I love when something ordinary turns out to be the main ingredient in creating 3D modern wall art with a little pop and showstopping pizzazz. Like plastic lids, cans, and bottle tops. Who would have thought that something we toss into a recycling bin could have such potential?
One plastic lid on its own has minimal appeal. But put a bunch of them together, and it’s a party. A color celebration for your wall.
As you might suspect, turning recyclable items into contemporary wall decor is not that hard to do. Even people who normally shy away from crafty endeavors with the excuse, “I’m not very artistic”, can do this project without even the slightest bit of intimidation.
And then there’s the obvious draw—-this DIY modern art project is so low cost that it’s almost free.
The primary component is something that we already have—usually in great abundance. Lids. Bottle tops. Cans. They are everywhere—topping everything from yogurt and peanut butter to shampoo and spray paint—just waiting to be transformed into something amazing.
So, the next time you unscrew the cap from that bottle of kombucha, or peel the lid from a carton of sour cream—-start dreaming. You are holding the seeds of a modern art project in your hands.
Go gather some lids and empty cans today, and give them a more noble destiny than the recycling center or the landfill.
This DIY contemporary wall art project is easy, and it’s cheap.
And it’s fun!
That’s a winning trio when it comes to making your own original modern wall decor.
GATHER THESE SUPPLIES
- Bottle tops, jar lids, caps, round container tops, small cans, etc.
- Paint (if you don’t like the colors of your lids, cans and tops)
- Birch wood panel or canvas in your choice of sizes
- Epoxy adhesive, silicone adhesive, or double sided mounting tape
step 1: clean & remove labels
Give your lids, tops, or cans a nice soak in hot soapy water. Scrub if necessary to get them clean. For any areas where glue from labels doesn’t come off with soap & water, a product like CitruSolv will remove the glue easily.
step 2: decide on a color scheme for your wall art
If you don’t have a definite idea for the exact colors to use for your art, inspiration can be found in many places. An online search will pull up every color palette imaginable. You can also take a trip to your local paint store or home improvement store and find color palettes there for your DIY modern art. Try to select a range of different tints and shades, from light to dark. The light colors will pop against the dark ones, and vice versa.
The inspiration for the art in the top photo of this post was a mail advertisement for White Barn candles (see photo below). I love the way the candle colors move from pinks to peach to lemon then green apple and blue. I wanted to create a piece of 3D art with a similar color gradation, so I used paint swatches to put together the color plan below, using some of the same hues.
step 3: paint (if you don’t like the existing lid & can colors)
Chances are, there are probably some lids and cans that you have collected that don’t match the color scheme you decided on in Step 2. Painting them takes care of that.
Normal water-based acrylics (like Liquitex or Golden) and craft paint (like FolkArt or DecoArt) will adhere to plastic and metal surfaces if you brush or spray a coat of primer on the lids and tops first. Some latex paint brands (like Behr from Home Depot) have primer already mixed in with the paint so it saves a step. Behr’s small 8 ounce paint samples are perfect for a project like this–inexpensive, available in tons of colors, and enough paint to cover bunches of lids, cans and tops.
Rustoleum spray paint also sticks to plastic really well and it’s fast to apply. The main drawback is the fumes. If you go this route, work outside and wear a mask and gloves.
Step 4: find a surface to use as a base
After painting, your lids will need to be glued to a base of some sort. The best option will be something that is sturdy, such as a birch wood panel which you can buy online, or a piece of MDF or birch plywood that you can get inexpensively from a home improvement store.
If you use a birch panel, you can flip it over so that it resembles a tray, and then arrange the lids inside.
You can also go with a stretched artist canvas if you are working with a small number of lids. It gets a little tricky using canvas if you are planning a larger piece of art though. If you are keeping the lids and cans all on one level there is no problem. But, if you are wanting the lids to project off the surface to give your DIY modern art a 3D effect, a big canvas is usually not sturdy enough to support a ton of stacked items.
Another low-cost and earth-friendly option is to re-purpose an old framed piece of art that you already have or that you might find at a thrift store. Just paint over the scene with a coat of white paint, and you’ve got a new surface, waiting to be re-invented.
For the art shown in the main photo at the top of this post, I used a 2 ft x 4 ft birch wood board, trimmed out with 3 inch wide pine boards on the sides. Home Depot sells these 2ft x 4ft boards called “Handy Panels” for less than $10 and they are perfect bases for 3D modern wall art projects like this.
step 5: begin arranging
Move the lids and caps around in different ways until you come up with an arrangement that you like.
If you have lids or cans that are all the same size, you can position them in rows and create a gradient effect for your wall decor, with darker colors fading into lighter tones.
If you have cans or lids that are gold or silver, they make a great addition!
A mix of large and small will give you an interesting composition.
Try creating a focal point by doing something dramatic in one section of your board, like using a bright color to create a contrasting pop on an otherwise monochromatic blend of hues.
Or try creating a pattern.
If you have an assortment of different sizes, that can work to your advantage and allow you to create an interesting 3D composition by stacking and layering the smaller lids inside or on top of the larger ones.
You can have some of the lids project out from the surface of the board even more by putting something underneath to elevate them. Empty spools, spray can lids or other taller lids are perfect for elevating.
step 6: attach
Once you are satisfied with the arrangement of your lids, you can permanently attach them to your canvas, board or wood panel.
With plastic lids and metal cans, you will get the best hold from either a silicone based or epoxy based adhesive, like J B Weld clear epoxy or Gorilla clear epoxy. These adhesives can be pretty smelly, so open windows if you’re doing this project inside the house, or work outdoors. 3M double sided mounting tape will also work if you need an option other than glue.
step 7: display your DIY modern wall art
Now for the reward for all your labor—hang your art and enjoy!
If you like this budget-friendly DIY modern wall art project, you may also like this contemporary art tutorial or these other inexpensive home decor projects.
go plastic-free
While plastic can make some extraordinary, one-of-a-kind, 3D wall art, it also has a dark side as it’s not great for the planet. In addition to transforming it into art, you can save plastic from ending up in landfills and the oceans by simply choosing plastic-free alternatives for household supplies–
These Tru Earth laundry strips are amazing and they are entirely plastic free. One little strip contains concentrated detergent that is free of dangerous chemicals. A small strip will clean an entire load of laundry as well if not better than those giant plastic containers of liquid detergent.
Blueland makes foaming hand soap and cleaning supplies that are also plastic-free, zero-waste, and free of toxic chemicals. You simply drop little tablets into a dispenser filled with water, and the tablets dissolve to create eco-friendly foaming hand soap, dish soap, and cleaning supplies. I’m getting zero payback from Blueland for mentioning their brand. I’m just a huge fan!
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