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Monocolour Canvasses

So you've just bought a new apartment? It's always tricky knowing what to put on the walls at first, and posters of semi-naked women are not the artwork of choice for a gentleman. Monocolour canvasses are a quick, simple, inexpensive way to make a wall look much more interesting. The points I'm going to discuss are:

• What a monocolour canvas is.
• How to choose a colour.
• Where to get the materials.
• Painting and hanging.

By monocolour canvas I mean a canvas that has been painted all one colour (see below).

As you can see, these are big canvasses hung in groups on a wall. Of course, they can be any colour that complements the other colours in the room. 'Complement' doesn't necessarily the colours are the same as other things in a room, merely that the colours work nicely together. Consider how colours of car interiors are chosen to go with the colour the car is painted, or try looking round a large furniture store like Ikea that has rooms made up and make a note of which colours they've used together.

These canvases are as easy to make as you might think. First you need a blank canvas - art-supply shops sell several different sizes, so measure the space you want to fill, figure out how many canvasses you want and whether you want them hung horizontally or vertically, then go look at what's available. Feel free to go for the least expensive ones since this isn't the Mona Lisa that you're painting. Expect to pay around � - � per canvas, depending on the size. It may seem expensive, but think about how much it would cost to fill that wall with individual paintings.

So you've got your canvas and you know what colour you want. Don't waste your money on tubes of paint in the art supply shop - get a roller and a tin of the colour you want from a DIY store. Some places, such as B&Q, will even mix paint to the exact colour you want.

When you're painting, make sure you put some paper down to protect your floor. Use steady strokes, and expect to have to apply two coats to give you a bold, even finish. Don't forget to paint around the sides as well!

Lastly, once the canvasses are dry hang them up. You probably won't need to fit picture wire - just hang the canvas onto a nail as it is. It's important to get them lined up properly so use a ruler and a spirit level, and make sure you drive the nails into the wall at roughly the same angle each time. Now stand back and admire how for a couple of hours work and approximately � you've made a dull wall far more impressive.

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TOP TIP:

If having all the canvasses just one colour is a little too dull for you then why not try using two colours. Either choose another complimentary colour or try painting one of them black. The best part about these canvasses is that if you decide you've chosen the wrong colour or arrangement you can always repaint them or move them around.