Last Updated on September 26, 2024 by lindseymahoney
When it comes to Halloween decorations, I try not to go overboard with small knick-knacks that take up storage and space. This DIY Halloween art portrait is the perfect project for me and a unique piece of Halloween decor that makes a statement on its own!
I get to reuse an old picture frame and create one-of-a-kind wall art for our home. When decorating for Halloween, my goal is to create the look of a classy haunted house during the month of October, ha!
Let’s get started on this simple DIY project you will want to recreate immediately!
Table of Contents
- Spooky DIY Halloween Art Portrait | Tutorial
- 1 | Find a Picture Frame
- 2 | Choose your Artwork
- 3 | Print Artwork
- 4 | Spray Paint the Picture Frame Black (Optional)
- 5 | Apply Mod Podge to the Print (Optional)
- 6 | Assemble the Artwork
- DIY Halloween Wall Art Reveal
- More Creative Ideas to Decorate this Fall:
Spooky DIY Halloween Art Portrait | Tutorial
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Project Materials:
- Picture Frame (thrifted)
- Spooky artwork digital download
- Foam board
- X-acto knife or utility knife
- Spray Adhesive (owned)
- Modge Podge (optional)
- Spray paint (optional)
1 | Find a Picture Frame
First, you will want to find a picture frame for this project. Check out a local thrift store or estate sale to find an old picture frame perfect for this Halloween project.
You can certainly use a new picture frame for this DIY as well, but I think old ornate frames add character to the spooky art.
A friend was cleaning out the attic of her historic home and offered old picture frames that she was going to throw out.
I can never pass up a good deal so I quickly took them off of her hands! One of those frames is perfect for a spooky portrait picture with its ornate details and oval matting.
2 | Choose your Artwork
The picture frame you choose for this project will determine the size of the photo needed. My frame holds a 16×20 photograph.
There are many places to find spooky portraits to use for this Halloween art project. My favorite place to find downloadable artwork is on Etsy. They offer a variety of artwork in the digital download format for less than $10!
I chose my image with kids of all ages in mind, meaning, it isn’t too scary! You can find some really scary portraits that older kids and adults would appreciate, but I know my 7 year old would not be a fan of!
The National Gallery of Art offers free downloads in their Open Access Images section, which is another great place to find unique images.
Creepy Portraits and Halloween Artwork I Love
3 | Print Artwork
Once I purchased Halloween artwork download I ordered the print of the image through Walmart. I thought that I was purchasing a posterboard image of the artwork, but it was a 16×20 photo print.
I improvised and found a foam board at Walmart for $0.98 to glue the photo to the board.
Leftover from a previous DIY project, I had spray adhesive glue at home to attach the photo to the foam board.
Once the witch print was attached I used a utility knife (an x-acto knife works too) to remove the excess foam board around the print.
4 | Spray Paint the Picture Frame Black (Optional)
The old picture frame is in rough shape, so I decided to use black spray paint to give it a spooky look. Whenever you use spray paint, I highly recommend these projects be tackled outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. I worked on this project on a drop cloth in our backyard.
First, I cleaned the frame and removed dust and gunk from the surface.
Next, using Rust-Oleum spray paint, I applied the black paint around the entire frame.
With these types of art projects, the paint coverage doesn’t have to be perfect. The imperfections are an easy and creative way to make the Halloween artwork look like an old print or painting that has been lost in a basement for years.
5 | Apply Mod Podge to the Print (Optional)
Applying Mod Modge to the Halloween print will give the illusion of an old painting. This is a fun way to add to the spooky factor so it looks like old artwork. I prefer the matte sheen and use a craft brush to apply it directly onto the posterboard.
This faux painting application looks best on art prints that look like it is a painting and the Mod Podge brush strokes give it a more realistic look. It goes on milky and dries clear.
Last year I worked on a similar DIY project and applied this technique to a Christmas print. This extra detail added so much character to the Christmas artwork I displayed on our mantel.
6 | Assemble the Artwork
The vintage picture frame I am using no longer has the proper backing and there are a few ways to secure the artwork.
Hot glue or double-sided tape are quick options to secure the posterboard to the back of the frame. For this frame, I used brad nails to secure a poster board to the back of an open frame.
DIY Halloween Wall Art Reveal
This may be one of my favorite Halloween projects to date! The fireplace mantel in our family room is the perfect place to display the DIY Halloween art portrait.
For about $20 I have a unique Halloween wall decor that was an instant hit with the family!
Happy Halloween crafting!