Learn how to make a reverse canvas sign with this simple tutorial! This fun method is a great way to easily create inexpensive framed art in no time. Just deconstruct a basic wrapped canvas and reuse its own frame. So easy!
How to Make a Reverse Canvas: Easy & Inexpensive Framed Art!
I first saw this method for making signs a few months ago via tutorials from Weekend Craft and A Girl and A Glue Gun. After seeing them, I definitely had a “Now why didn’t I think of that before??” moment.
Seriously. This method is SO straight-forward, painfully, obviously GENIUS that I can’t believe it’s just now a thing. This is a game changer for all of us who love making our own signs.
So, What is a Reverse Canvas?
With this process, you’re turning a basic wrapped canvas that you can find on the cheap at any craft store into a framed canvas sign or art piece.
Instead of having the canvas wrap around the front of the frame, you’re moving it to the back and showcasing the frame too rather than having it hidden behind the canvas. You’re reversing the placement of the canvas. Get it??
All you have to do is:
- Remove the canvas from the frame
- Paint/stain the frame
- Add design element(s) to the canvas
- Reattach the canvas to the back of the frame
SO SIMPLE!
Supplies
Here’s what it takes to make a reverse canvas:
- Wrapped canvas of any size (I used a 9×12 from Michaels)
- Utility knife or X-Acto knife
- Sandpaper (optional)
- Paint or stain
- Brush or rag
- Hot glue gun or staple gun
- Thumb tacks (optional)
- Design elements
- I used some:
- Blue glitter heat transfer vinyl (HTV)
- Pink vinyl
- Scrapbook paper flowers
- I used some:
Step 1: Remove the Canvas from the Frame
The first step in this process is removing the wrapped canvas from its frame.
Just place the wrapped canvas on a table facedown, then grab a utility knife or X-Acto knife and start slicing through the canvas along the OUTSIDE of the staples.
Here’s what you’ll end up with: the canvas sheet and the bare frame.
The remaining strips of canvas that are still stapled to the back of the frame can easily be pulled out and discarded, but don’t worry about removing the staples. Since you’ll be reattaching the canvas in a bit, they’ll end up being covered.
Also, at this point, you can trim the canvas to size if you’d like, or do it later once you’re ready to reattach it. I did this part later after applying my design so I was certain my design would be centered.
Step 2: Prep the Frame
Now you can move on to the frame. I had NO idea such a cute little thing was hiding in plain sight all this time!
The wood is bare, so you can stain it or paint it any color under the sun.
FYI: Since these canvases are inexpensive and their frames are hidden, the wood is not exactly…shall we say…top quality. However, it’s still good enough to make a fun little project. Don’t worry if you need to do a little sanding first to smooth everything out.
Step 3: Apply Design Elements to Canvas
While the canvas is off of the frame, you can go ahead and apply your design element(s). This step can also be done AFTER your canvas has been reattached…whatever you prefer.
For this particular project, I applied a heat transfer vinyl (HTV) decal, so I wanted to add it to the canvas before reattaching it to the frame. That way I had free range of movement for my iron without the frame getting in the way. (If you’d like to see how to use HTV, check out one of these tutorials!)
***NOTE: Make sure you size your design so it fits INSIDE the frame. My wrapped canvas started as a 9×12, but the dimensions for inside the frame are 7×10.
Here’s how my components looked:
Step 4: Reattach the Canvas to the Frame
Once the frame is dry, you can reattach the canvas to the back.
I first centered my design in the middle, then used some thumb tacks to temporarily hold it in place. I also trimmed off the edges of the canvas so nothing would be visible outside of the frame (and as you can see, I struggle with cutting a straight line…).
As soon as my hot glue gun was warmed up, I permanently attached the canvas along all four edges and removed the thumb tacks. A staple gun would work fine too.
Depending on your project, you might be finished now! Hooray!
I, however, had one more step to do.
Here’s how it looks: not too pretty, but hey, that’s why it’s the back!
If you’re feeling extra frisky or giving your creation away as a gift (or selling it), you could always cover the entire backside with a piece of felt or fabric. That way, both sides of the sign are equally presentable.
Since this sign is going to have a home on a shelf in my craft room, I left this as is. No shame in my game!
Optional Step: Apply Additional Design Elements if Needed
With this particular flower truck sign, I had some 3D paper flowers to apply. Therefore, this step needed to be done AFTER the canvas was reattached to the frame so the flowers wouldn’t get crushed. I also added a small pink vinyl decal too.
Depending on your project, you may or may not need to add any additional elements here (or maybe even your only design component) and can of course skip this part if needed.
And with this step now completed…we’re finished! Woot Woot!
The Finished Reverse Canvas Sign!
Here’s how my first reverse canvas sign turned out! Super cute, no? This flower truck beauty is just the brightest, most cheerful sign and it looks absolutely adorable in my craft room.
I had SO much fun with this project and I can’t believe how easy this whole reverse canvas method is. Much easier than any wood sign I’ve made.
I’ll definitely be making a bunch more of these in the future!
Quite the transformation, huh?
How to Make a Reverse Canvas
This fun reverse canvas method is a great way to easily create inexpensive framed art in no time. Just deconstruct a basic wrapped canvas and reuse its own frame. So easy!
