String art diagrams. String art for beginners with diagrams: master class with photos and videos

String art has long been a real art. Our master class is perhaps for beginners in this matter. The main thing is that this activity brings you pleasure both in the process and in the result.

So, what does it take to make a product like the one in the photo?

What you need

Necessary materials:

1. Wooden board - 0.5-1 inch thick, size of your choice,
2. Pencil,
3. Ruler,
4. Compass,
5. Nails,
6. Hammer,
7. Colored threads.

We measure and make marks

It is more convenient and better to pull the threads if the wooden board is an equilateral square and the thickness does not exceed an inch.

Mark the center of government. Prepare the pencil and compass, making sure that the line of the compass and the line of the pencil are at the same level. Make notes. Draw a circle on the board using a compass. Circle of any diameter. You can draw more circles.

It is better if you mark the places where you want to hammer the nails. Use a clear ruler to mark the position of the nails along the circle. The photo shows points after every 1 cm.

Hammering nails

Now start driving nails at the marked points along the drawn circle.

Drive the nails halfway into the wood board.

This step takes time and it can be quite boring, but you must drive the nails patiently, since the whole art depends on the position of the nails. To cheer yourself up a little, it’s completely permissible to sing your favorite song)

Start

The colors used for this art are red, yellow, green, blue and purple. Although it would be more fun to use sazu in all the colors of the rainbow.

Choose a nail as a starting point. Take a thread, wrap it around any nail and tie a knot. Apply a drop of glue on the knot to do this, it's safe.

Count the nails and try to create an equilateral triangle with the string wrapped around the nails. After creating the first triangle you will return to the starting question again. Just skip that nail and grab the next one. Create another equilateral triangle by wrapping the following nails. Keep doing the same.

Take a thread of a different color. Wrap it around the nail, next to the previous nail (but not the same nail). Continue creating equilateral triangles until all the nails are covered.

String Art is certainly an interesting direction in needlework. The work uses decorative nails, a hammer, threads and produces very beautiful and unusual patterns, paintings or inscriptions. In this type of needlework, it is very important to pay attention to the color scheme of the threads. Both monochromatic paintings on a laconic background, the classic combination of black and white, and bright color paintings look equally good and interesting. A panel in this technique depicting dishes or products is perfect as a decor for the kitchen, the hallway can be decorated with a painting depicting shoes, keys or an umbrella, in a children's room images of cartoon characters would be good, for a bedroom a panel depicting doves, hearts or silhouettes of a man and a woman. In today's master class we will look at the String Art technique, which is perfect for beginners, because it comes with diagrams.

String Art is creativity at the peak of popularity, as it allows you to combine the incongruous - the rigidity and brutality of nails and the lightness and fragility of threads.

Learning the String Art technique for beginners with diagrams

String Art, as a type of art, comes from England. There are two versions of the origin of this method of needlework: the first - the ancestor of String Art is a woman mathematician who taught and explained geometry in this way, the second - this is how weavers decorated their homes.

A panel using the String Art technique can be an excellent gift for a loved one on Valentine's Day or Women's Day. Let's consider the idea of ​​​​creating a heart-shaped panel: what materials will be needed and directly how to make it. The process is not that complicated, and the result will be stunningly beautiful.

For work you will need the following materials:

• Hammer;
• Decorative nails;
• Plywood (small size);
• Cotton threads;
• Drawing template on paper;
• Sandpaper.

Let's prepare the basis for the future product; for this, the plywood needs to be sanded with sandpaper.

In order to choose a heart to your taste, we offer several schemes - templates to choose from.

Once the heart template is drawn or printed, cut it out of paper. Its size should correspond to the size of the plywood. An important step is to position the template strictly in the center on a plywood base, or in another position, but the evenness of the lines still needs to be maintained.

Next, along the entire contour of the heart template, at equal distances, we mark segments with a simple pencil. Now it's time for decorative nails. We nail them on the marked notches very carefully so that the height of all nails is the same. This is a painstaking task, but there is no way to do without it, so we gather all our will into a fist and hammer in the nails.

