Photo Mounting Tutorial!

Supplies:

1. Wooden block, any shape

2. Acrylic paint

3. Mod podge or spray adhesive

4. Krylon Protect It! (Clear sealant spray, specifically for use on paper/photos, can find at Michaels)

5. Laser-printed photo

6. Exacto knife/scissors

Steps:

1. Paint the sides of your wooden blocks with acrylic paint, whatever color you wish. Let dry.

2. Print photos using a laser printer. This is important, do not use an inkjet printer because the ink will most likely bleed when you seal the photo.

*Most home printers are inkjet printers, the cheapest option is to photocopy your prints at work or school, or just go to your nearest FedEx Office (aka Kinkos!)

*Also make sure your photos are slightly bigger than your wood blocks (about 1/2 inch)

3. Now you need to center the block behind the photo. What I found easiest was to hold the photo with the block behind it up to the light, so you can see through the paper. Once the block is centered, place face down and trace around the block on the back of the photo. Now you know exactly where to place your block once glued.

4. Using mod podge (I prefer this, less messy!) or spray adhesive spread a thin layer completely covering the front of your block.

5. Glue block onto back of your paper, lining up with your trace marks and press down firmly.

6. Flip it over and smooth out air bubbles with a credit card starting in the middle of the photos and moving out towards edges.

7. After the glue is dry (wait about 30mins). Cut out around the block using an exacto knife or scissors.

8. Spray with the Krylon Protect It! Sealant. I prefer this to sealing with mod podge because this method does not leave brush marks.

*do not use regular clear spray sealant, this will make the paper wet and will cause it to discolor .

9. Attach a hook to the back or use a command strip to hang.

Sorry, i forgot to take pictures of the steps as I went but here is my finished product!! I did four circles using photos I have taken on vacations.

how they look on the wall (yay blue nail polish lol)

Take it up a notch:

* Make multiple in same shape to create a unique wall installation!

* Mount photos onto other materials like glass, tile, etc. Use super inexpensive ceramic tiles from Home Depot to make personalized coasters!