Beaded Paintings |
To Start I highly suggest investing in a pad of canvas paper. This paper can be found in most craft shops and art supply stores in the sketch pad section. My favorite paper is 'Fredrix' which I find at my local Wal Mart. Sketch your design onto a page of canvas paper. If you are not artistically inclined, then I suggest either tracing a simple design or even using rubber stamps. Stick with a small piece to start with- I suggest a 4 by 5 inch drawing since frames are easily found for those dimensions. Simple design suggestions: A hand with a heart in the palm A moon A flower |
The Sketch |
Add Colour My favourite method to create background colour is to paint with acrylic paints. Liquitex paints are the best and may be found at the same source as your canvas paper. Paint behind the beads not only will give you a visual reference as to which colour of bead to use in a specific area, but the colour of the background somehow enhances the depth of the work. Glass beads sometimes fade, but the acrylic paints will not, so the painting will gain dimension and interest over time. Match your colour pallette with the colour of beads you hope to use. You do not necessarily need to use the exact colour of the beads. Notice in my example how the background colour is painted blue. In later images you will notice the beads I used in that area are actually crystal and violet in colour. The blue background gives it depth. Keep it simple!! You do not want to have too many colours in a small area! |
The Painting |
Adding the Beads There are several different stitches used in bead embroidery. Varying the stitches will allow you a depth in texture which enhances the painting. The three I use the most are: |
Adding Beads |
Texture and Painting Beaded paintings do not need to end at the paper's edge, nor do they need to remain flat. Try variations of off-loom beading techniques as well as bead embroidery techniques to enhance your work. Sew your beads onto the canvas in the same direction of your paint strokes when in doubt. If a section of the painting is particularly lovely and detailed without beads, don't bead on that area, Instead, frame it with beadwork. Add large beads and bead around them; frame them with layers of seed beads. If the bead protrudes from the canvas, add layers around the outer edges of the bead using peyote stitch. |
Beaded Texture |
Finishing The painting I have used for my example is not yet finished, nor will it be for a long time. When a painting is finished, you need to decide how you would like it to be displayed. If you have been working small, photograph frames work well with beaded paintings. You may want to create a beaded frame for larger paintings, or back the painting with fabric and hang it like a tapestry. Beaded paintings are not a quick way of creating beaded art, but in the end are very rewarding. The colour of the beads enhances all aspects of the painting, and the shine will remain for generations to come. |
People seem intimidated by the idea of creating beaded paintings. In reality, they are an easy and fun way of creating bead art. |
The Supplies Acrylic Paints (Liquitex is my personal favourite and is most easily found.) Beads (amount dependant on size of painting) Thread (VERY STRONG and non- stretchy. I use Coates Dual DutyCutton and Craft thread- found in any fabric store.) Canvas Paper (Pellon or any embroidery cloth may also be used, but will need to be stretched.) Beading Needles (Also may be found in any fabric store. When specific bead needles are unavailable, try finding size 10 quilting in-between needles.) Patience (Most important! These paintings take a LONG time.) |
Try to avoid large areas of only one colour. When sewing on the beads, the mononoty of one colour gets to be a bit much; even for a die-hard beadaholic! If a larger area is designated to be one colour, break it up into areas of texture or use several shades of the same basic colour to achieve a patterned effect. Mix several different stitches and bead types on your painting. I especially enjoy the shimmer of bugle beads shining amid the seed beads. There will be stages in your painting's creation where you will want to just give up- the colours appear all wrong, the texture difficult. Keep on working! You will find that once more beads are added, the colours will tend to 'right' themselves. The texture will add interest. I had reached this point with the flesh tones of the painting I use as my example. Now that I have finally finished most of the flesh coloured areas, everything seems somehow exactly right. |
A Finished Painting |
Beading Detail |
One Year of Work |
Adding the Beads |