How to Make Botanical Decoupage Art

We welcome Jennifer Zuri from Town and Country Living to share with us this fun botanical project! Decoupaging botanical images on wood or an art canvas using old book pages. A botanical art print is a great way to create custom art for your home! She uses a really pretty vintage artichoke botanical drawing to create this gorgeous decoupage artwork and I know you’ll love her step by step tutorial below!

A framed DIY botanical art print with book page borders sits on a white dresser, next to a potted fern, moss ball, and decorative twine balls arranged on a wooden tray.

Jennifer: Hi Everyone! This is Jennifer Zuri from Town and Country Living. Today I’m sharing an easy DIY decoupage botanical art project. Earlier this month at our local flea market I ran across this beautiful botanic artichoke print and was inspired to turn it into an art project.Here’s my finished art project, a botanic print framed in book pages.I love botanic prints and I love artichokes!

A DIY botanical art illustration of artichokes is displayed upright behind several scattered vintage book pages on a white surface.

Supplies for Creating the Decoupage Botanical Artwork

Only a few supplies are needed for this DIY botanical art project: An art canvas or wood board, a botanical print, a brush, book pages (new or vintage), and Mod Podge decoupage medium. Optional: Distressed Ink in Tea Dye or Walnut for aging the edges. Find artwork similar to this at The Graphics Fairy.

A DIY botanical art illustration of artichokes is printed over a vintage French document, set on a white background.

Start by Decoupaging Old Book Pages on the Canvas or Wood Board

First, center your print on the canvas to determine space needed to fill with book pages. If you don’t have old book pages, you can tea dyr new ones. See how to tea dye new books pages to look old here.

Pieces of torn, yellowed book pages are arranged on a white surface, with visible text and overlapping edges—perfect for inspiring your next DIY botanical art project. Website watermark is in the bottom left corner.

Start ripping the edges off of the book pages so you have jagged edges. Brush a layer of  Mod Podge onto canvas and apply pages, wrapping them around the edge of the canvas. Use your fingers to carefully smooth the pages down. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Apply a layer of decoupage medium over the top of the pages.

A mirror with a frame decorated using vintage book pages and touches of DIY botanical art sits on a white table, with a bottle of glue and a brush placed in front of it.

Apply the book pages around the perimeter of the canvas.As you work, wash your fingers off from time to time. You’ll get ink from the pages on your fingers and don’t want smudge marks.

A vintage DIY botanical art illustration of artichokes is displayed on top of a background made of layered, torn book pages.

Gleu the Vintage Botanical Image onto the Canvas

Next you’ll need to center the botanic print on the canvas. I measured from the edges and lightly marked the corner positions with pencil.

Tip: Make sure to print this on a printer with toner, or if using an ink jet printer, seal the image first so the ink doesn’t bleed.

A canvas decorated with vintage book pages and an artichoke botanical print—perfect for DIY botanical art—is propped against a wall; a plastic glue bottle, sponge brush, and lid sit on the table in front.

 

Working quickly, apply Mod Podge to the canvas and atop the edges of the book pages.You’ll want to apply the decoupage glue in the area where you’re placing the botanic print. Carefully place your print and then smooth with your fingers to remove any air bubbles trapped underneath then apply another layer of decoupage medium over the top and let dry.

Creases May Occur When Adding Decoupage Medium

Vintage botanical illustration of an artichoke with handwritten notes and a French postal stamp, overlaid on a textured background and partial book text—a charming piece perfect for DIY botanical art lovers.

Add Distressed Edges if Desired with Ink

You may see some creases. Creases are okay! They will give your artwork more of an aged look. For an even more aged look, rub the edges of the canvas with Distress Ink in walnut or tea dye.

A framed DIY botanical art print with book page borders sits on a white dresser, next to a potted fern, moss ball, and decorative twine balls arranged on a wooden tray.

Add a Hanger or Display Your Botanical Decoupage Artwork

Rather than hang my DIY botanic art print on the wall, I set it in a rustic wooden tray. A large moss ball, a twig ball, and an altered bottle finish the vignette. A saw tooth hanger can also be glued on the back to hang if desired.

A white dresser sits by a staircase with a potted plant, DIY botanical art featuring a framed artichoke print, and decorative items on top; sunlight filters through a window beside the stairs.

I like to rearrange artwork in the house to give it a fresh look.You could use any kind of print or poster to create your own DIY art project using canvas. Let your imagination run free and see what you can create!

-Jennifer Zuri, Town and Country Living

You Might Also Like …

Colorful Exterior Paint Colors

DIY Paris Poster Wall Art

How to Create Pink Flower Vignette

Source link