Okay, so I’ve been wanting to make some Ohio State football artwork for a while now. I’m a huge Buckeyes fan, and I thought it would be cool to have some unique pieces to hang up in my man cave. Let me walk you through what I did.
First, I brainstormed some ideas. I knew I wanted something bold and eye-catching, but I wasn’t sure exactly what. I spent some time scrolling through images online, looking at different styles of sports art, vintage posters, and even some abstract stuff. I just needed to get the creative juices flowing, you know?
Gathering My Materials
Once I had a general idea, I figured out what materials I needed. I decided to go with a mixed-media approach. Here’s my supply list:
- A large canvas (I found a cheap one at a craft store)
- Acrylic paints (Scarlet and Gray, of course, plus some black, white, and a touch of silver)
- Paintbrushes (various sizes)
- Palette knives (for some texture)
- Some old Ohio State football programs (I had a stack in the attic)
- Mod Podge (to glue and seal the program clippings)
- Stencils (I made my own Block O and Buckeye leaf stencils)
The Creation Process
First things first, I prepped the canvas with a base coat of white acrylic paint. This just helped the colors pop a bit more. While that was drying, I started ripping and cutting out pieces from the old programs. I focused on images of players, the stadium, and any cool-looking text or logos.
Next, I laid out the program clippings on the canvas, kind of like a collage. I played around with the arrangement until I was happy with it. Then, I used Mod Podge to glue everything down and gave it a good coat to seal it all in.
Once the Mod Podge was dry, it was time for the paint! I started by using the stencils to paint the Block O and Buckeye leaves in a few key spots. Then, I used the palette knives to add some textured strokes of Scarlet and Gray around the edges and over some of the collage elements. I wanted it to look kind of messy and abstract, not too perfect.
After all of the paint job, I added some splatters of black and white paint to the background, to help every element for a more dynamic look.
The Final Result
I let the whole thing dry overnight, and honestly, I was pretty stoked with how it turned out! It’s definitely a one-of-a-kind piece, and it looks awesome in my man cave. It’s got that vintage, slightly grungy feel that I was going for, and it’s a great conversation starter when I have buddies over to watch the games.
It wasn’t a super complicated project, but it was a lot of fun. If you’re a Buckeyes fan and looking for a cool DIY project, I definitely recommend giving something like this a try. You can really customize it to your own style and make something totally unique!
