Mini Canvas Frame Tutorial - Alter it monthly

This month is my first month with Alter it monthly and it's an honour to be part of such a fun blog! The theme this month is Shrines, Alters and Nichos... if that sounds like a fun challenge why don't you come and join in, there is a prize to be won.

A for my piece this month I used two mini canvases to make a deep frame and I just wanted to share with you how my piece was created.

This is my first little picture tutorial so any comments and ideas for improvement are more than welcome.

Get yourself some mini canvases, although this would work with any size canvas. Cut the canvas out of one of them and glue onto the back of the other one so you have a deep frame to decorate. In this case I covered it with Terra Texture paste, you can apply it as rough or smooth as you like. The reason why I like using a texture paste on the back of canvases, it's because it covers up and stapled bits of canvas or canvas edges very nicely.

When dry, paint in a neutral colour like Traditional Tan.

I then rubbed over some Inka Gold, this is an amazing product almost like shoe polish. I apply it with my fingers, bit messy but great fun. I just rub it over the frame to pick up bits of the texture.

Now find yourself some items you want to display in the frame or decorate it with. I had two old chess figures lying around. I painted one in Modern Masters Iron Paint and the other one in Modern Masters Bronze Paint. These come with different type activators......

For the Iron Paint I used a rust activator and for the Bronze Paint I used a blue patina activator. The effect is particularly visible where more activator was applied. Gives a nice aged effect, I love these paints. Next step is to place them in your frame and decorate to your liking, I used tissue tape to add a little playful touch.

Get some more embellies ready.

Assemble it all.

Lastly I sprayed the whole thing with a bronze shimmer spray.

Now get yourself some canvases and get making, it's great fun and as these are fairly small it is also a very quick project.