Diy personalized wall art

Guest project by Matt of The DIY Village.

A family name and date make this barnwood sign personal. We used a vinyl stencil and a small amount of paint to leave some of the old wood's texture visible. The same approach can make a piece for your home or a gift.

DIY Wall Art Tutorial by The DIY Village

1. Choose or make a stencil

You can buy a stencil at a craft store, ask a local sign shop to make one, or cut your own if you have a vinyl cutter. We made a stencil for the family name and established date shown in the photographs.

2. Choose the wood or other surface

A family friend was replacing planks on his barn and offered us the old wood. We chose a piece of that barnwood as the surface for the sign.

3. Secure the stencil

For a vinyl stencil, apply transfer tape over the design and remove the backing so you can position the vinyl on the wood. With a store-bought stencil, tape it in place to keep it from shifting.

4. Stipple on a small amount of paint

Dip the end of a brush into the paint, keeping only a small amount on its tip. Stipple the paint over the stencil rather than loading the brush heavily.

Use less paint for a more weathered appearance. Continue until you have covered the stencil design.

5. Add a hanger and display the sign

Add a suitable fastener or hanger to the back. Our finished sign displays the pale lettering against the worn barnwood, with a framed arrangement below it.