My living space got a complete makeover with wall art ideas that didn’t break the bank. The whole project cost me just $85 to create a gallery wall with large prints that brought personality and warmth to my bare walls. You don’t need any artistic talent or expensive materials to create impressive wall decorations. Some of the most beautiful pieces come from items lying around your home.
In this piece, I’ll share easy techniques, budget-friendly resources, and creative approaches that will help you decorate your walls with personal art even if you’ve never picked up a paintbrush. The best part? Making your own artwork saves money and turns into a fun and rewarding experience.
Getting Started with DIY Wall Art
You don’t need an art degree or expensive supplies to create your own wall art. My DIY experience has shown that handmade pieces bring more personal satisfaction than store-bought ones—and they’re much easier on the wallet!
Affordable materials you already have at home
A sweep of your house will find many items which can be transformed into eye-catching wall art. Salvaged broken picture frames are ideal after painting and filling with distinctive material instead of buying new canvases. Coffee grounds, spices, or food coloring in the kitchen create unique natural color and texture. Fabric scraps from clothing or upholstered furniture contribute fantastic texture when applied over Mod Podge to achieve a professional finish.
Basic objects can surprise you—cereal boxes make great background boards for tiny pieces. Books and newspaper give us old-textured backgrounds when they are stained with coffee or tea. Your memorabilia such as postcards, scarves, wallpaper samples, or travel memorabilia can become worthwhile, one-of-a-kind art pieces.
Simple tools to keep on hand
Your projects will determine specific tools, but these essentials will help you with DIY art projects of all sizes:
- Measuring tools: tape measure, ruler, and level to line up everything
- Paint supplies: brushes, acrylic paints, and blank canvases
- Cutting implements: utility knife or scissors for paper and fabric work
- Adhesives: glue, Mod Podge, and painter’s tape
- Hanging hardware: picture hanging kit with a level
Joint compound and a putty knife are great for textured canvas art—these affordable materials help create stunning dimensional pieces that would cost much more in stores.
Tips for beginners with no art experience
DIY artwork should be fun! Abstract designs work well for beginners since they don’t need precise technical skills. Painter’s tape helps create clean lines and shapes when you’re starting out. You can try different brush strokes and techniques until you find what suits you best.
Thrift stores give you a chance to practice—grab an unremarkable canvas or painting for a few dollars and paint over it to create something new. Before you start, sketch a quick draft on paper, place it on your wall, and step back to assess the concept.
Your customized DIY wall art lets you expand your decorating choices with pieces made just for your space. Whether it’s a bold abstract or a complex paint by numbers design that challenges your focus and creativity, the final result is something far more personal and meaningful than anything you’d pick up off a shelf.
Easy Wall Art Ideas You Can Paint
Painting your own wall art might seem scary, but you can do it—even if you can’t draw stick figures! A few simple techniques will help you create beautiful pieces you’ll be proud to hang.
Simple abstract canvas painting
Abstract art works great for beginners since there’s no “right” way to do it. Pour painting is a fun way to start—just mix acrylic paint with pouring medium and watch it create amazing patterns as it flows on the canvas. You can also create a colorful background and add a simple black design on top once it dries.
For inspiration, consider a painting of wine with rich burgundy tones, abstract bottle shapes, or the graceful motion of a swirling pour. It’s an easy way to add a touch of sophistication to your kitchen or dining room walls.
The easiest way to begin is with loose, painterly brushstrokes. Putting brush to canvas creates unique textures that become your art’s foundation. Try different directions—diagonal swooshes, v-shapes, or wispy strokes each create their own effect. You can also try botanical shapes like simple leaf stems to add warmth to any room.
Geometric shapes and color blocks
Geometric patterns look striking and are easy to create. This style goes back to artists like Piet Mondrian, who used lines and primary colors in his work. Modern versions are more flexible—painter’s tape helps create clean edges between colors.
Color block art is a simple project. Just secure painter’s tape to your canvas in a pattern and paint the open areas with your chosen colors. Triangles make great geometric art—they look sophisticated but need little skill. You can also create midcentury modern-inspired pieces by marking patterns with tape, filling shapes with colors that work together, and peeling off the tape to reveal your design.
Moody gradients with minimal effort
Gradient paintings (also called ombré) look sophisticated but are easy to make. Think of it as painting a sunset on your wall. Most people use three colors, but you can try more or fewer based on your style.
A large mop blender brush slightly wet with water helps create smooth transitions between colors. Put your lightest color in one section and darker shade in another. Work in circles at the meeting point with your damp brush. Use dry wash brushes in different directions (x’s, figure eights) to blend colors naturally. Colors placed far apart create subtle transitions, while closer colors make dramatic effects.
