How to Make Display Quality Printables without a Color Printer
Ever wish you could decorate your home with all the pretty printables that are out there to download but don’t have a color printer? Or just don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on ink? Let me show you how to still get all of the joy of those gorgeous printables without having a color printer.
I love decorating my mantel and all of my spaces by season. Something about the change and theme just puts me in a wonderful mood each time I walk into the room. It’s also nice not being overly concerned about cost every time I want to make small changes to a room.
Have you seen the price of artwork lately??
This way, I can alter anything I want for a small amount of investment. If I decide I don’t like it in a week, I just find something else to replace it.
I’m going to show you an example in my own personal collection. This gorgeous printable is from Clean & Scentsible. If you love it, make sure you run over and grab it from her site. Go ahead… I’ll wait.
I also have an entire Pinterest board just for pretty printables. Make sure you check it out and follow me there.
Supplies You Need To Make Your Printables without a Color Printer
First, you’ll need a printer. I have a simple laser printer that just uses toner. The ink is way cheaper than traditional inkjet printers. And yes, I’m pretty cheap that way. I’ll invest more upfront to keep my consumables costs low. I think it just makes more sense in the long run.
Secondly, you’ll need a medium to color your printable with. I like the look of watercolor, so I tend to lean toward colored pencils. I also have good old crayons, my favorite Staedtler markers, and all of my other art supplies (watercolors, acrylics, pastels, etc.). Whatever you are most comfortable with and like the look of.
Third, you need a space to color.
No lie, this is fun too. Deciding the colors I want to use in my space and sitting down to actually color is kind of therapuetic to me. It is my meditation, if you will.
Printing Your New Printables
As long as your printable has saved as a PDF, this method should work for you. Just go to your printer icon, and click it. It will open your print dialogue box. When it does, make sure you click the Print in Greyscale option. This will ensure that your printable will come out without any color. Which means you get to have the fun of adding it yourself!
Have Fun with Your Printables
You know your taste and your room’s feel. You can stick to the colors that were intended to be on the printable, if you so desire. Feel free to change it up and make it more your own. Play with the colors and how you want the printable to look in your space.
Once you have it all colored or painted to your liking, you can frame it as it is behind glass.
I have a frame I made myself from an old canvas that got damaged. I simply removed all of the canvas and kept the wooden frame. Then, I stained it with a grey stain to get it to look how I wanted it to.
I do not have glass in my frame. Instead, I laminate my finished printables. Not only does this keep them looking amazing, but storing them isn’t an issue. I know when I put them in my Printables file in my cabinet, they will not get damaged before I want to use them again.
Get to Printing!!
Why are you still here? Go find some gorgeous printables and start making gorgeous art for your own house now!
Make your own printables? I’d love to see what you have done! Leave me a comment below or share to my Facebook or tag me @heritagehomeec on Instagram!
Need more Home Decor inspiration? Check out more of my Home Decor Ideas here!!
