How to decorate a frame: master class with photos

Today, in the age of digital technology, we very rarely print photographs on paper, replacing them with an electronic version. But sometimes you really want to decorate your house with “live” photographs, for which you will need beautifully designed frames. In this master class I will present you with some simple but original ideas for decorating them with your own hands.

Decorating a photo frame with buttons

To decorate this frame we will need:

• buttons (mine are in the shape of flowers);
• white acrylic paint;
• wooden frame;
• flat brush;
• sponge;
• “Moment” universal glue (transparent).

The first step will be to prime the wooden frame with acrylic paint. If the surface of your frame has uneven surfaces, first go over it with sandpaper. Mine turned out to be even and smooth, so I skip this step and proceed straight to painting.

I painted the frame with two coats of paint, first on the front side. So that it lays down in an even layer, I applied acrylic with a brush and then leveled it with a sponge.

Once it was thoroughly dry (about 5 hours), I painted the back of the frame and left it to dry overnight.

The second stage is decorating the frame with buttons. They can be any color, size and shape, depending on your wishes.

Before gluing the buttons, I “tried” them to the frame to place them more compactly and also to avoid repeating colors. Then you can safely start decorating.

As a result, I got this nice bright frame. This is a very versatile option, because photographs in it can be placed horizontally and vertically.

Decorating a photo frame using decoupage technique

In simple words decoupage- This is the translation of a paper picture onto various objects and surfaces.

To decorate the next frame we will need:

• napkin with your favorite image;
• already primed wooden frame;
• PVA glue;
• tassels;
• scissors;
• 2 jars: for water and glue solution.

First you need to work with a napkin. We only need a thin layer with pictures, so the other white layers need to be separated. Don’t rush to throw them away right away, as they will be useful to us in future work.

Then I cut it into individual pieces with images. Tip: if the design does not involve clear lines, for example, floral motifs, then it is better to tear off the fragment of the napkin you like by hand. This way they will look natural at the joints.

Next, I try my pictures on the frame so that the result is a finished composition.

To avoid confusion, I transfer them to the next piece of paper, in the same order as they were on the frame.

The images that will be on the corners need to be cut diagonally, as shown in the photo. This is necessary so that they can be conveniently glued.

Having completed all the preparations, we proceed directly to decoupage. I will transfer the drawings of the bear cubs only to the front of the frame and on the sides. The reverse side will be white.

Using a brush generously moistened with water, we first “glue” the picture to the surface of the frame. This must be done very slowly and carefully to avoid the formation of bubbles and wrinkles on the napkin. It is better to start from the central part and gradually move towards the edges.

In this way I transfer all my fragments to the frame.

Next, I carefully, using my fingers, tear off the excess paper that extends beyond the borders of the sides of the frame. If errors still occur, they can be easily eliminated by covering the reverse side with another thin layer of paint.

Then you need to carefully blot it with a dry cloth without damaging the design. This is where the white layers that we separated earlier will come in handy.

The next step is to dilute PVA glue with water in a 1:1 ratio. Mix well and cover the frame with the resulting mixture. There is no need to make a layer that is too thick. It is very important here that the glue lies evenly over the entire surface. After this, we leave it to dry overnight.

The final step is to coat the frame with acrylic varnish, which can be glossy or matte. This will finally fix the design, which means that the product will delight you with its beautiful and exclusive appearance for a long time.

This is the frame I got. It is perfect for children's photographs.