Hi! It’s Mandi here to show you guys a real simple art project. Give your precious pets a place of honor in your home by turning their portraits into wall art! Andy Warhol-inspired portraits are fun digital projects to try—but don’t worry! You can do this project even if you don’t have photo-editing software, though you will need access to a copy machine. Check out the instructions below to make your own pop art portrait.
Supplies:
–8″ x 10″ frame
-8″ x 10″ pet portrait (I printed mine at home)
-scissors
–spray adhesive
-2 sheets of bright, complementary-colored cardstock
-8″ x 10″ background texture image (click here to download)
Step One: Cut out the background from your photo.
Step Two: Scan the cut-out image, and increase the brightness and contrast. Copy machines have options that allow you to do this directly through the copy machine. Just practice on copy paper before printing it onto the colored cardstock. When you get it how you like it, with bright whites and contrasting darks, print onto the cardstock.
Step Three: Print out the background texture onto the contrasting cardstock. You can download the texture by clicking here.
Step Four: Trim the image from the first printed paper, leaving a little border around the edge.
Step Five: Spray the back of the trimmed-out image and mount it to the background texture.
Step Six: Use the glass from your frame to see where to trim the excess paper from the textured background so that it fits in an 8″ x 10″ frame. Keep in mind while trimming that you want a border around the edge of the texture to show when framed.
We currently don’t have any pets, but someday we would like to bring one into our home! In the meantime, I do love animal art and tchotchkes, as you can see! The photo of the dog that I used for this project was taken by my friend Ashleigh Harris for her amazingly adorable series, Dogs and Babies. If you’re in need of a dose of cute today, you should seriously check it out! Swoon! –Mandi
Credits // Author and Photography: Mandi Johnson. Photos edited with Spring and Valentine of the Signature Collection.
64 Comments
Can you post the background in a different format then DMS? I can’t open it even with a special unarchiver app I downloaded.
I just came across this and I absolutely love it! I am having an issue downloading the texture that you have linked on this site. Every time I clink on either of the links, it just refreshes the page. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!
This is so cute! I am absolutely going to have to do this when I get to my new house! <3
missameliajoy.com
I will definitely try this out. I LOVE pictures like this.
<3
http://julesn.blogspot.co.at/
love that dogs face!! cute! http://www.bloglovin.com/frame?post=2578467839&group=0&frame_type=a&blog=11875549&frame=1&click=0&user=0
Look for few more awesome creativity here http://goo.gl/Dj7nuY
Okay, I’m spending tomorrow evening making this! This would be totally adorable to do for the whole family, even, and finally get some art on my apartment walls. Thanks for the inspiration!
~Elizabeth
Nice pet portrait, I like it and want to try one of my doggy:-)
Enjoy 4.july 🙂
Emil
http://mariahoffbeck.blogspot.dk/2014/07/solgte-malerier.html
This is such a great idea. I like the colors and how the dog’s face is framed off-center. Good work!!
This is fantastic! I can’t wait to make a smaller version to put on my desk!
Ahh! I love this! Can’t wait to try it with all 3 of my pups! Thanks so much for sharing!
Alissa
Hi Debbie! Have fun with the project! I found the dog planter at an antique mall. That kind of planter is pretty common at vintage shops or even on Etsy. 🙂 – Mandi
Love love LOVE this! So cute and awesome!
xoxo
Taylor
Hey I love this idea going to make some this weekend! Also I really like the animal plant pot in the last photo, can anyone tell me were I can buy one or is it an antique?
This dog is adorable!
And the portrait so so cute
Oh, Mandy, this is a very good idea. I am planning to use different frame sizes. I will make one picture in different colours and will hang the portraits at the wall behind my couch in the living room. I think it would be great. Thank you for the inspiration and the tutorial.
Completely brilliant! Definitely going to try this if I can only get my silly dogs to pose properly
http://asaucystitch.blogspot.co.uk
you are so creative! this is so cool!
Sophia
http://sophiebysophia.blogspot.com/
Oh I want to make this now!!
Wow! I love how easy this is 🙂
this is so awesome! such a simple idea and beautiful contrast it really makes a beautiful statement 🙂
http://floatingthrufields.blogspot.com/
I will definitely try this.
