How to make string art | Tutorial

Crafts With Ellen
26 Feb 201706:11
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDREllen shares her experience creating a beautiful string art piece in this engaging video. She begins by printing a pattern and cutting it to size on a wooden board. After smoothing the edges with sandpaper, she adds hooks for hanging and marks the pattern onto the wood. Using tiny nails and pliers, she secures them following the pattern, starting with corner points and evenly spacing the rest. Once the nails are in place, she removes the paper pattern and uses a dishwashing brush to clean off any remaining paper around the nails. Ellen then strings the art by tying a knot and looping the string around the nails, starting with the outline and then filling in the shape with a random pattern. She addresses a loose nail with superglue and carefully manages the string tension to prevent unraveling. The final step involves tying off the string, threading it through a needle to hide the ends, and cutting it neatly. Ellen invites viewers to like, comment, and subscribe for more creative content.

Takeaways
  • 🎨 Ellen shares her experience making string art, which she found easy and rewarding.
  • 🖼️ She started by printing out a picture for her pattern and experimenting with different sizes.
  • ✂️ Ellen cut out her desired shape from wood and marked the line for cutting.
  • 🪓 She used a saw to cut the wood to size and then sanded the edges for a smooth finish.
  • 📌 Before nailing, Ellen attached hooks to the back of the wood for hanging purposes.
  • 🔩 She used tiny nails and pliers to hold them in place, finding it easier to do this before all nails were in.
  • 📄 A helpful tip from online was to tape the pattern onto the wood and hammer nails through it for easy alignment.
  • 🔨 Ellen hammered nails into the corners first, then evenly spaced the rest, using a towel to dampen noise.
  • 🗑️ After all nails were in place, she carefully removed the paper pattern, replacing any nails that came out.
  • 🧵 To remove paper stuck to nails, she used a dishwashing brush, which worked effectively.
  • 🪢 She began stringing by tying a knot, looping around a nail, and leaving the tail for the final step.
  • 🏞️ Ellen outlined the shape first, ensuring the string was on the outside for a clean edge, and then filled in the shape randomly.
  • 🧷 A loose nail was secured with superglue, highlighting the need to occasionally check the nails' stability.
  • 🧵 Stringing required managing tension to prevent unraveling, and holding the string down while placing it around nails.
  • 🎉 To finish, she tied a knot at the end, threaded it through a needle, and hid the ends on the underside for a neat appearance.
Q & A
  • What was Ellen's initial step in creating her string art project?

    -Ellen's first step was to print out a picture that she liked to use as a pattern for her string art.

  • How did Ellen decide on the size of the wood for her project?

    -She tried different sizes to see what she liked best and then cut out her shape to see how the proportions looked on the wood.

  • What precautions did Ellen take while cutting the wood?

    -Ellen went to the basement to use a saw to avoid getting sawdust all over her carpet.

  • How did Ellen prepare the wood for hanging before starting with the nails?

    -She put some hooks on the back of the wood to hang it up on her wall.

  • Why did Ellen use pliers instead of her fingers to hold the tiny nails?

    -Ellen used pliers because the nails were really tiny and her fingers were too big to hold them securely.

  • What tip did Ellen find online to help with placing the nails?

    -She taped her pattern onto the wood and then hammered the nails straight through it, which made it easier to follow the pattern.

  • How did Ellen space the nails on her string art?

    -She started by putting nails in all of the corner points first and then spaced out the rest of the nails evenly between those points.

  • What tool did Ellen use to remove the paper that was stuck to the nails?

    -Ellen used a dishwashing brush because its bristles were strong enough to tear out the paper from the edges and long enough to run over all the nails without any obstruction.

  • How did Ellen start the string on her string art?

    -She tied a simple knot in the end of the string and looped it around one of the nails as a starting point.

  • What issue did Ellen encounter while filling out the shape with string?

    -The string put pressure on the nails, causing one to come loose, which she fixed by using superglue.

  • How did Ellen deal with the tension on the yarn while stringing the art?

    -She held the yarn down with one hand while placing it around the next nail to prevent it from unraveling due to the tension.

  • What advice did Ellen give for finishing off the string?

    -Ellen advised to leave the ends of the yarn a bit longer, tie a knot in the ends, thread it through a big needle, and pull it through to the underside of the yarn to hide the ends.

Outlines
00:00
🎨 String Art Project Introduction and Preparation

Ellen introduces her string art project, expressing her excitement about finally attempting it. She describes the process of selecting a pattern by printing out a picture and determining the ideal size. The video then shows her cutting out the shape on wood, marking the cutting line, and using a saw to trim the wood to size. She moves to the basement to avoid sawdust and smoothens the wood edges with sandpaper. Before attaching nails, she adds hooks for hanging and uses pliers to hold the tiny nails in place. She tapes the pattern to the wood and hammers nails through it, ensuring they are not too deep. She advises starting with corner nails and then evenly spacing the rest.

