DIY: Spooky paintings
A thrifty way to haunt your halls this Halloween
Our local thrift store ran a 75% off sale on art this week, so I snagged three pieces to try my hand at the haunted painting trend that’s been circulating social media. At such a low price, it was a low risk way to experiment with a few designs. We love a thrifted Halloween at Sassafras Farmhaunts to save money, get creative, and reduce waste. This is not a step by step tutorial but rather a showcase of my one-of-a-kind reworked art to decorate the walls this spooky season. The art was the only item that I purchased for this project as I already had brushes and acrylic paints on hand. My only recommendations are:
look for real paintings on canvas (avoid prints)
try to match the style and colors of the original to get a more convincing outcome
hide lots of Easter eggs in windows and nooks for viewers to play I-spy with the painting
enjoy the whimsy and creativity of the project
Before: Train Depot
After: Ghost Train Depot
This was the most simple design with ghosts as the only character in the scene. I added ghosts holding hands, wearing hats, and peeking around corners to make the landscape appear to be bustling with otherworldly activity. The original painting was quite yellowed, so I created a paint color to match that aged look. To tie it all together and make the ghosts seem part of the original rather than an element painted on top, I brushed over the entire canvas with a matte finish sealer.
Before: Dwight D. Eisenhower’s The Deserted Barn
After: A Crow Covered Barn
This was the most challenging redesign as it was a print on a glossy paper rather than a painting on canvas meaning it was susceptible to warping when paint was applied. It was also quite faded. A row of crows was added to the barn roof. Orange was used for autumn leaves and a pumpkin patch to add a monochromatic color palette back into the drab print. A scarecrow in the foreground looks ominous with the birds approaching all around him.
Before: Snowy Victorian Mansion
After: Haunted Victorian Manor
This painting was my favorite redesign. I loved autumn-izing the spooky little trees a la Bob Ross. A two-tone original artwork that was mostly white allowed me to use it like a free form paint by numbers. I colored in all the white areas Halloween tones then enhanced it with a cemetery and full moon.