When all the nails are driven into the plywood, the heart stencil can be removed. Now we prepare the threads for work. First of all, you need to wrap the heart along the contour, and then proceed to parallel winding of the threads. You should try to wind the threads with the same intensity and adhere to strict lines. The winding must be tight to avoid sagging threads, as this can significantly spoil the appearance of the future product.

When the entire area of ​​the heart is filled with parallel lines of threads, choose a different direction and continue winding. Depending on the density of the threads, you should independently adjust the number of winding layers; in our case, there were four layers of threads in different directions.

The result of painstaking work is presented in the photo.

The discount done and the resulting result will, without a doubt, delight your eyes for a long time. This idea of ​​a panel fascinates with its rigor and transparency at the same time. It contains metal in the form of nails, wood, threads - unusual, isn’t it?

Depending on the colors of the threads, the base, the size and texture of the nails, the appearance of paintings in the String Art style can be completely different. To add integrity to the picture, the heads of the studs can be tinted.

For a detailed study of this technique, we suggest watching several interesting videos in which experienced needlewomen will reveal the secrets of the work and give advice to beginners. You will also be able to see different ideas for creating a heart using the String Art technique. Enjoy watching and good luck in your creativity!

Video on the topic of the article

A hobby is a way of self-expression and each handmaker chooses a hobby that becomes a reflection of his attitude to the world around him. In an effort to make this world a better, more beautiful, kinder place, experienced and novice craftsmen create real masterpieces with their own hands from scrap materials. Unique works of art include paintings and panels made from ordinary nails and threads using the string art technique. Using threads of different colors and shades, craftsmen create uniquely beautiful canvases, showing imagination and without spending significant money on purchasing materials for work.

Having mastered the string art technique, they create paintings that are particularly attractive. Bright, voluminous, multifaceted. This is a great opportunity to make an original gift for friends, family and loved ones with your own hands for any occasion. Products made using this technique are full-fledged decorative elements. They do not just decorate and complement the surrounding space. Paintings and panels help create home comfort, bring joy, and lift your spirits.

Drawings made from threads and nails, made on a dense basis, are not only decorative panels.

Having mastered the string art technique, you can do the following with your own hands:

• postcards;
• album covers;
• bookmarks.

At its core, string art is a kind of weaving with threads that are fixed on nails. Another name for this method of creating decorative panels and paintings is thread graphics.

In this way, a three-dimensional image is created on a solid base, which is thick cardboard or a wooden plank. If many holes are made in cardboard or wood with an uneven surface, through which threads of various colors and shades are pulled, then we are talking about isographics.

In cases where nails driven into the base are used to attach threads, the technique of creating paintings and decorative panels is called string art. Nails can be replaced with special hooks, and colored threads can be replaced with rope, fishing line, or nylon cord. In this way, not only drawings are made, but also inscriptions, patterns, and ornaments.

Qualified psychologists recommend teaching this type of handmade to children starting at the age of 3. While working on a painting or pattern, the young creator develops the concept of angles, abstract thinking, develops imagination and fine motor skills. The child learns, remembers directions (up, down, left, right), becomes familiar with the concepts of circle, height, chord, middle. Top, edge. This makes string art not just a fascinating form of creativity, but also a very useful and educational one.

Thread graphics can be subject and subject, artistic and graphic. Any image is distinguished by a high degree of realism and originality. It is enough for a novice master to know how to correctly fill a circle, corner or arc.

In the process of work, the ability to control the level of thread tension and the correctness of intersections appears.

Those who are starting to work on a painting using the string art technique for the first time do not need to come up with a plot on their own. Ready-made templates will help you acquire the required skills, the use of which facilitates the learning process. The handmaker needs to pay all attention to the correctness of the weave in order to fill the corners efficiently and create arcs and circles.

It is the templates that will help you master the basic techniques of string art.

This includes filling and forming elements such as:

• circle;
• circle;
• corner;
• arc.

This knowledge and skill will help you create a wavy relief, a complex pattern of threads of different colors, filled figures with contrasting edging.

