Better Homes and Gardens (Australia)
EASY STEPS TO YOUR 3D ARTWORK
Mount cut-out shapes to a framed backing panel, all painted in the same colour to make an artwork with depth and shape.
Gather your supplies
• 900 x 600 x 12mm MDF panels (2)
• 89 x 19mm x 3m DAR pine
• Primer
• Acrylic paint
You’ll also need Paint trays and rollers; tape measure; pencil; straightedge; spirit level; string; pin; clamps; jigsaw; PVA glue; saw; medium-grit sandpaper; timber screws; picture hanger to suit wall type
For you to note
• The golden ratio, 1:1.618, is a composition guide. For this artwork, you’ll use the golden rectangle – where the long edge is 1.1618 times the length of the short edge.
• You can find calculators online to work out the sides of a golden ratio rectangle.
Here’s how
STEP 1 Apply primer to 1 face of both MDF panels using a roller; leave to dry.
STEP 2 Use tape measure, pencil and straightedge to divide 1 primed panel into a golden rectangle.
STEP 3 Attach string to a pin on a straight line, then tie to pencil, making sure it measures the radius and is taut, then draw large curve.
STEP 4 Draw the smaller curves the same way.
STEP 5 Clamp panel to
workbench and cut out all the pieces – straight lines and curves – using a jigsaw.
STEP 6 Use a saw to cut pine into 4 lengths for a butt-jointed frame; glue and screw together.
STEP 7 Apply primer and 1-2 coats of paint to frame; leave to dry after each coat.
STEP 8 Sand all cut edges of artwork components.
STEP 9 Apply primer to all edges of artwork components; leave to dry.
STEP 10 Apply 1-2 coats of paint to all artwork components – face and edges – using a roller; leave to dry after each coat.
STEP 11 Run generous beads of PVA glue on the backs of all the cut-outs.
STEP 12 Position cut-outs on backing panel to create artwork. Leave glue to set. Apply glue to frame, position artwork on top; leave glue to set. Mount artwork using a picture hanger rated to take its weight. for PROJECT SUPPLIES, see OUR stockists page