Chic flicks - 8 easy art-inspired DIYs

While events have conspired to keep me away  from blogging for a while (said events include a seriously underestimated project from the weekend), I thought I'd share a blast from the past with the very big, very now art-inspired fashion trend. I've compiled an outfit's worth of nine easy tutorials of paint flicking, drizzling and splattering in an homage to the great masters, along with recycling Roy Lichtenstein-style and Banksy-inspired stencilling.

The tutorial links are:

http://chiccheat.blogspot.com/2013/02/graffi-tee.html

http://chiccheat.blogspot.com/2013/12/cool-binns-how-to-diy-tom-binns-painted.html

http://chiccheat.blogspot.com/2014/04/take-bow-how-to-diy-headband-in-style.html

http://chiccheat.blogspot.com/2014/05/a-bit-of-pollocking-how-to-do-diy-paint.html

http://chiccheat.blogspot.com/2014/07/supra-duper-how-to-diy-supra-painterly.html

http://chiccheat.blogspot.com/2010/01/splash-paint-not-cash.html

http://chiccheat.blogspot.com/2013/12/binns-there-done-that-how-to-diy-tom.html

and of course...

http://chiccheat.blogspot.com/2014/01/travel-chanel-how-to-diy-chanel.html

Cool Binns - How to DIY a Tom Binns painted white crystal bib necklace

Image: tombinnsdesign.com

You will need...

Difficulty

Very easy

Can't elaborate on that - think of it in a  no-news-is-good-news sense. It's also pretty quick if you exclude drying time.

Time

20-30 minutes excluding paint and nail polish drying time.

More bargain Binns

Cover most of the centre with your puff paint.

Tip: Speed up the drying process by using a hair dryer or heat gun. Craft professionals may recommend the latter but if it's not available or your idea of cash well-spent, the former works perfectly.

Now for your paint design! I chose black, red, orange and yellow but you can try experimenting with other colour combinations. Dunk your nail polish brush as deep into the bottle as possible, so that it's thick with nail polish, and shake it so that drops fall onto your dry puff paint; alternatively, paint it on thickly. Repeat with the rest of your colours and hold your puff paint vertically so that the nail polish runs in painterly lines.

When your nail polish is dry, you can use clear nail varnish or lacquer as a fixative.

Binns there done that - how to DIY Tom Binns Au Fait earrings

Tom Binns' Au Fait earrings make a splash in brilliant neons!

Inspiration

Image: Modaoperandi.com

You will need...

Difficulty

Quite easy

Fiddly in places but otherwise a no-sew, no-fuss way to recycle picture hooks and add some painterly pops of colour in the winter gloom!

Time

Hard to tell as I had other distractions but I'd say 30-45 minutes, excluding glue and paint drying times.

Bargain Binns!

Take four of your six picture hooks and separate out the lower sections on them (these bits are for hanging so they should be flat and sort-of oblong when you cut them out); then, cut away the top sections (these are the bits with the holes where you should cut them with your pliers, so they should end up with jagged edges).

With the two remaining hooks, straighten out the lower bends and the curls of the top sections but keep the upper bends intact so they're at a right angle.

Mix your araldite and put the pieces in place like they are on the original - with the longer oblong bits at the top and the jagged-edged bits at the bottom. Mix and use your araldite piece by piece as it hardens extremely quickly (especially the one I used).

Glue your earring studs at the tops of the hooks. I threaded mine through the lower of the two holes and stuck them in place. After the glue has set, curl your top bits over the studs so that those parts of the hooks look like they did before.

When your glue is completely dry (which  may take several hours) paint on your design; after that has dried, coat it with 1-2 layers of clear lacquer or nail polish.