Using the same template, you can make several different paintings, filling all the elements with threads of the same color, using threads of different colors and shades, of different qualities and different thicknesses. In another version, the main one is an arc, in another - a wide circle or ring, the design remains empty, and the entire free area of ​​the base is woven with threads, driving nails not only along the contour of the image, but also along the entire perimeter of the board or cardboard.

Before you start creating a masterpiece. It is necessary to prepare all the tools and materials that the master will need while working on a painting, postcard or decorative panel. But first, you should prepare your workplace.

The solution to this problem should be approached by thoroughly thinking through all the nuances:

1. Lighting.
2. Place and method of attaching the base.
3. Table and chair matching each other in height.
4. A stand or shelf for storing tools and materials.
5. Garbage container.

It is impossible to complete the job without preparing a convenient tool. In the process of creating even a small painting, you will have to drive nails into the hard surface of the base with the utmost care, so you will need a light hammer.

The master’s hand should not experience significant tension, which means that a large, heavy tool cannot be used.

Wood varnish will be needed to prepare the working surface. Accordingly, you need to take care of purchasing a high-quality brush that does not lose bristles during use, and a sufficient amount of solvent to clean the brush after completing the preparatory work.

If a child will do the work, then polystyrene foam or cardboard is used as a base. The materials are quite light and comfortable. Foam does not require additional coating. As for cardboard, you can make it brighter using a water-based stain.

In order to transfer a template (bitmap, sketch) to the prepared surface of the base, you need to stock up on copy paper. Pliers will be needed to hold or remove nails. Using scissors, the master will trim the ends of the threads, the quality of which depends on the characteristics of the future image.

Bobbin sewing threads are used to create light, airy weaves, iris will help make the picture bright, nylon cord is necessary to create graphic designs. Using fishing line, they make a background when working on a plot canvas. The threads are chosen long enough and strong enough. It is impossible to tie a thread that is torn during the process due to strong tension. There should be no knots on the finished product.

A regular ballpoint pen will help make the process of tightening the thread easier and more convenient. It is enough to remove the rod, make a hole in the cap and thread the selected thread, which will be used during work.

Anyone can learn how to make a large decorative panel or a small greeting card using the string art technique.

To do this, you need to master basic techniques, including filling and shaping:

1. Circle.
2. Corner.
3. Circles.
4. Arcs.

Oval, wave, rectangle. A square or a rhombus are additional, derivative elements that make the image as realistic and complete as possible.

Training in filling out the figures drawn on the board will help you gain certain skills:

1. An angle is drawn on the working surface, the lengths of the sides are 5 and 10 cm. Each of them is divided into 10 equal parts, the boundaries are marked with dots into which small nails are driven. All points must be numbered. On a vertical segment, numbering begins from the top point, at which the number 1 is placed. The top of the angle is indicated by the number 2. Then the number 4 is written under the one, and next to the two - 3, after 4 - 5. After 3 - 6. And so on, taking into account the direction of the thread and the movement of the hand with the handle tucked in (up - down, or right - left).
2. To make a circle you need to draw a circle. To do this, you can use a pattern or a compass. Make holes on the circle, the distance between them will be equal. It is better if there are at least 20-30 such holes, but the exact number depends on the density of the pattern (weaving) and the length of the circumference. Points 1 and 2 are located diametrically. All other numbers are arranged according to the same principle. Same as when filling a corner.
3. By braiding the nails in an “8” pattern, they create a clear outline of a circle.
4. I make an arc by numbering on a diagram (usually made in the form of a circle) points located at equal distances from each other. The first thread is fixed at a point that will be designated by the number 1. From it, moving clockwise, count 9 nails and pull the thread, wrapping it around the last one, which will be designated by the number 2. The movement continues in one direction. Stretch the thread, connecting point 2 and 3 located below the circle. From it, pull the thread up to the nail driven in next to 1. This will be point 4. This continues until the thread returns to point 2. The result is a regular arc.