Creative Printable and Digital Art Options
My favorite wall art hack needs zero artistic skill but looks professional—digital printables. This approach helped me change my home office with gallery-quality pieces that cost a fraction of retail prices.
Using Canva and other free tools
Canva has become my favorite platform to create custom wall art. This user-focused design tool gives you many free templates and graphics to create beautiful prints. You can start by selecting “Custom dimensions” and putting in your desired frame size—I usually go with 16×20 inches for statement pieces.
- To create wall art in Canva:
- Pick a background texture or color
- Add text with fonts like “Playlist Script” that gives a calligraphy look
- Upload personal images or pick from free graphics
- Save your design as a high-resolution PNG file
The free version limits some premium graphics. You can still create stunning designs by uploading your own backgrounds, fonts, or overlays.
Where to find free public domain art
The sort of thing I love was finding out that all but one of these artworks over 95 years old are public domain—which means you can download and print them free. Great sources include:
Museum websites have incredible collections of classic art. Your favorite museum’s digital collection lets you browse thousands of high-quality images. Websites like Artvee give you curated collections of public domain art to browse and download in high resolution.
Printing tips for a professional look
A few technical details make the difference between amateur and professional-looking prints. Your file should have at least 300 DPI resolution to get crisp, clear printing. Larger prints need higher resolution to keep their quality.
I use linen paper at home because it gives prints an elegant texture. Large print orders work better with “Custom Posters” on premium matte paper for that professional look. Office supply stores like Office Depot are a great way to get affordable printing services—look for coupon codes online before ordering.
Professional printing services like Prodpi’s Giclée Fine Art Prints use archival inks and premium papers for gallery-quality results.
Budget-Friendly Finds and Upcycled Art
Thrift stores and nature offer a wealth of possibilities to create stunning wall art without breaking the bank. The most eye-catching pieces in my home cost just a few dollars but look like expensive artwork.
Thrift store frames and art
The frame section at thrift stores needs a good look each time you visit. My best find was a set of three curvy plastic frames for just $3. Smart shopping makes a difference here. You can save substantially by waiting for 50% off sales. A bit of bargaining on slightly damaged items might even get you 75% off.
These thrift frames often have unique shapes you won’t see in modern styles. Simple frames can look amazing with paint and creative filling. Old frames deserve a second chance – a fresh coat of chalk paint, some stain, or decorative moldings can work wonders.
Framed fabric and textile pieces
Textile framing creates quick, cheap art full of character. My walls showcase everything from travel scarves to fabric remnants. These pieces start conversations and add beautiful texture to any room.
Here are some fabric ideas off the top of my head:
- Decorative tea towels (no frame necessary)
- Travel scarves or souvenirs
- Sentimental items like baby blankets
Frames with mats help hide uneven edges and create professional results. Heavy cardstock or watercolor paper works great as backing for textile mounting.
Pressed flowers and nature-inspired art
Pressed flower art costs next to nothing but creates elegant, customized displays. My garden flowers, pressed in an old phone book and framed in dollar store frames, look like professional botanical prints.
Single-layered flowers like pansies, violas, and daisies work best. Leaves, ferns, and herbs press beautifully too. A fine paintbrush helps apply tiny glue dots to secure each specimen.
Shadow boxes with seashells or keepsakes
Shadow boxes can raise simple collections into sophisticated displays. Beach vacation shells become beautiful wall art in my home. These boxes let me enjoy my treasured memories every day instead of letting them gather dust.
Nature-themed shadow boxes look great with rocks, seashells, feathers, twigs, or dried leaves. Small pieces of 3M Command strips work perfectly to mount delicate items and allow future rearrangement. Shadow box sales can drop prices from $70 to $35 or less – worth the investment to showcase your special collections.
Conclusion
You don’t need artistic talent or a big budget to turn blank walls into tailored galleries. Beautiful wall art is available to everyone through many different approaches. Simple abstract paintings, geometric designs, digital printables, and upcycled treasures are just the beginning. Your home probably has materials that can become stunning decorative pieces with creativity and patience.
Your personality matters more than getting everything perfect. A painted canvas, a framed piece of fabric, or a nature-inspired shadowbox will always feel more meaningful than something mass-produced. Trying out different materials and techniques should be enjoyable, not stressful. Your space will look more personal, and you’ll spend a lot less in the process. Just pick one project to start with, and let your creativity and your art collection grow from there.