Easy DIY Newfoundland Dog Silhouette Canvas Art

We all love our dogs like family and when they do things to show us their unique and funny personalities, we make sure to capture them on our phones and share it all over social media.

However, it also feels great when we get to display them around our home––whether it’s in a picture frame, a paw print or a pumpkin diorama on Halloween.

With cute, custom pet home decor in mind, I thought I’d share this adorable DIY dog canvas art from Shutterfly that my daughter and I did this weekend. 

It has a short list of materials and only seven easy steps to complete!

Before you get started, take a photo of your dog that best shows their silhouette (if you don’t have one already) and be sure to print it in the same size as the canvas you’ll be using.

The tutorial uses liquid gold leaf but you’re welcome to customize the colors to best fit your decor and style. I used Splendid Gold and Indian Turquoise. 

Feel free to add your pup’s name along with some fun shapes of their favorite chew toy or treats!  

Keep reading to learn how to create your own canvas!

How To Make Dog Canvas Art

You’ll need to visit your local art store for the materials below. I went to our local Michaels craft store and they had some of their canvas’s 70% off!

Once you finish shopping, follow these steps to make this easy dog painting.

We suggest you select a workspace that is well-ventilated, like a room with enough opened windows or an outdoor area like a garden.

Now, let the fun begin!

Supplies that you will need for your Newfoundland Dog Silhouette Canvas Art

• Pencil
• Canvas (any size you’d like)
• Printed photo
• Scissors
• Acrylic paint
• Liquid gold leaf
• Painting brushes (we recommend 3 different sizes)

Step 1: Select and print out the dog photo you’d like to use. Print the picture as big as needed to fit the canvas you’re using. Choosing a photo with a strong profile is best for creating this DIY dog silhouette art project.

 

Step 2: Use scissors to carefully cut out the printed silhouette, getting rid of all the blank space. You want to make sure your scissors are sharp so that you can end with clean and smooth edges.

Step 3: Now, place the cutout on top of your canvas and trace the outline with a pencil. If you like, you can place double-sided tape on the back of the cutout to position it firmly on the canvas — just be sure to remove the tape once you’re done tracing.

Step 4: Dip one of your brushes into the liquid gold leaf paint and fill in the silhouette you just traced. You can also choose a metallic paint if you wish. We recommend applying at least two layers or as needed until the application looks completely solid with no transparency. I did 3 layers.

* Pro Tip: Wash your brush immediately after finishing to prevent the bristles from drying and hardening — a mild dish soap with water will do the trick.

Step 5: Once you finish with the gold leaf or metallic, use the acrylic paint to cover the area around the silhouette. Pick any color you’d like — you can always mix the paints in a bowl to get your desired shade.

 

Step 6: Take a fine point brush to add some finishing touches. For example, you can add fur with several quick strokes. You’ll also want to fill in any white space that has been left uncovered.

Step 7: Now it’s time to let it dry. Drying time will depend on how many layers of paint you applied, so we suggest setting the canvas aside and leaving it to dry for at least six hours. I let ours dry overnight

Once it’s dry, hang your canvas and enjoy!

 

Hang the canvas you just created amongst pieces you already own or on the family art wall. A great idea is to print a photo canvas of your dog to place next to your brand new piece.

Here’s how our Newfoundland dog silhouette canvas art came out with Sherman and Leroy.

I also added these really cute ornaments that a Newfie friend sent us at Christmas. 

They go great with the paintings!

I love how they turned out and while we didn’t add anything special to our canvas art like fur strokes, they are still simply perfect! 

p.s. My photo cut the top of Leroy’s head off so I had to draw in it. I think it worked out fine!

 

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