Creating Your Own Prints

Have you ever been shopping for the perfect artwork to be displayed on your walls only to discover that nothing suits your taste or budget for that matter? I've been there many of times!

Well have no fear, I am going to show you how to take an idea you have and create it into the perfect artwork!

Here's what you need:

• computer with photo editing software
• printer with either black ink for a black and white look or color ink for colored prints
• heavy quality paper such as a brochure paper or a photo paper (sheen of your choice)
• frames

Now follow these easy steps...

1. Complete an image search online of what you would like in your prints. For example: seashells, peacocks, botanicals, vintage automobiles, fruit, flowers, prints of fabrics, scrolls...I think you get the idea.
   
2. Save image or images that are relative to your theme or style of room and save them onto your computer.
3. In your photo editing software, you will crop any unwanted areas out of the image and then resize to a common size for framing such as 5x7 or 8x10.
4. If you would like to add a matte without having to pay for one, you can do that too! My frames had mattes, but I wanted to add a little bit of color to my vintage prints. In my case, I resized the image to a 5x7 and matted it into an 8x10.
   
5. Run a test print. Many of the images will be slightly distorted. This really does not matter because the work will be on the walls and looked at from a distance. (Since some of you are doubting me, run a test print, tack it on the wall in place and then step back for normal viewing.)
6. Print Final Print. If you want you can print from home. You can also elect to have your images printed at a local photo kiosk. ( You may want to do this if your prints are larger than 8x10.
7.  Frame.
   
8. You are done, viola!