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This post is all about how to make your own DIY intaglio art. Framed intaglio artwork can cost hundreds of dollars, but making them yourself is easy and affordable!
This page includes affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I personally vet.
Intaglio art is so popular in grandmillennial homes right now. I love how classic it looks! It’s likely because intaglios have been around for centuries since the Roman Empire. Intaglios were made by carving designs into stone.
Some of my favorite stores such as Ballard Designs and Caitlin Wilson Design sell framed intaglio art for hundreds of dollars! Yet this DIY intaglio art project cost me under $20 for 4 pieces of art.
DIY Intaglio Art Tutorial
In this DIY intaglio tutorial, I show how to make your own intaglios and frame your intaglios for a classy set of artwork to display.
Materials
- Air Dry Clay
- Silicon Mold
- Small Oval Cookie Cutter
- Matted Framed Artwork (I found mine at my local Goodwill!)
- White Acrylic Paint
- Paint Brush
- Hot Glue Gun
- Tape
How to Make Intaglios
The first step in making intaglio art is to make the actual intaglios. You can skip this step by purchasing premade intaglios on Etsy, but making your own is more affordable (and super easy).
Grab some air dry clay and a silicon mold of your choice. I used these silicon candy molds from Hobby Lobby, but you can use whatever design you like! Etsy is also a great place to buy unique molds for your intaglios.
Tear off a small piece of the clay and roll it into a ball. Press the ball into the mold and flatten out the back with your fingers. The air dry clay that I used was super easy to work with so after I pressed it into the mold, it pulled off easily without losing its shape.
Take an oval or round-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the molded design. This is the set of cutters that I used from Hobby Lobby. Lay the intaglio flat to dry.
Once the intaglio is dry, you have the option to leave them white or paint them to your liking!
How to Frame Intaglios
Now that your intaglios are made, it’s time to frame them. You want to use a frame that has a smaller opening for the picture and a larger mat. I found a set of 4 small, gold, matted frames at my local Goodwill for $1.99 each! I also was eyeing these frames from At Home if I wasn’t able to find any thrifting.
I had to first deconstruct my frames to reconstruct them with the intaglios added. I ripped off the paper backing, pulled out the staples, and removed the print.
I took out the mats and painted each of them with white acrylic paint using two coats. Once the mats were dry, I started to reconstruct the frame.
For the intaglio, which is 3D, to fit in the frame, I had to add something to give it space between the glass. My frames came with cardboard backing so I simply cut the cardboard into thinner strips around the mat. It was the perfect depth to allow space for the intaglio. If your frames don’t come with cardboard, you can just use a cardboard box and cut to size.
I also cut out pieces of white cardstock to be the background of the intaglio art. You can get creative here and use different colors or designs using fabric or fun paper, but I wanted a clean look with simple white.
Glue the intaglio to the center of your back piece using hot glue. Hold it down while it dries.
Layering the glass, then the mat, then cardboard, then back paper with intaglio, construct your frame. Make sure the intaglio is centered in the middle of the frame before securing the back paper down. I used tape to secure my back down.
Hang or display the intaglio framed artwork wherever your little heart desires! I still haven’t even decided where I want to put my set of 4! I may break them up and add them to decor throughout my home.
Cost Breakdown – $18.23 TOTAL
- Air Dry Clay – $5.99
- Oval Clay Cutters – $2.29
- Silicon Molds – $1.99
- Set of 4 matted gold frames – $1.99 each, total $7.96
- White Acrylic Paint – already had
- Paint Brush – already had
- Hot Glue Gun – already had
- Tape – already had
This is such an easy and affordable DIY that anyone can do with thrifted frames. I cannot believe the price difference it cost me to make my own intaglios from scratch!
This post was all about how to make DIY intaglio art from scratch using air dry clay and thrifted frames.
This page includes affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I personally vet.
