DIY Botanical Art

Introduction

As this blog post is published, the month of October has arrived. MMS milk paint in the color Typewriter is perfect for using on projects this time of year.  Halloween is at the end of the month, and we all tend to embrace the moody and warm colors of fall. The weather is getting cooler, and it’s getting dark earlier.  So, we all want to spend more time indoors.

In today’s post, I am going to show you how to make your own botanical art using MMS milk paint - with the color Typewriter. You only need basic supplies, and you can make this art as large or as small as you desire.  Depending upon the size of your art, you can make this project from start to finish in less than 4 hours.  It’s a great project for a weekend afternoon. 

Supplies

As with any project, the first thing we need to do is gather our supplies. Many of these supplies can be found at your local big box hardware store. Those items not found at a hardware store can be ordered online. 

• Premium Plywood - cut to any size you prefer

• Trim pieces to create a frame around your plywood

• MMS MilkPaint™ - we used Typewriter

• MMS MilkWax™ - Antiquing Wax

• MMS MilkMix-EZ™

• Gold Spray Paint

• Wax brush

• Paintbrush

• Wood Glue

• Clamps 

• 150 grit sandpaper

• Miter saw or hand saw to cut the trim at 45-degree angles for the frame

• Botanical Transfers - which can be purchased online or from Etsy

Paint the Plywood

Mix up your MMS milk paint and add a few drops of MMS MilkMix-EZ™ to ensure the paint and water are more easily combined. 

Using your paintbrush, apply the paint to one side of the plywood.  

Apply at least 2 coats of paint to ensure the paint is evenly covering the plywood.  

When you are done painting, it should look like the image above. When the paint is dry, gently sand it using 150-grit sandpaper. The goal is to get a smooth, unified finish on the plywood. After you have sanded the surface, wipe off the excess dust using a damp rag.  You might have to wipe it down several times. 

I love using MMS milk paint in the color typewriter for this project because it creates a perfect velvety matte background.  

Make the Frame

Using a saw, cut your trim pieces to fit around the edges of your plywood.  These trim pieces are going to be the “frame” around your botanical art.   Here is a TIP - mark with a pencil the direction you want your pieces to be cut.  This will ensure you cut the wood at a 45-degree angle in the correct direction.  Another TIP - buy a little extra trim so that if you make a mistake when cutting the trim, you have some extra wood. 

Once your wooden trim pieces have been cut, take them outside and lay them on a piece of cardboard.  Paint all the trim pieces using metallic gold spray paint.  Let them dry, and then apply a second coat of paint.  TIP - make sure you pay close attention to paint coverage on the edges of the trim pieces. 

When the spray paint has dried, use a small wax brush to apply the MMS Milk Wax in the color Antiquing. Applying the wax will give the frame a nicely aged appearance.  Work the wax into the grooves and details of the frame.  Then when you are done, simply use a rag to wipe off any excess wax.

Here is another TIP, if you don’t have a small wax brush, you can cut down a chip brush and use it to apply the wax. 

Apply wood glue to the back of each trim piece and then attach the trim pieces to the edge of the plywood. Make any adjustments to ensure the corners line up correctly.

Once the trim is arranged correctly, clamp the trim into place.  I let my frame dry overnight; however, it will likely be adequately dry after a couple of hours. Here is another TIP, I always use a paintbrush to apply wood glue.  (I don’t use the applicator tip on the glue container.) Another TIP is to write the date you purchased your glue on the outside of the bottle. This way, you know if it’s time to replace your wood glue.   

Apply Botanical Transfers

Now we get to apply to our botanical transfers!  For this project, I used ferns, but these transfers come in a variety of images, including floral designs, birds, and other animals.  There are also a variety of sizes available, so if you want to make a small botanical print - don’t worry - there are transfers that will work for your project.  I definitely encourage you to spend some time looking at all the options available.

Cut out the specific images you want to use.  Play around with where you want them to be located on your painted plywood.  

Then once you have decided on the placement of each image, use the small plastic tool to rub or -transfer- the image onto the plywood.

You will be able to tell when the image has been transferred because the plastic sheet with the image will become opaque.  I love how these botanical prints look against the velvety black background created by MMS milk paint. 

Enjoy your Botanical Art

This is such a fun and easy project that creates a big impact.  It’s a great way to create large-scale affordable art.  You can also create these as gifts for people and customize the transfers to the individual’s particular style. 

The size of this botanical art is 2 feet x 4 feet, so it's a fairly substantial piece.  However, I also created a smaller version of this art in THIS video.  You can customize this botanical art to your needs and desires.