Hand lettered home decor is all the rage right now, but for novices like me, it isn’t always an easy thing to DIY and get right. I had seen some hand lettered map canvases at a boutique and loved the look of them for our nursery. I knew I could find a way make one myself even though I’m not the most skilled at hand lettering. I used some tricks that I learned from my art teacher days and came up with a sweet little map canvas that now sits on our nursery shelf. Our nursery is full of DIY projects like my wood slice mobile and pallet picture display.
Hand Lettered Map Canvas
For this project, you will need:
- Maps
- Mod Podge – Matte or Chalk finish
- Foam Brush
- Sharpie
- Dark Crayon
- Sharpie
The first thing you need to do is come up with your hand lettered design. I practiced a few times and looked at some images and fonts online that I liked. You could also just print one out or trace one if you aren’t confident in your lettering skills.
Next, flip your paper over and cover the backside with a dark crayon. I used blue, but I should have used black to make this process a little easier. You could also try this with graphite or chalk if your canvas background is going to be dark. And yes, I use my daughter’s homework as scrap paper…just a little money saving tip for you there!
Next, you are going to want to cover your canvas with maps. I ended up piecing together a few but you can’t tell in the end.
Brush on a layer of Mod Podge to the canvas, carefully lay on your maps and smooth out any bubbles. Then brush on another layer to coat the entire thing.
Don’t forget to bring it down around the edges for a more finished look. Brush on another layer of Mod Podge after the first one has dried if desired.
After the Mod Podge is completely dry, lay your crayon covered paper onto the canvas, with the crayon side touching the map. Press down HARD with a pen or pencil and trace the hand lettered design. When you lift up your paper, you will have a faint transfer of crayon that you can now carefully trace over with Sharpie.
No one will guess that you didn’t quite free-hand it and cheated a little. After you have traced it, you can wipe off any excess crayon with a damp cloth.
Obviously you can try this method with any kind of paper and canvas, not just maps.
Be sure to check out my other nursery decor DIY’s!
