stores or print your own custom stencils.
Washi Tape
Decorative washi tape in various retro designs can add a quick pop of color. Use it to border artwork or create geometric patterns.
Game Pieces
Vintage game pieces like Scrabble letters, chess pieces, or dice make quirky 3D embellishments. Raid old board games for unique parts.
Upcycled Objects
Give new life to items destined for the trash like old keys, buttons, map fragments, sheet music, and more.
Quick & Easy Vintage Art Projects
Let’s look at some simple vintage art projects you can complete in an afternoon:
Distressed Wooden Boxes
Wooden boxes are the perfect beginner DIY vintage art project. Here’s how to give them a worn retro look:
What You Need:
- Small wooden box
- Sandpaper – coarse and fine grit
- Acrylic paint in cream, blue, yellow
- Paintbrushes
- Rags
Instructions:
- Lightly sand the entire box with coarse grit sandpaper to rough up the surface. Wipe away any dust.
- Apply a basecoat of cream acrylic paint over the whole box using a wide paintbrush. Let dry.
- Use finer sandpaper to gently distress the box around the edges and corners, revealing hints of the natural wood beneath.
- Paint vintage designs using the blue and yellow paints like diagonal stripes, hearts, or abstract shapes. Apply paint with a dry brush technique using minimal amounts of paint and a rag for a faded retro look.
- Finish by using very fine sandpaper to softly distress the paint around the edges to complete the vintage charm. Seal with an optional clear acrylic sealer.
The worn paint and visible wood grain give these boxes wonderful vintage appeal. Group a few together to create charming retro storage and display.
Stenciled Canvas Panels
Stenciled designs add a quick burst of retro style. Follow these simple steps:
What You Need:
- Primed canvas panel or stretched canvas
- Acrylic paints – try turquoise, yellow, red
- Stencils – floral, butterfly, geometric patterns
- Low-tack masking tape
- Stiff brush or stencil brush
Instructions:
- Select 1-3 complementary paint colors that have a vintage feel. Turquoise, yellow, and red is a classic combination.
- Position the canvas horizontally and loosely tape the stencil in place near the top using removable masking tape.
- Dip a stiff stencil brush in the turquoise paint and tap off any excess. Carefully dab the brush over the stencil to transfer the design to the canvas.
- Repeat with the floral stencil in yellow toward the bottom right. Add any other designs in coordinating paint colors.
- Remove the stencils and allow the paint to dry fully. Display the canvas panel on an easel or hang on the wall.
The retro color palette and playful patterns give these stenciled canvases a lighthearted vintage vibe in minutes. Experiment with different motifs and color combos.
Upcycled Memories Shadowbox
Preserve nostalgic objects in a memory shadowbox for a sentimental vintage piece. Follow the steps below:
What You Need:
- Unfinished wooden shadowbox frame
- Assorted memorabilia – old photos, letters, maps, game pieces
- Acrylic paint and brush
- Foam brush
- Scissors or craft knife
- Mod Podge or decoupage glue
Instructions:
- Basecoat the shadowbox frame using acrylic paint in a soft vintage hue like robin’s egg blue. Allow to dry.
- Arrange the memorabilia artfully inside the shadowbox base. Cut items to fit the space if needed.
- Use foam brush to apply decoupage glue to the back of each object. Press each coated piece firmly in place.
- Apply additional glue coating over the entire surface to seal and adhere the collage. Allow to dry fully.
- Lightly sand any rough edges. Apply optional stenciled designs.
- Display the finished memory shadowbox on a shelf, wall, or tabletop. Enjoy the nostalgic art piece.
This custom shadowbox provides a touching way to protect and display cherished memories with a vintage vibe. Make one for yourself or give as a heartfelt gift.
More DIY Vintage Art Ideas
Beyond these quick projects, there are endless possibilities for DIY vintage art styles to try:
Framed Botanical Prints
Recolor old botanical prints or seed catalog pages with soft vintage color washes. Display in thrifted frames for timeworn appeal.
Cigar Box Guitar
Craft a tiny guitar from a retro cigar box and spare pieces of wood. Fun for decor or pretend play.
