Contributor:
Michele Papageorghiou
Follow the instructions below to make this beautiful picture frame:
Ingredients:
- one large, strong cardboard box (makes four large or many small ones)
- gold/silver spray paint
- mod rock
- water
- scissors
- ruler
- pencil
Method:
1) Cut box so you have four large sides.
2) To cut out the centre, measure accurately the distance from each edge towards the centre and make a mark e.g. if you want a large border, you may measure 10cm from the edge towards the centre all around. Don’t forget that the frame must overlap the picture. If you cut out the centre too big for the picture, the picture will fall out!
3) Join up your marks to form a rectangle within a rectangle and cut out the centre.
4) Cut the mod rock into strips. Make them large enough to overlap and wrap around the whole frame.
5) Moisten the mod rock and get plastering!
6) It is best to do two layers for added strength.
7) Cut out four triangular pieces of card and position them in place at the four corners on the back of the frame to accommodate the size of the picture you are mounting. Moisten some more mod rock and secure the triangles in place. Make sure you leave the inside edge open so you can tuck in the picture
8) For the textured decoration, make sure the mod rock overlaps and extends around the back of the frame; otherwise you will find when it dries, it will fall off!
9) Leave to dry flat.
10) When dry, spray with gold or silver paint for a luxurious antique finish. (handy tip – don’t buy expensive craft paint, pop down to your local car accessory shop and buy some car paint.)
SAFETY – Spray paints should be kept out of the reach of children. The teacher should therefore do the spraying (in a well-ventilated area).
11) If some of your decoration does fall off, you can stick it back on with PVA glue. When it dries, it reacts with the paint and turns a greenish colour which gives the frame an aged effect!
ALTERNATIVELY – Instead of mod rock, you could cut out your frame as per stages 1 – 3. At stage 7, secure triangles on the back with sticky tape. Decorate with dried pasta and pulses. Arrange your decoration as you wish. Stick with PVA glue. When dry, spray gold/silver or a colour of your choice. You can make different-sized frames for postcards or photos and use them for Christmas presents etc.
If the children made a large frame at the beginning of the term, it could be used to display the rest of the year’s artwork in the Art Gallery, saving you the time and effort of sorting and mounting displays!