Thursday, August 9, 2012

Subway Art for the Classroom

I've been saving this super easy project- on the cheap - that I did over the summer until "back to school got a little closer."  For some of you, school has already started, but in my neck of the woods, I don't report to my classroom until the end of the month.

Working with high school students, we are always looking for ways to motivate them in a way they can relate. Classroom supplies are always pricey, so we were on the hunt for an inexpensive bulletin board idea that packed a lot of punch! With subway art being soooooo popular these days - with kids and adults alike - the teacher in my room found a fabulous motivational saying on the web that was perfect for our room.


I was able to print the text and then had it blown up on a jumbo copier (I think you can get this done for a mere $2.00 or $3.00).  Next, I found a large piece of cardboard and cut it to size (about 40 X 18 for my purposes), which I then sprayed with chalkboard paint.

After that, I used yellow tracing paper (you could use any pastel color) to transfer the wording on to the board. You can find the pastel tracing paper at any store that sells sewing supplies, such as Hancock or JoAnn - I did not have any luck at Michael's or Hobby Lobby, though.



Once that was complete, I got out a white paint pen and carefully went over the lettering.  I needed to do this in two coats to get the coverage I wanted.  Lastly, I took a clean paint brush and brushed away any of the chalky residue from the tracing paper.


In all, the project took about an hour and a half from start to finish.  My only cost was the copy blow up and tracing paper (already had the paint pen) - bringing it to  a whopping total of under $5.00!

Isn't it cute?  I can't wait to build a bulletin board theme around it!  It also would be a great home decor project, especially if you used wood or a canvas.  So easy!

Wishing you happiness,
Jane

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2 comments:

  1. Hi Jane! Excellent job!!! You are not giving yourself enough credit here because paint pens require some skill and patience especially getting the paint to flow correctly (at least I had trouble with the one I own kept dripping or not flowing!lol) Great saying for the classroom and the choice of fonts - perfect! Have a great weekend - Jeannette

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  2. Thanks Jeanette! I can't take credit for the design at all! I was lucky with my paint pen, but I know what you mean - I have had them splatter on me in the past and make a mess of my project. :)

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