05:14
📌 String Art Nail Placement and Stringing

After placing all the nails, Ellen removes the paper pattern, noting the need for care to avoid dislodging nails. She shares a tip for removing paper stuck to the nails using a dishwashing brush. She then starts stringing the art by tying a knot at the end of the string and looping it around a nail. She outlines the shape first, ensuring the string stays on the outside for a clean edge and ties a knot inside the shape to hide it. When a nail loosens, she uses superglue to secure it. She then fills the shape with string, starting and ending at the same nail, and highlights the importance of maintaining tension on the string to prevent unraveling. Ellen concludes by finishing off the string, tying a knot, threading it through a needle, and hiding the end on the underside.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡String Art
String art is a form of textile art where nails are hammered into a board to form a pattern, and then strings, yarns, or wires are woven around the nails to create a picture. In the video, Ellen demonstrates how she creates her own string art by using a picture for a pattern, which is a key part of the project's process and the main theme of the video.
💡Pattern
A pattern in this context refers to a design or template that serves as a guide for creating art or craft projects. Ellen mentions printing out a picture she liked to use as her pattern for the string art. The pattern is central to the creation process as it dictates the final look of the string art piece.
💡Proportions
Proportions refer to the relative size or scale of different parts in relation to each other. When Ellen is cutting out her shape on the wood, she is concerned with how the proportions look, ensuring that the size and scale of the shape are aesthetically pleasing and fit well with the wood base.
💡Saw
A saw is a tool with a toothed blade used for cutting through materials like wood, metal, or plastic. In the video, Ellen uses a saw to cut the wood to size for her string art project. The use of a saw is an important step in preparing the base of the project.
💡Sandpaper
Sandpaper is an abrasive paper used for smoothing surfaces. Ellen uses sandpaper to smooth out the edges of the wood after cutting it to size. This step is crucial for giving the wood a finished look and ensuring there are no rough or sharp edges that could cause injury.
💡Hooks
Hooks in this context are devices used for hanging items on a wall. Ellen attaches hooks to the back of the wood so that her finished string art can be hung up. The use of hooks is essential for displaying the artwork once it is completed.
💡Nails
Nails are small, sharp, metal objects driven into a solid material to hold things in place. In the video, tiny nails are used to create the pattern on the wood board for the string to be woven around. The nails serve as the structural foundation for the string art and are hammered through the pattern to hold it in place.
💡Pliers
Pliers are hand tools used for gripping, bending, or cutting objects, and they can be particularly useful when working with small items like nails. Ellen uses a pair of pliers to hold the tiny nails in place while she hammers them into the wood, illustrating the practical application of pliers in this crafting process.
💡Tape
Tape is an adhesive material used for holding or fastening items together. Ellen uses tape to attach her pattern to the wood, which allows her to hammer the nails through the pattern accurately. The tape serves as a temporary but effective tool for aligning the nails with the pattern.
💡String
String in this context refers to a long, thin piece of material, such as yarn or thread, used for various purposes including crafting and tying. After the nails are in place, Ellen uses string to create the actual string art by looping it around the nails according to her pattern. The string is the medium that visually brings the pattern to life.
💡Knot
A knot is a fastening device used to secure the ends of a string, rope, or cord by tying a loop with a secure configuration. Ellen ties a simple knot at the end of the string to start her string art and another to finish it off. Knots are essential in string art to secure the string in place and prevent it from unraveling.
💡Tension
Tension refers to the force that stretches or extends an object, such as a string, when it is pulled tight. In the video, the tension on the yarn is mentioned as a factor that can cause the string to jump off the nails if not handled carefully. Managing tension is important in string art to maintain the shape and integrity of the design.
💡Yarn
Yarn is a long, continuous length of interlocked fibers, which can be used for knitting, weaving, or crafting. In the final step of her project, Ellen uses yarn to fill out the shape of her string art completely. Yarn is chosen for its thickness and texture, which contribute to the final look and feel of the artwork.
Highlights

Ellen shares her experience making string art, a project she had been eager to try.

She found the process to be quite easy and rewarding, leading to a visually appealing result.

Ellen started by printing a pattern she liked and experimented with different sizes to determine the best fit.

She cut out her shape on wood, ensuring the proportions were to her liking.

Ellen marked and cut the wood to size, then smoothed the edges with sandpaper.

To avoid sawdust, she worked in the basement and used a saw to trim the wood.

She attached hooks to the back of the wood for hanging purposes.

Ellen used tiny nails for the project, holding them with pliers instead of fingers for precision.

Taping the pattern to the wood made it easier to follow and nail through.

She placed nails in corner points first, then evenly spaced the rest.

After nailing, the paper pattern was carefully removed, with some nails replaced if necessary.

A dishwashing brush was used to remove paper stuck to the nails, as tweezers were ineffective.

Ellen began stringing by tying a knot and looping it around a nail, leaving the tail for the end.

She outlined the shape first, ensuring the string was on the outside for a clean edge.

Superglue was used to secure a nail that kept coming loose due to string pressure.

Filling the shape with yarn was done randomly for a more appealing look.

Maintaining tension on the yarn was crucial to prevent it from unraveling.

To finish, Ellen tied a knot at the starting nail, threaded the yarn through a needle, and hid the ends.

She advises leaving the yarn ends longer before threading through the needle for an easier finish.

Ellen encourages viewers to like, comment, and subscribe for more content.

Transcripts
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