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How to: Make Stylish, Painterly Typographic Wall Art

by on Apr 9, 2015

Photo: Jeran McConnel

I love a large marquee letter in home decor.  It’s a great way to personalize your space without monogramming all your guest towels.  Any chance to hang something one your walls that’s not in a neat rectangular frame is a win in my book.  This marquee letter got a trendy makeover by painting the whole thing like a modern, abstract piece of art.  It’s a fun way to add color and pattern to any room.  

           

What you’ll need:

  • A large marque letter (I found mine at Hobby Lobby)
  • Craft paint in white and at least 4 other colors
  • Paint primer (I love Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer)
  • Paint brushes
  • Sand paper (100 grit)
"A M shaped Wall Art in hanging on the Wall"
Photo: Jeran McConnel

Instructions:

1. Start with a large marquee letter.  These can be purchased new at craft stores, or if you love the hunt, flea markets and antique malls always have piles of them.

The metal letter M is being displayed with a white background.
Photo: Jeran McConnel

2. Give the letter a light sanding with 100 grit sand paper, to help the paint adhere.  I like to use a spray primer first.  

3. When the primer is completely dry, paint the entire letter white with the craft paint so that you have a nice, clean blank canvas to work with.

A captal letter M spray painted white with the spray paint bottle laying next to it.
Photo: Jeran McConnel

4. Next, it’s time to paint the abstract design. The technique I used is definitely a free-form way of painting and, to be honest, was harder then I thought in terms of creating a balanced piece.  I’ll give you an idea of how I painted my piece.  I started by painting large sections of peach and pink, my lightest colors. I mixed these artistic blobs with white to get various shades of the two colors. I left quite a bit of white space in between my colorful parts to keep the painting light and airy.

The letter M is hanging from a light colored wall.
Photo: Jeran McConnel
Art is painted on a wooden letter M.
Photo: Jeran McConnel

I put the paint on thick to give the piece some texture.  When my lighter colors were dry, I began to add spots of the darker, stronger colors.  I used cobalt blue and black for my piece.  I added smaller spots of blue and black and then painted small strokes of the black on a couple of the peach and pink areas.

A paper plate with black, orange, pink and blue paint on it as well as two blue paintbrushes.
Photo: Jeran McConnel

5. Once your letter is dry, find a space to hang your one-of-a-kind abstract art piece.  

The letter M in pink and melon colors is hanging up on the wall.
Photo: Jeran McConnel
The letter M is hanging on the grey wall.
Photo: Jeran McConnel

The letter M is hanging on a wall above a plant and a chair with books.
Photo: Jeran McConnel

This project is a great way to add colors that are specific to your home and style. And, I think painting is just good for the mind and soul.  It gives you a chance to slow down and also express yourself through color and pattern.

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