- Use a thin string, like embroidery floss, for more delicate designs and thicker string, like crochet thread, for larger designs.
- Space your nails about 1⁄4 in (0.64 cm) apart, so your strings aren’t too far apart or too close together.
- Weave your string around your nails clockwise for a smooth outline or alternate between clockwise and counterclockwise for a wavy line.
Making Your Design
Print or sketch your string art design on a piece of paper and cut it out. Think of this as your outline. It’ll help guide you as you hammer in your nails later on. A template isn’t necessary, as you can go wild and create the design as you go, but it does make things much easier.
Tape your template to your canvas. The most popular canvas for this type of project is a piece of wooden board, such as plywood, a rustic wood disk, or a cutting board. Decide where you want your string art design to be on your piece of wood, and secure the template in place with pieces of tape. Paint your piece of wood to match your decor if you’d like. Play with medium by covering your wood with felt, ribbon, or lace. Use double-sided or rolled-up tape to keep the tape on the back of the template.
Hammer the nails around your template about ⁄4 in (0.64 cm) apart. Use your template as a guide and outline it with your chosen nails or pins. The standard is placing a nail every ⁄4 in (0.64 cm), but you can place them as far or close apart as you’d like. Use a pair of needle nose pliers to help you hold the nails in place while you’re hammering. Only hammer the nail into the wood so it stays in place, leaving enough room to wrap the string around. The closer the nails are to one another, the tighter your design and string will be. The farther the nails are from one another, the more gaps there will be. Add some extra flare to your string art by using gold or colored nails or pins. Try using nails with decorative tops for a more eclectic look.
Remove your template from the canvas. Once all the nails are in place, carefully pull the template away from the wood. If it gets stuck, no worries! Gently tear it away until the wood is clean.
Tie a knot around your first nail. Take the string of your choice and do a simple overhand knot on one of the nails. Any excess string can be cut off or tucked into your design later. Embroidery floss works well for delicate and intricate designs, while yarn and crochet thread look best on large and wider patterns. Consider using color-changing string to make your string art even more mesmerizing. Opt for glittery thread to add a bit of sparkle. Try to start on a nail that’s on a corner of your design so the knot isn’t as noticeable. Put a drop of super glue or hot glue on the knot to help it stay in place.
Loop your string around the nails to outline your design. Focus on the outline of your design first. Begin wrapping the string around each nail individually in whatever direction you deem fit. If you mess up, unwind and reweave! For a smooth outline, wrap the string around each nail clockwise. For a wavy outline, wrap the string around each nail in an alternating pattern: clockwise, counterclockwise, clockwise, counterclockwise. Keep your string or thread on its spool while you do this. If you run out of string, no biggie! Tie another knot on the nail you left off on and continue weaving.
Weave the string around the nails through the middle of your design. Once the outline is in place, start to bring the string across the center of your design. Where you place the string doesn’t matter! Continue crisscrossing until you’re happy with the results. Try using another color of string for the center of your design for a more artistic look.
Tie a knot to the final nail when you’re finished. After you’ve filled the middle of your design, cut the string or thread from its spool. Tie one final knot around a nail, just as you did to start. Trim off the excess string or tuck it into the design, and you’re done! If you’re worried about the knot unraveling, dab a bit of glue on it.
Popular Designs
Try a heart to add love to any space. Simply cut out a heart for your template and get crafting! Personalize your design by doing multiple hearts in different sizes—maybe one could represent each member of your family.
Show off your astrology knowledge by making a string art of a constellation. This design is super simple and great for beginners. All you have to do is make each point or star of the constellation a nail and then connect them with string.
Bring the great outdoors to your living room with a mountain design. Draw your own mountains or copy the silhouette of your favorite peak. You could even bring your design to the very edge of your canvas.
Write your first or last name with string to hang in your room. This is a great way to say, “Hey! Here I am!” Clipping polaroids or pictures of yourself or your family around your design can add an extra personal touch.
Remind yourself to be “brave,” “strong,” or “faithful” with your string art. Simply pick out an inspirational word that resonates with you. Then, outline it onto your canvas and loop in your string. You could even make multiple canvases with different words to form a sentence.
Make a paw print design to represent your furry friend. Cut out each part of a dog’s paw print for your template, and place it on your canvas accordingly. This creates 5 separate sections for you to outline and fill with string.
Create a multicolored butterfly to show off your string art skills. Butterflies are one of the more trickier designs to make, but the effort is so worth it! Create 5 sections of nails for your outline: 1 for the body, 2 for the upper wings, and 2 more for the bottom wings. Make each pairing section a different color to represent a butterfly’s unique and colorful design.
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