Fabulous Floorcloths Part 1

Browsing around the blog world, I've noticed a lot of bloggers split post topics up into several 'mini' posts, so I thought I'd give it a try and see how it goes. This would have been a pretty long post and I think people get bored if they're too long, so you'll just have to check back in if the topic interests you, and I hope it does! Now, on to floorcloths!

I have several methods of  making floorcloths. The first one I'll talk about is the easiest. Using a heavy, pre-primed canvas, you can draw a design freehand, use a stencil or just do simple graphic stripes. Anything goes! I like to use the white of the canvas as my positive or negative space, but you could fill in the entire canvas with acrylic paint in as many colors as you want. It all depends on how much work you want to put into it. Here is an example of a floorcloth I recently started, using this method.

 A close up of the canvas shows the slight surface texture.

A quick trace of the design I want to paint. Here I am using a stencil I cut to create a chevron stripe.

Look closely and you can see the faint outlines of my chevron stripe pattern.

 

Using acrylic paint, start brushing away! For designs with wide sections and sharp angles, like this chevron stripe, a square, flat, nylon bristle brush works best. You might be asking yourself why I didn't tape off my stripes for a nice crisp edge....NO Taping, here!! Painters tape is notorious for leaking paint underneath, so freehand is the way to go.

With bold graphics and dark on light designs, this method goes pretty fast. Of course, the more intricate your design and the more colors you use, the more time you are spending making your floorcloth. I'm impatient, so I choose bold, graphic, simplistic designs that I can finish quickly.

I'll show you the finished product, give supply info and share a brief history about floorcloths in the next installment, so be sure to check back in! You can subscribe to my blog via e-mail, become a follower or both!
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