Putting art on your walls can be a challenge – especially if you don’t know where to start. Not to mention that some art can be really expensive for new home owners. So why not create your own? It’s easy to do and is a fun activity for the family too.
Moss art is a recent trend in interior decorating that began as graffiti art. Using living mosses (instead of spray paint) to write on public spaces, it gave graffiti artists a new way to communicate their ideas as the moss would continue to grow in the environment.
Recently, interior decorators and artists have taken that idea to create art pieces to be used as wall décor. Instead of living moss, preserved reindeer moss – a type of lichen and algae which doesn’t require any maintenance – is used.
We spoke to Alvin Lok, Keppel Land’s resident horticulturist, also known as the Plant Doctor, to find out more about creating your own moss art.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- A Photo Frame (50cm x 50cm)
- Contact Adhesive Glue
- PVA Glue
- Scissors
- Coloured Paper (optional)
- Reindeer Moss
- Dried Bark
- Pebbles
- Or any other decorations of your choice
How to put it all together:
1. Prepare your frame
Remove the glass panel because you’ll only be needing the back of the frame. Here, you could insert a piece of coloured paper cut to the same size of the back panel. This coloured paper will form the backdrop of your moss art.
2. Plan your art by laying out the materials
Before gluing down your materials, you might want to lay them out first onto the coloured paper. This will help you to visualise what the final art piece looks like, and prevent unnecessary changes after you’ve glued the pieces down.
3. Glue your items down onto the coloured paper
Carefully apply adhesive glue to the items and place them firmly onto the back panel. You can use PVA glue for the mosses and contact adhesive for the heavier items. Contact adhesive is stronger and will help to keep the heavier items from falling off.
4. Add interesting elements
Liven up your art work by adding interesting elements, such as dried bark and pebbles. You can also experiment with colours, such as using blue pebbles to create a “stream” in your art piece. Adding air plants or succulents can also add variety and make your art visually appealing.
5. Let it dry and hang it up