By studying examples of stages of product execution, you can notice a pattern in the repetition of movements. All of them are directed strictly clockwise according to the “back and forth” principle. Of course, the threads can be pulled in a chaotic manner. This technique is used when filling the inside of a picture or to create a dense background in which the image appears to be buried.

The most striking examples of finished works are exotic flowers and two-layer drawings. Complex graphics. The thinner the working thread, the more interesting the result of the work.

Using black and white sewing threads, you can make a drawing in which not only the central (main) figure will be highlighted, but also the shadow falling from it.

The most striking and memorable are panels and paintings with a plot, in which an action or a series of events is traced. There are several heroes here, each of which has its own characteristics and traits. Such products are made using many large and small parts and can only be made by an experienced craftsman.

The multi-colored threads from which complex patterns are woven are eye-catching in themselves, and the flowers, birds, and butterflies made from them can easily be called a real masterpiece.

It is better for beginning handmakers to refuse such complex work and start with graphic patterns. For weaving, you should choose floss or iris threads, which are characterized by a high degree of elongation and strength.

Giving advice to beginners, needlewomen who have created a sufficient number of paintings or decorative panels recommend first mastering the technique of filling corners, circles and arc design. In the future, this will help you effortlessly make interesting, intricate patterns or depict flowers in paintings, consisting of many elements of any shape.

Have you ever seen how a spirograph works? The principle of operation of this children's toy is that a pencil or pen is fixed in the hole of a special ring, it is inserted into a larger one, and due to the movement of the latter, intricate lines remain on the paper. Now imagine the same picture, but with a three-dimensional image? Beautiful? The main thing is that everyone, young and old, can master the string art technique, and to create a panel you will need ordinary nails and threads.

To create a panel you will need ordinary nails and threads

"The art of pulling ropes"

Entire paintings are created using string art technique

This is exactly how the interesting direction in decor String Art is translated from English. There are several Russian equivalents for the name of this skill: these are isothread, thread graphics, and thread design. The founders of this unusual art of figuratively stretching multi-colored threads onto a smooth surface were the British. The essence of the technique is that threads are caught and pulled onto nails driven into the board. In this case, the nails need to be driven in so that the threads eventually create a finished image.

This is interesting. The first mentions of thread graphics date back to the 17th century. But then, pulling threads onto nails driven into boards had a practical purpose: this is how sketches for weaving lace were created. And from the end of the 19th century, string art began to be used to decorate the interior, and the founder of this movement was the mathematics teacher Marie Everest Bull, who, with the help of three-dimensional figures made of threads, explained the features of geometric figures to her students.

Using the string graphics technique, you can create various panels, as well as:

• postcards;
• elements of external and internal decor;
• applications using string art motifs to create inscriptions, etc.

String art for beginners - video

What does it take to be creative?

Portraits using string art technique look fascinating

So that nothing distracts you from practicing filament graphics, you should prepare everything you need in advance.

Substrate

This is the board into which the nails will be driven. It can be made from:

• plywood;
• traffic jams.

The undeniable advantage of these materials is that they can be tinted, painted, varnished or covered with film.

An important point: you can use a foam base, which can be easily painted in the desired color with acrylic paints. Just keep in mind that instead of nails it is better to use pins with small eyes.

Also note that cardboard is not suitable for isothread.

Nails

It is very important that there is a lot of this material. Of course, it all depends on the size of the idea, but even for the smallest picture you need to prepare at least 20 carnations. The following types of nails are suitable for artistic purposes:

• furniture;
• carpentry;
• decorative.

Their advantage is that these nails themselves are small and have miniature heads.

Threads

Knitting threads are ideal for crafts using the string art technique in terms of density and color range. But you can also use:

• twisted threads;
• floss;
• fine iris.

But it’s better not to take silk threads: they are very inconvenient to work with - they constantly slip.

What else?

Pulling threads over nails has a calming effect on the psyche, which is why string art was included in the list of art therapy techniques

It’s still too early to start working if you have threads, nails and backing. We will also need:

• scissors;
• pliers (if suddenly the nail is out of place);
• drawing template on paper;
• buttons;
• loop if the picture will hang on the wall.