Materials
- Wrapped canvas
- Paint or stain
- Paint brush or rag
- Design elements
Instructions
- Using a utility or X-Acto knife, remove the wrapped canvas from the back of the frame.
- Prep the frame with sandpaper (if necessary) and paint or stain. Let dry.
- Apply the design elements to the canvas sheet.
- Trim the canvas sheet and reattach it to the back of the frame using either a hot glue gun or staple gun.
- Optional step: Attach any additional design elements.
Notes
- Make sure you size your design so it fits INSIDE the frame.
- You can also apply a sheet of felt to the back to give it a clean, finished look.
Recommended Products
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Reverse Canvas Signs
Here is a collection of reverse canvas signs I've made so far...they are SO simple and inexpensive to make!
Glittery Flower Truck Sign with Colorful Mini Paper Flowers
Learn how to create a fun glittery flower truck sign that includes an assortment of colorful mini paper flowers AND a personalized family market decal!
Fall Pumpkin Burlap Sign with FOUR Kinds of HTV (Including Buffalo Check!)
Learn how to create this simple pumpkin burlap sign that's perfect for Fall! It utilizes FOUR different kinds of heat transfer vinyl, including the super fun buffalo check!
How to Turn a Note or Drawing into Framed Art!
Learn how to turn any note or drawing into framed art! This is great for kids' artwork or scribbles, sentimental cards, notes, signatures, and more!
Funky Fourth of July Sign + FREE Cut File!
Learn how to create a funky yet festive Fourth of July sign using the reverse canvas method! You can even snag the FREE cut file and printable to make one of your own!
If You Enjoyed This…
Make sure you check out my Project Gallery for lots of other fun crafty creations, tips, and freebies!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Nicole says
Great tutorial! What do you suggest using for hanging one of these on the wall?
Christine says
Thanks, Nicole! These are so lightweight, I think using some Command Strips would work great!
Kimberly says
Hello,
Thank you very much for this clear and concise tutorial.
I’d read the term “reverse canvas art” mentioned in a few reviews on Amazon, where I have been buying canvases for acrylic painting and I was unfamiliar with it. After Googling the definition, I came across your bright and colorful website.
This tutorial is particularly timely in its helpfulness to me because I’m about to start doing some paintings to decorate my hallways and, unlike my previous works, I prefer these to have a framed look. So, I was kicking the dust in annoyance at having to go through the trouble of having a bunch of pictures framed. But, now, I can just flip the canvas and do it myself! I, and my apartment hallways, thank you deeply.
Christine says
Oh Kimberly, your comment gave me the biggest smile! That is so great to hear! :) Have fun decorating your hallways!!
Melanie says
This is an easy to follow tutorial. Thank you for sharing!!
Christine says
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this, Melanie!
Kay Gee says
It’s pretty clear you used two different frames. The finished one has inserts for the glass you removed and a raised edge all the way around. It’s a cute project and the finished project is cute, but if you really had used the canvas frame the face of the finished project would be flat and it would have a simpler, more home-spun look.
Christine says
Nope, sorry Kay! This is the frame that was a part of the wrapped canvas, not a frame with glass. The back has staples and is flat, but the front (which was wrapped) has the raised edge. You can clearly see this in the photos (as well as in all of my other reverse canvas projects). No swapped-frame-smoke-and-mirrors here. Thanks for the input though!
Crystal says
Yup, same frame! I just did one of these over the weekend and was pleasantly surprised to see how much cuter the hidden frame part was compared to the back flat part where the staples are! I absolutely love the paper flower idea, what a cute touch to really make it pop! Thanks for the great ideas!!
Christine says
So happy to hear you had success with your reverse canvas too, Crystal! And that you didn’t swap out a picture frame either. ;) LOL!
Abril says
Those inserts are not for glass. They are for the canvas pegs in case the stretched canvas (when used as intended) needs to be tighten then you insert those pegs (which normally are in the back) and hammer them until the canvas is tight again. The raised edge makes the canvas wrap around the edge smoothly while keeps it separate from most the wood part (for the front painted portion of it). So she did used the same one though in this project the inserts become unnecessary and the raised edge becomes more of a decorative part of the repurposed frame. Cute project.
Christine says
Thank you so much for such a great explanation about the wrapped canvas frame, Abril!!!
Lyela says
Hi Christine! First of all, thank you for your amazing and inspirational blog :) Second, I was curious where you found the flower files…? TIA!
Christine says
Thank you Lyela! Those flowers all came from the Silhouette Design Store. I used bits from some files and pieces from others to create these flower/leaf combos.
Melissa says
Cricut newbie here…is it difficult to get the vinyl to stick well to the canvas?
Christine says
Hi Melissa! I’ve never had any problems with the vinyl sticking to the canvas. Depending on the brand you’re using, you might need to put in a little “elbow grease” by using the corner of a scraper tool or credit card to really push the vinyl into the texture of the canvas. If you’re using HTV, then just more time and/or pressure with your iron/EasyPress should do the trick. Hope this helps! Congrats on your new Cricut! :)
Carolyn says
Where did you get the files for the truck on your tutorial.
Christine says
Carolyn, I got it for free here!