This week’s craft project had me nervous, I’ll admit it. For the past six weeks I’ve been doing a quick and simple craft each week—making a fall wreath, stenciling a pillow, painting baskets, decorating pumpkins and gourds, creating vacation keepsake globes, and trying ceramic paint on a bowl of colorful cacti. Those projects were all under an hour and straightforward (paint this, wrap that, caulk here), so I’m not sure why I decided to tackle a little painted portrait of our first house this time.
It took far longer than any previous weekly craft. I spent roughly five hours total, spread over three days, and I’m equal parts proud and nervous about the result. It’s simple and charming, and John really likes it, but it’s not a professional-level house portrait you’d find on Etsy. Still, this blog is about sharing the good and the imperfect, so here’s the story behind this DIY house portrait and how I built it up layer by layer.
Materials: I used a 10 x 10 inch canvas bought at a craft store during a sale, and a basic set of acrylic paints I already owned. If you need paints, an introductory acrylic set is affordable at most art stores. I also picked up a high-gloss varnish later to seal the finished painting.
The painting developed in stages, and watching the progression was both fun and slightly cringe-worthy. Below is a concise step-by-step breakdown of how I approached the portrait, which may be helpful if you want to try a DIY house painting yourself.
- Step 1: Base colors. I started with a quick base coat—green for the lawn at the bottom and blue for the sky at the top. Both felt a bit bright and primary, but I used them as an underlayer knowing I would build color and texture on top.
- Step 2: Blocking in the house. Using a photo reference, I sketched the basic shape and perspective of the house on the canvas, including chimneys and the main roofline. The initial color was darker than I wanted, but blocking in shapes first helped guide the next layers.
- Step 3: Roof and outline. I painted the roof a dark tone and layered a red over the original brick color to soften the brown. A thin black outline around the house helped define edges and add dimension.
- Step 4: Small details. Using one flat-tipped brush that I cleaned as needed, I added shutters, chimney caps, and a lattice detail in black. The flat brush allowed me to use the edge for straight lines and kept the process simple.
- Step 5: Foliage base. I mixed several shades of green and applied bushes and trees on either side of the house. Using multiple tones prevented the greenery from looking flat and added depth to the composition.
- Step 6: White accents. I painted white details like the porch and window ledges, then extended and adjusted the roofline to account for the porch. I also softened the initial neon green lawn by mixing white into my green to create a more natural grass tone.
- Step 7: Lightening the greens. After adjusting the grass, I brightened the trees and bushes to match. I mixed colors on an old plate and dabbed excess paint on paper towels as I worked.
- Step 8: Adding trees. I added two front trees on the left. A few gray-brown strokes crept in while I experimented with texture on the roof and foliage.
- Step 9: Harmonizing tones. The gray-brown areas felt muddy, so I layered lighter green over them. I also introduced subtle reflections of the greenery on the roof and porch to create visual harmony across the scene.
- Step 10: Final texture and highlights. I used the rounded back of the paintbrush to dab small dots on the bushes to suggest white azaleas. I overdid it at first, then edited back until the dots felt balanced and helped the painting read as a cohesive whole.
After the last adjustments, I studied the painting for a while and decided it was finished. The process of layering and correcting felt forgiving—if something went wrong I could paint over it, which made the project more relaxing and experimental than stressful.
Sealing the painting: Once fully dry, I asked an artist friend for a recommendation and used a high-gloss varnish to seal the acrylic painting. I applied three thin coats several hours apart, which gave the surface a finished, protected sheen. Varnish can seem pricey, but a little goes a long way and it preserves the work well.
Now the painting sits on the office wall. John says it looks great there, and I think it would be even better paired with a second canvas—maybe a portrait of our next house if I get the itch to paint again. Looking back, I wish I had used a slightly lighter tone for the center tree to create a halo effect, but overall I like the composition and color balance.
If you’re thinking of making your own DIY house portrait, consider starting with photo reference, blocking in basic shapes and colors, and building layers gradually. Acrylics are forgiving and allow for multiple revisions, which makes them ideal for a beginner-friendly house portrait project.
Have you tried a house portrait before? Did you use paint, mixed media, or a digital method? I’d love to hear how you approached it.