Use Mod Podge to decoupage your favorite family pictures on canvas. These canvases are a great budget way to decorate! Make an entire gallery wall by gluing pictures on canvas.
Skills Required: Advanced Beginner. You’ll be applying paper to a stapled canvas with Mod Podge. I do recommend having some experience with Mod Podge to avoid wrinkles . . . and since canvas is somewhat flexible, they are harder to avoid.
Have you ever been to someone’s house and just oohed and ahhed at their gorgeous their family pictures on canvas? I know I have. I also know the feeling of walking away defeated when I find out that most canvas photos cost over $50.
Sorry, but that’s just not happening in our budget right now. What do you do when you love the look but you just don’t love the price?
Luckily, we can achieve the same “pictures on canvas” look for much less money (try $5!) . . . hallelujah! All you need is some Mod Podge and images to get your decoupage canvas dream going.
Yep – you can glue pictures on canvas with Mod Podge! And it’s relatively easy to do. Though there are a few things to keep in mind.
I HIGHLY recommend getting your pictures printed out professionally on a laserjet printer before doing this home decor project so you don’t have to seal them.
If you do print them out on an inkjet printer, you’ll need to spray seal both sides with an acrylic sealer so the ink doesn’t smear. You can also use hair spray in the same manner if you want to save a few bucks!
Ready to get started on this canvas idea? Learn how to Mod Podge pictures on canvas by scrolling down.
DIY canvas pictures at Hello Creative Family
Glue Pictures on Canvas
Equipment
- Scissors or craft knife and mat
Materials
- Photos 8 x 10 printed on laserjet
- 4 Canvas(es) 8 x 10
- Mod Podge
- Acrylic paint
Instructions
- Use a foam brush and acrylic paint to paint the outside edges of the canvases and a little bit onto the front. Let dry.
- Use a second foam brush apply a medium, even layer of Mod Podge over the entire front of the canvas. Work quickly.
- Smooth the photo onto the canvas that you just coated with Mod Podge. Press firmly and smooth the photo with your hands to remove air bubbles.
- Turn the canvas over onto your work surface and smooth from the back as well. Turn back over and let dry.
- Use a foam brush to apply long, thin, even coats of Mod Podge to the surface of the photo. The strokes with give the photo a textured appearance. Make sure there are no clumps or thick areas and let dry.
- Repeat with the other canvases. Let dry for 24 hours before hanging.
Notes
For more decoupage canvas ideas, get inspired with this collection of Mod Podge wall art projects. I’d also love for you to check out these other home decorating projects:
Thank you so much for giving us this information. What a wonderful addition to our own family walls or as a gift.
This was my first time using mod podge, and this was SO easy, and fits perfectly on my dining room wall. Thanks so much for sharing, I definitely appreciate it!
had to reprint pix on photo paper. they turned out wonderful!! it was really easy for someone who had never used MOD PODGE
I have a large framed paper print. The glass broke in the frame. I love the picture so I want to update it. Can I take the paper print and modpodge it to a canvas? Is that the best way to attach the print to canvas so it looks like it was painted on the canvas?
I have a tutorial for that here: https://modpodgerocksblog.com/poster-on-canvas/ – you may have to do some research on feathering in the edges to make it look more natural to the canvas/painted.
Awww soooo cool thanks for sharing. I’ve never heard of mod podge…there’s a few different kinds, which one is best to use on canvas?
Thankyou
Hi Chelsea! There’s a formula guide here: https://modpodgerocksblog.com/mod-podge-formula-guide/
I’d use Gloss, Matte, or Satin – any of those will work fine depending on the finish you like! I’m a big Satin fan.
Can I use photos that I have printed from a photoshop like Walmart or cvs photos?
Hi Mary Jo! Ideally you print them in laserjet on thicker (but regular/not photo) paper. Having said that, some of the photo papers glue to canvas. I was able to glue photo paper down in this project: https://modpodgerocksblog.com/photo-booth-simple-canvas-art/
It really just depends though. I wish I could give you more specific information, but the photo paper makes a big difference, so you’ll have to do a test.
What laser jet printer so you use?
I use Staples, or Kinkos, or even Costco! I actually don’t own a laser printer.
Looking for advice…I’ve done this project multiple times and they have all turned out amazing with one exception….the black acrylic paint I use to paint the edges of the canvas bleeds onto the photo during the final step. I have even tried letting the paint dry for months before attaching the photo and it still happened. Thankfully all of the photos I have done so far are black and white so it’s not that noticeable, but what am I doing wrong?
Hmmmm . . . that sounds strange. Acrylic paint doesn’t bleed so it’s probably the photo! If the photos are inkjet and not sealed, they will bleed.
@Amy, do you seal with hairspray then midge podge on canvas?
Good morning
I do diamond painting and it’s on a canvas can I use mod podge on a canvas frame.
Yes you can!
I love all these ideas. I didn’t realize that there were so many. I am trying them all. I love and enjoy making unique photo ideas for gifts. Photos have always been a passion of mine. Can’t wait to try just wish that I could afford it. Cuz my mom wants to do it also but she is sick and on an fixes income. I am disabled by trying to help her. Everyday we are trying to figure out something to do with all her photos. That is all she can do for gifts especially since our family is so big.
I have a question I am hoping someone can answer – I want to Mod Podge a photo collage to canvas – not just 1 photo – would you use this same technique ?
Hi Tammie, yes you can!
How easy is it to Mod Podge strips of newspaper to a canvas?