An important nuance: if you want to change the color of the substrate, then use wood paint of a suitable shade or stain.

String graphics - room for creativity

Ideas for panels in the photo

Such original panels make the interior even more comfortable

Using thread graphics you can create narrative paintings

The more complex the composition, the more shades of threads you can use

Paintings in which the design is revealed by filling the background with threads look very beautiful.

A painting using the thread graphics technique can become a memorable wedding gift

Scheme options - photo gallery

You can find individual patterns and combine them in one panel

If you are good at string art with single-color threads, then you can move on to combining several shades in one image

Diagrams for thread designs usually indicate the order in which the threads are crossed.

3 master classes for every taste

Making a three-dimensional heart

Panel “Heart” - an accent in any interior due to its bright color

As you know, it is better to start mastering any type of creativity with simple crafts. In the string art technique, this includes the heart.

Materials:

• substrate;
• sheet of paper, pencil;
• double sided tape;
• 90 decorative carnations;
• hammer;
• red floss threads;
• scissors;
• pliers.

Instructions:

DIY heart as a gift - video

How to make a bird?

Symbols of wisdom made of bright threads look especially original

The owl is a symbol of wisdom and tranquility. A panel depicting this bird will look great both in the living room and in the office. This is a craft for those who already have, albeit little, experience in “dealing” with nails and threads.

Materials:

• wooden backing;
• 2 sheets of white paper;
• pencil;
• PVA glue;
• threads (you can use iris);
• carnations;
• hammer;
• scissors;
• pliers.

Instructions:

Panel “Deer” using string art technique

Due to the large number of sharp-angled parts, force must be applied when winding the threads

With winter approaching, we are always concerned with the question of how to decorate our home for our most favorite holiday - New Year. And the isonite technique can help with this. A beautiful panel with the silhouette of a deer will become a real symbol of the upcoming holiday.

Materials:

• wooden backing;
• A4 sheet of paper;
• pencil;
• white wool threads;
• carnations;
• hammer;
• scissors;
• pliers.

Instructions:

This picture, despite its apparent simplicity, requires some skills in working with the string art technique. This is all due to the fact that the design contains many details with sharp corners (for example, horns), which are difficult to wrap with thread without twisting it.

New Year's motifs using isothread technique - video

Thread design makes it possible to beautifully and originally decorate your home with unusual panels. What gives these crafts a special chic is that they were made by the hands of the owners. In addition, this type of creativity does not take up much time, but it can easily become a wonderful family leisure activity: dad gets materials, and mom and the children create and invent - an excellent division of responsibilities and a useful pastime.

The variety of types of needlework is designed to satisfy the most fastidious demands of craftswomen. But if simple knitting and embroidery are not for you, then we suggest mastering a completely new technique - isothread or string art. To create paintings using this technique, no special knowledge is required: everything you need to know to master this type of needlework is given in this post.

What is string art

String art, as a way of creating compositions, was invented in England back in the 16th century. From ordinary nails and threads, weavers created stunning decorative designs on tablets that served as home decoration. Gradually, the technique became more complex and refined, eventually becoming a popular type of needlework that was captivated by needlewomen of all ages.

The isothread technique gained its unprecedented popularity thanks to the English researcher Mary Boole, who used threads and nails to teach children algebra and geometry.

Tools for creating paintings using string art technique

Isothread is one of the most low-cost techniques. To create your first composition you will only need nails and thread. A set of nails can be purchased at any hardware store, choosing the appropriate length and width of the head. Every needlewoman can find threads for string art. You can use thick knitting yarn, floss or silk threads, thick sewing threads.

In addition you will need:

• board or piece of plywood


• thick cardboard - used as an alternative to plywood for creating cards


• diagram or finished image


• paint for emphasizing individual areas of the composition


• hammer or awl

String art: first steps to mastering the technique

If you have never encountered the isothread technique before, then you should not immediately take on complex images. Start with the basics, with the simplest monochromatic patterns. Beginning needlewomen are very helpful in diagrams with numbers, where all the movements of the thread and the type of their connection are indicated by arrows.

