Between the process of mapping out the design and laying down the nails or tacks for the outline before you even get to stringing the details, the technique for string art might look quite advanced. Even so, it’s actually quite simple and fun to do if you keep your patience and work together. We tried a few things with our kids over the summer and now they’re completely obsessed, so we’ve been spending some of our spare time trying to find as many useful resources as we can in order to help us all make some more!
Just in case you’re as intrigued by the idea of making string art with your family as we were, if not more, here are 15 of the very best designs that we’ve come across so far in our search.
1. “Lady” string art
If you’re looking for a tutorial that’s both easy to follow step by step in order to recreated it directly and that is also simple to extrapolate from and get creative with the basic idea of, then we think we might have found exactly what you need right out of the gates! Check out how Craft Like a Lady created simple but pretty cursive letters to spell the word “lady” in string art (and consider how easy their technique would be to create other letters and write other things).
2. DIY home state string art
No matter what state you live in, this adorable home state string art idea featured on Semi-DIY makes for some fantastic decor (and also a caring housewarming gift). Besides showing you in just a few simple steps how to create the basic outline of a state, we also adore the way they outlined how to make a cut-out heart shape in the middle of your string art too, just so show a little bit of appreciation for the place you come from or the place you fell in love with and chose to live in!
3. Elephant shaped nursery string art
Just in case you’re looking for something a little more simply shaped or maybe just a little cuter in order to make it fitting for a kid-friendly space, here’s an absolutely adorable elephant design featured on Erin Spain! We love the way they outlined their criss-crossing stringing technique because it fills the blank space inside the elephant well and in a way that has a lot of appealing texture, almost like shading inside a sketch.
4. Kid-friendly string art
Did we catch your eye with the term “kid-friendly”, but more because you’d actually like to introduce your kids to the technique in a much simpler way because they really are quite small, rather than because you want the final aesthetic of the piece to look good in a kids’ space? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how Anne Carista made this simple but super cute heart with tacks instead of nails! They show you how to poke the tacks through a canvas rather than nailing metal into a wooden board, just to keep things safer for little fingers (and also quicker for little attention spans). We love the way they finger painted polka dots all over their canvas around the heart as well!
5. “Dream” rainbow string art
Have you actually already tried your hand at a bit of simple string lettering and really enjoyed it, but now you’re looking for a way to swap the project up a little in order to make more? Then we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how Instructables created some pretty, multicoloured string art around their tacked words rather than inside of them, making the words stand out like a negative space in the mix of bright hues.
6. Simple blossom string art on wood
Since we are talking about tutorials designed to help you and your kids do some learning when it comes to the basic skills of the technique, here’s a tutorial that really lays it out for you in a surprisingly simple way! Creme de la Craft shows you how to carefully map out the nails for your string art because you actually commit to the shape by using a printed and cut out template, just to make sure you get the outlined you want. This will make sure you really love what you’re stringing!
7. Pretty string art heart card
Believe it or not, the string art you’ve probably seen the most, which is classically done on a structured background like wood or canvas, isn’t actually the only kind you can do! If you and your kids are looking for something a little more delicate, or perhaps a little bit easier to gift, then we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how Guidecentral created a simple string art heart on the front of a greeting card. Talk about a heartfelt piece to both give and receive!
8. Batman string art
If you’re going to start learning and practicing new DIY techniques with your kids, would you rather do so by creating piece that are themed around their very favourite things, just to make sure they stay as interested as they can for as long as possible while you work on it together? In that case, we’d absolutely suggest taking a look at how A Turtle’s Life for Me made this totally super (pun intended) Batman logo string art!
9. Spraying elephant sequin and string art
Were you perhaps very intrigued indeed by the idea of making a string art elephant happen, but you can’t help but feel like your kids would really enjoy adding some kind of additional element into the mix now that they’re feeling a little more experienced and comfortable with the craft… especially if that extra detail was sparkly? In that case, we think this little spraying string art elephant where the water is made of sequins might be right up your alley. Get the full details for making one of your own on Time Traveller!
10. Mickey Mouse string art
Just in case you adored the idea of making string art that’s themed after the things your kids love but they’ve never really been huge Batman fans, here’s a Mickey Mouse themed tutorial that will get you working on things in the same way, just with a cute Disney spin! Get the full details for making this wonderfully simple outline and string filling on This Fairy Tale Life.
11. Funny moustache string art
Just in case you’re looking for a trendy, kitschy design that will be fun for your kids to work on but also somewhat stylish for you to hang up in your house, here’s an idea that’s actually kind of neat to have hung up by the time November rolls around, just in case you have friends and family members that participate in Movember charity campaigns! Tierra Este guides you step by step through the process of making a funny moustache that curls upward at each end.
12. DIY snowflake string art
We know it’s not quite winter time yet, but we’ve always really liked the idea of stockpiling DIY ideas and crafting tutorials seasons in advance so that we have plenty of ideas to work with when the time comes and the weather changes! That’s why we couldn’t resist putting this adorable snowflake idea outlined by Erin Spain on our list even though fall has only just started.
13. Monogram heart string art
Were you actually quite interested indeed in the idea of learning how to make string art letters, particularly the negative space or cut-out kind, but you’re not sure your kids are quite ready to tackle cursive shapes yet? Then we’d suggest taking a look at this tutorial from Artsy Paints instead because they shows you how to make simple, bold block letters! We love their design for putting a monogram inside a heart because we think it would make a nice gift.
14. Captain America string art
Just in case you were very interested indeed in the idea of making superhero themed string art but there’s another crime fighter that has caught your kids’ attention a little harder than Batman, here’s a Captain America tutorial to try your hand at instead! Instructables shows you how to alternative colours and make circular stripes to create the classic shield your kids will instantly recognize.
15. Whale tail string art
Have you always been an avid reader of classic novels, a lover of the sea, or just someone who likes kitschy decor? In any case, perhaps this neat whale’s tail project, complete with a few crashing waves of white sea foam, might make for a neat project on an afternoon! We like that this design is quite impactful despite being made from only a few simple shapes, which you can find outlined nice and clearly on Kept.
