DIY String Art- Part Two- Basics

I finally managed to finish putting in all the nails for my string art so I could get started on the actual string part. I had a lot of trouble with the nails, I'm not experienced enough with this to know if using different nails or a different type of board would have made things easier. I find it more likely that I just need more practice with nails.

Part of what I like about string art is that it makes cool shadows so I wanted to use nails that were long enough to let the string sit above the board. My plan is to place the string for various parts of the design at different heights on the nails so that everything looks like it is layered. I used a longer nail length to accommodate this as well as places where I need to wrap the thread around a single nail multiple times.

These are the nails I used as well as pliers to help hold the nails while you hammer.

As I worked I was constantly re-evaluating the placement and number of nails. I've created a pattern that you can download to re-create my design. The red dots show the placement of the nails. There are a few spots where I made changes as I worked and those are marked in green.

 I will post it A.S.A.P.  but right now I am experiencing technical difficulties with my scanner.

After placing all the nails the next step is to remove the paper pattern. At this point I had a few nails that tried to pull out with the paper, especially in the area where the paper was taped together, so be careful. I was able to re-hammer each one as I went.  Finding the right placement later could be difficult.

The first step is to attach your string to a nail, just wrap it around and tie a knot. You can also add a drop of glue to help seal the knot. Just dab it on the knot and press in the cut end of the thread.

The most basic string art designs are outlines and solid filled patterns.  I'll start with outlining even though I'm not using it until the second stage of my design. All you do is wrap the thread around the nails in the same direction to make a single outline.

If you want a double outline, turn around at the end and wrap each nail again from the opposite direction.

I started with the shield because I want it to look like it is in the back, so the other colors will be layered on top. To fill in an area all you need to do is wrap the string in a random pattern until you get the desired amount of color. I went for a sort of medium fill level, some might want a more solid color, some might want to let more wood show through.

While you work, be sure to keep the string at a uniform height on the nails so that the string makes a level surface. Since I want to create layers of string I tried to keep this layer toward the bottom of the nails.

I used regular hand embroidery thread for this part of the design. What you see in the picture below is one skeins worth. I have another on hand but will likely need to purchase a third to be able to completely finish this portion of the design.

I will post book reviews in two weeks, hopefully with a few extra to make up for missing last months. Then hopefully I will have the shield and sword finished and ready to share for the next post.