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Mod Podge on Canvas Ideas for Your Wall

Get inspired with over 30 ideas for Mod Podge on canvas! Ranging from very easy to intermediate, you’ll love this variety of DIY wall art.

Watch the video in this post to get some affordable ideas for decoupage on canvas. Such great inspiration!

Mod Podge on Canvas Ideas

Ever find yourself staring at a blank canvas, feeling a mix of excitement and intimidation? You’re not alone. Many of us dream of creating our own wall art but quickly realize we’re no Van Gogh with a paintbrush.

And now you can. With Mod Podge.

Fear not, because I’ve discovered a foolproof way to unleash our inner artist without needing to master the art of painting: Mod Podge on canvas. It’s fun, surprisingly simple, and the possibilities are endless.

I’m thrilled to share over 30 adorable and easy Mod Podge canvas ideas that will turn that daunting blank canvas into a masterpiece of your own making.

Whether you’re looking to add a personal touch to your living space or searching for a handmade gift idea, these projects are perfect for crafters of any skill level.

And for those who love the idea of decoupage on canvas, you’re in for a treat. You’ll see how easy it is to transform ordinary canvases into extraordinary pieces of art.

Before we leap into the creative abyss, let’s tackle some common questions. From selecting paints and understanding what else you can slap onto your canvas with Mod Podge (spoiler: almost anything!), I’ve got you covered.

I’ll even touch on whether you need to prime your canvas (usually not) and if you should bother painting the sides (definitely yes).

What paints to use on canvas?

I recommend, since you aren’t painting masterpieces, just using an acrylic paint from the craft store for these canvas art projects. My favorite acrylic paint is FolkArt. The color palettes for both of these lines are awesome, and the paints flow really well on canvas. They also cover really well.

bottles of folk art multi surface paint

What can you use on canvas besides paint?

Just about anything, if you have a bottle of Mod Podge! I’ve used felt, cardboard, scrapbook paper, fabric, jewelry, stamps, Sharpie, coloring pages, and more. Learn what you can use with Mod Podge that won’t bleed.

Do you need to prime canvas for acrylic paint?

Generally speaking, you don’t. Most of the canvas I buy at the craft store is pre-primed, so I don’t have to worry. Even if you buy canvas and it’s not primed, you’ll be fine just to start painting.

Having said that, you might have to add a few more coats of acrylic paint just because it will soak in. The paint also won’t flow quite as well across the top of the canvas.

What you can do if you want to prime your canvas is paint it white, or add a coat of Mod Podge over the canvas. Then you can paint on top with ease.

Should you paint the sides of a canvas?

Yes, I always do, especially with the gallery wrapped canvases. This is because I typically don’t hang canvas items with a frame, so you can see the edges and tell that they are unfinished.

Sometimes I wrap the fabric or paper around the sides too. The only time I would leave an unfinished edge is if I were going to frame.

If you use paper or fabric to cover the canvas, flip over and smooth from the back, inside the frame. Make sure you use a craft mat to cover your table for this reason.

Which Mod Podge should I use on canvas?

Use any Mod Podge formula you like. Our formula guide will help. I typically use Gloss, Matte, or Satin depending on the finish I’m looking for. You can see a visual of the finishes here.


If you’re ready, grab your Mod Podge, pick out your canvas, and let’s get ready to transform it into your new favorite piece of home decor. And remember, the only rule here is to have fun and let your creativity flow. Let me know what you think in the comments!

Mod Podge Canvas Ideas

Learn how to use Mod Podge on canvas by trying one of these unique projects!


Ready to decoupage on canvas? Grab a canvas here and get started with one of these 20 ideas! If you want to see a video of some abstract Mod Podge canvases, simply press “PLAY” in the center of the video in this post!

Kristen Ingram

Thursday 22nd of February 2024

Ideas are a Bit childish. Not really for adults. Not impressed

Amy

Monday 26th of February 2024

Hi! I recommend you join the Mod Podge group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/craftywithmodpodge There are definitely more artists in that community. You can share your projects and show everyone what decoupage wall art for adults should look like. Enjoy!

Sara

Thursday 22nd of August 2013

Love these! I recently came across some sample wall paper that I want to turn into wall art. Will mod podge work on wall paper too?

Amy

Thursday 22nd of August 2013

Hi Sara! Yes it will - I've seen people use it many times :D

JustKraft

Monday 15th of April 2013

Wonderful and fun filled!! Thanks for this beautiful idea.

jenward

Sunday 16th of December 2012

i am a preschool teacher. This yr the kids made gingerbread men ornaments and painted them. Can we use modge podge to apply photos of the kids faces on the ornaments? The surfaces of course are not flat or smooth made by 3 yr olds. How would you apply the pics of the faces on? And the pics are on plain printer paper.

Destiny

Saturday 24th of November 2012

Hi I need a lil help here with the mod podge. I have a 12 by 12 canvas. How do you put scrapbook paper on the canvas properly without the bubbles?

Amy

Sunday 25th of November 2012

Hi Destiny! I recommend watching my videos at youtube.com/modpodgerocks - you'll follow the same basic idea for the basics video, but I also recommend flip the canvas over and smoothing from the inside of the canvas as well. You also need to use A LOT of Mod Podge. :D