I have finally gotten around to doing the little projects that I like to do.
How to make Decorative Lettering from Vinyl.
Here is what you will need:
- Contact Paper (Vinyl for Kitchen drawers)
- Scissors and/or Utility Knife
- Tape
- Drawing Paper
- Pencil
- Fine tip pen
- Card (Id card or Drivers License)
- Cardboard (or hard surface for cutting)
- Time and Patience
- Lazy cat (Optional)
First you want to start by drawing up what you plan to put on the wall. Be creative! If you have it available use a drawing program on your computer and print off the letters/pictures to the size that you desire.
I did all of it by hand, but to make it easier you can just print off each letter from your computer.
She always sleeps on everything that I'm trying to work on.
Here is the Contact paper that I use. I got it for only 3$ off of Amazon!
You can find it at almost any arts and crafts store.
Roll out the Contact paper and tape it down to the floor. Lay your paper with the design on top and cut the end of the Contact paper where the paper with your design stops. This will make it a little easier to work with.
Start tracing the outline of the design with a fine tip pen.
The pressure from the pen will show up on the vinyl. (See below)
Sassy kept trying to get my attention so she sat on my project.
Next cut the letters out individually, you can leave it all together if you want, if you separate the letters it makes it easier to position on the wall and peel off the backing.
Next put each letter on the card board and tape it down if your going to be using the utility knife.
(I had to do this because I lost my scissors in the move, so they're packed in a box somewhere.)
Otherwise, start cutting around the edges with your scissors.
You'll still need the utility knife if your going to be cutting out smaller pieces (for example the center of the A) it makes it easier instead of trying to squeeze your scissors in there and tearing up the vinyl.
You don't want to press down too hard, just enough to cut the top layer. Leaving the backing on makes it easier to pull off with smaller/thinner pieces.
Tape down the design and place in the position that you like.
Get ready for the tough part!
Here I cut too deep on the vinyl so it took the whole thing up when I was trying to separate the lettering from the backing. That's okay though!
You'll want to start in the middle because it helps to keep it from stretching (which cause misshaping and bubbles). You'll take your card and smooth it down don't push to hard! You can tear it and stretch the vinyl out. Work your way from the center out too, this will help push the bubbles out.
Keep the tape and scissor handy. When your working with small/thin pieces they like to stick to themselves and then you get a big mess and start tearing things. I found that this make it a little easier.
Just cut if you need to get the excess out of the way and pin it back with tape.
Don't be afraid to do piecing to. If you look above you can see part of the design it cut off,
I did that to make the design a little small and easier to work with.
Sassy got tired of waiting for me to pet her. I had to show you this I laughed about this for awhile!
I haven't gotten the "Together" part done yet, but here is what I do have finished.
I really liked the designs on the G and the R, what do you think?
What I love about doing the Vinyl Lettering is that it doesn't peel off the paint, it's permanent until you want to take it down, when you take it down it just peels off! It would be great for like an apartment place that you can't paint the walls or if your like me and change your mind a lot. ;)
Please share any designs that do and show us! I'd love to see! Let me know how it works out for you if you decide to try doing the Vinyl Lettering too!
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