You need to start mastering the technique by studying the principles of filling corners and circles. The remaining shapes: square, oval and letters are derived from the basic elements, so they are much easier to master.

It would seem that there is nothing difficult in creating a picture from such familiar tools as nails and threads. In the isothread technique, the correct weaving of threads is very important, once mastered, you will be able to create stunning three-dimensional paintings.

The big advantage of string art is that you can choose absolutely any sketch to create a picture. This comes in handy when you need to create a unique drawing with a portrait of a specific person, numbers or words.

In the first stages, use plain threads for string art. In the future, add additional shades to the color scheme, creating multi-colored panels.

Many people believe that regular geometric lines are not appropriate in images with flowers, insects, wildlife or portraits, where smooth transitions and the absence of obvious angles are important. But string art copes with this task perfectly, conveying the depth of color through the use of threads of several shades or nails of various lengths.

String art: master classes on creating compositions

So, all the necessary tools for string art have already been purchased. So where to start? Take simple diagrams with tips as a basis, or better yet, use the tips of experienced needlewomen. In our article we will present 3 master classes, from the simplest to the most complex, and will tell you how to independently create incredibly beautiful patterns and images using the isothread technique.

Heart using isothread technique

One of the simplest images that beginners can do is the heart. Even a child can handle such a composition, provided that adults hammer carnations into the board. This craft will make a great gift or just decorate a wall in your living room.

Draw a neat heart on a blank sheet of paper or print the finished image on a printer. Arbitrarily place points in the picture where the nails will be nailed. Place marks at the same distance; the final appearance of the product will depend on this.

Place a piece of paper on the plywood and nail in the places marked with nails. Carefully remove the sheet from the plywood.

Next, we proceed directly to working with threads. Make a neat knot on the central top nail, pulling the tip diagonally. Pull the thread towards each nail so that an acute angle is formed each time.

Once all the nails are wrapped with thread, secure it and carefully cut off the tip.

Below are the basic schemes for creating corners and circles using the string art technique. Having mastered them, you will be able to perform simple, but at the same time effective and voluminous compositions.

Flower using string art technique

Having learned how to make a circle and an angle using the isothread technique, you can begin to create simple compositions with flowers. Dandelions using the string art technique look incredibly tender and beautiful. In addition, it is very easy to perform such a composition.

To create a picture you will need:

• paper


• pencil


• white and green threads

Draw three circles in random order on a piece of paper. These will be the dandelions themselves. Also depict the leaves and stems of the flower. As in the previous master class, mark the nailing locations on the sheet with dots.

Attach the sheet to the plywood and nail the nails at the previously marked points.

Using white threads, embroider dandelion inflorescences in a circular pattern. To do this, fasten the edge of the thread to the central nail and lead it to the other points, forming sharp corners. The operating diagram is presented below.

To achieve the volume of dandelion leaves, divide them into several triangles and embroider each of them according to the principle of an angle.

Portrait using string art technique

If you have already mastered the technique of isona thread and are confident in your abilities, then it’s time to start creating spectacular portraits from nails and threads. As a basis, take a portrait of a loved one, a famous person, or a pet.

The creation of such a complex image begins not with the central part, as was the case in simple master classes, but with filling in the background. That is, first of all, denser areas of the image with shadow or clothing are covered with threads. After this, the remaining details are filled in, such as the face, hands, etc.

Even professional craftsmen use ready-made patterns in their work, since one incorrectly chosen direction of the thread can spoil the perception of the picture.

Try to make as few knots as possible, which simply have nowhere to hide. The thread tension should be maximum so that the pattern does not subsequently sag and lose its attractiveness.

The string art technique is a fairly new direction, which is just being mastered by needlewomen. Believe me, even a small piece of plywood, decorated with an image of nails and threads, will impress friends and family. Professional craftsmen who have thoroughly mastered the isothin technique earn good money by creating unique portraits and three-dimensional paintings for sale.