Mixed Media Collage
Assemble a layered collage using torn papers, scrap fabrics, old stickers, maps, game pieces, and natural ephemera for an eclectic retro-inspired art piece.
Faux Vintage Signs
Transform wood slices, panels, or canvases into faux rustic signs painted with folksy sayings, floral designs, or farm animal silhouettes.
Salvaged Wood Wall Art
Use salvaged wood pieces to craft geometric wall hangings. Whitewash or lightly sand for a worn finish. Add metallic accents if desired.
Fabric Scrap Wreath
Stitch together fabric scraps, doilies, and trims in creams, florals, and ginghams for a homemade retro-chic wall wreath.
Distressed Ceramics
Give pottery and china a makeover with sandpaper distressing and mottled paint treatments. Display with faux vines and moss accents.
Upcycled Glass Bottles
Transform empty glass bottles into one-of-a-kind vases and candles with vintage-inspired paint colors, decorative tape, and embellishments.
With a little imagination and some simple supplies, the possibilities for DIY vintage art are truly endless! Curate an entire gallery wall or personalized cluster of retro charm.
DIY Vintage Art Tips & Inspiration
Looking for more ideas and helpful tips for your vintage art creations? Here are some key points:
- Peruse eras like the 1920s, 30s, 40s or 70s for authentic retro color palettes and motifs to emulate.
- Tap into nostalgia. Upcycle childhood memorabilia or utilize things like game pieces, sheet music, and old photos.
- Look for inexpensive materials to repurpose from thrift shops, yard sales, and your own attic treasures.
- Distressing adds instant vintage appeal. Sand painted surfaces lightly or rub white wax over paint and wipe away.
- Mimic time’s patina by layering paints, stains, and glazes for an aged, variegated look with depth.
- Incorporate faded florals, roosters, songbirds, butterflies or other kitschy motifs popular in past eras.
- Frame your art in vintage-style frames. Antique frames add further retro appeal.
- Display collections of mismatched pieces grouped artfully together for a charming old-fashioned look.
- Add handmade touches like visible brushstrokes, exposed wood grain, hammered metal, uneven stitching, or other imperfections that reflect homemade charm.
Dig for Inspiration
Look for more DIY vintage art inspiration online through blogs, social media, Etsy, and Pinterest where crafters generously share ideas. Vintage and craft magazines are also great for sparking creativity.
Perusing decor and art books featuring interiors through different eras provides beautiful inspiration too. Don’t be afraid to borrow ideas and put your own spin on them!
Frequently Asked Questions About DIY Vintage Art
What are some good surfaces for creating vintage art?
Great surfaces for DIY vintage art include wood (crates, boxes, slices, scrap wood), canvas panels, stretched canvases, ceramic plates or vases, glass bottles or jars, fabric, and metal or tin. Always start with a clean surface free of dirt and oils.
What types of paint work best?
Acrylic craft paints are perfect for DIY vintage art because they adhere well to multiple surfaces like wood, ceramic, glass, and fabric. Have fun experimenting with layering complementary semi-transparent glazes over basecoats too.
How do I antique or distress painted surfaces?
Lightly rub fine grit sandpaper over edges and details. Wipe white or cream paint over basecoat, then immediately wipe away paint with a wet rag to tint and age the surface. Layer complementary glazes over paint for a timeworn look.
What are quick ways to embellish projects?
Washi tape, raffia, lace trims, rickrack, pom poms and fabric scraps add color and texture quickly. For shabby chic style, tea stain paper edges or use a heat gun to melt and ruffle fabric pieces.
Where’s the best place to display vintage art?
DIY vintage art looks wonderful displayed clustered in arrangements on walls, shelving, fireplace mantels, or tabletops. Group pieces with different shapes, sizes and textures for visual interest and vintage homespun appeal.
Conclusion
Embrace your crafty side and tap into vintage eras past for delightful DIY art adventures. With some basic techniques like sanding, stenciling, collaging and upcycling, you can easily infuse your home decor with retro charm and personalized handmade touches. Experiment, have fun, and soon you’ll be on your way to curating an artfully nostalgic gallery of vintage style pieces.