Sounds super easy…and looks super cute!! Now I just have to convince my ferrets to sit still for a photo!! 😉
www.StyleIsMyPudding.com
Oh wow this amazing. Love it! Will definately be trying this with my Betty Boop ?
This is so simple and turns out great… cat vase, nice touch!
xo
I’m so excited to do this! I wonder how well it will turn out with Howl because he has such dark fur.
Mana
http://www.fashionandhappythings.com
I love this idea!!
Janine Maral from http://www.janinemaral.com/
This is awesome! I think I will do that with our guinea pig, Isolde! 🙂
This is great! And so easy, too! I am totally doing this for our dog, Buster, since I know my boyfriend would love a surprise art gift like this. Thanks, Mandi and the AMB team. 🙂
XO Alison
looksharplansing.blogspot.com
Yes Mandi! I love this simple but oh, so cute DIY!
I’d love to try it rather sooner than later.
Mariska
http://freecarnation.com
Im sooooo doing this!! Thanks for the adorable idea!!
I love this! I am buying a french bulldog and am now determined to make a andy warhol style print of him/her!
www.dancingthroughsunday.typepad.com
That is so clever! I was looking at the first photo thinking, how on earth is this a DIY project? I never would have guessed that’s how you do it.
I’ll definitely be making a few of these for gifts!
V @ Life+1
This idea is amazing.
I have two cats and one dog – so i am going to do it.
I hope so nice than you.
Greetings & Art Love
Ines
http://eclectichamilton.blogspot.de/
Umm… this is seriously so amazing I don’t even know what to say.
OMG! I just loved this diy!! I am sooooo gonna do this!
Tksss
This is adorable! Love the pink!
Neha @ http://nehasharmaphoto.com/blog/
I love this. I found this post on Bloglovin’ and I am so doing this for my fluffies….
xa.. I like it. Great job.
Now this is an adorable idea. I love this as a pop of color! Thanks for the tip!
xo Rachel
This is so much simpler than I expected! I’m definitely doing this!
I love this idea! So simple…it would be fun to do a series of flowers or something! I’ll definitely be testing this one out 🙂 xx
The What’s In Between
That’s so cute! I wouldn’t have thought to make pet photos into pop art, but it looks so adorable! 🙂
http://everydayingrace.blogspot.ca/
Ahhh! Such a fantastic idea! Love it so much and can’t wait to try it!
Ashley
electriceelfashion.com
What a great idea to do !!
Oh I am very much doing this one! Love it! Great job!
I am 100% doing this with photos if my boy! Good Friday afternoon slice at work too
Lauren
livinginaboxx
What a cute way to honor our pets:)
I *need* one of my cat! This is adorable!
Brilliant! I love pop art. I actually use it sometimes in my blog pictures because it has such a fun effect on everything. Can’t wait to give this a try. 🙂
Sincerely,
Laurali
http://www.thesecretsurprisinista.com
How fancy! Don’t have a pet so I think I will do this with a photo with my friends! Thanks for the great idea:)
This is such a fun and cute idea for anyone who loves their pets! 🙂
emmasbeginning.blogspot.com
Love this soooo much, definitely going to make it 🙂
www.randomindistilling.blogspot.com
One of the best DIY projects EVER!!!!! I can’t wait to make one for each of my chihuahuas!!!! Awesome
For how simple this is, I don’t know why I haven’t done something like this yet! Genius!
this is so adorable!
xxoo,
nikki
www.dreaminneon.blogspot.com
Looks great! 🙂
I love doing this! I had to do this a loooong time ago for a project in high school. Another project that’s similar and just as fun, is to photo copy a few pictures, put them in a collage and color in parts here and there (lips, glasses, shorts etc.) with colored pencil! It gives a great black and white look with pops of color.
I LOVE this. I am completely doing this. Possibly right this second.
Oh wow, this is just incredible! I love it x
holljc.blogspot.co.uk
Great article, thanks for sharing! Love this vintage blog
Love the project, but… I WANT that planter in the picture!!
Oh, I LOVE this project! The colors you chose are so great, especially with the clean white frame. I will have to do this for my cat!
Whenever you do get a pet, you must introduce us through the blog 🙂
another win Ms. Mandi, I love it!!!