You don’t need a giant art budget to fill your walls with pieces you love.
You don’t even need to be an artist.
What you do need?
A few favorite photos, a free app, and a simple print service.
Here’s exactly how I turned my own travel memories and old frames into beautiful, personal art—and how you can do it too.
STEP ONE: Choose your photos
Scroll your camera roll or photo album and pick images that make you feel something.
A quiet morning on vacation. A sunset from the back porch. Even a moody landscape from a rainy day walk.
These don’t need to be perfect shots—just meaningful ones. These are the ones I selected.
step two: transform with oilist
Download the Oilist app (available for iOS)
This little gem turns your photo into a stunning digital painting or watercolor.
-Upload your image
-Choose a style (I love the watercolor and impressionist looks)
-Let it “paint” for a few minutes
-Save the finished image to your phone or tablet
You can tweak the settings or just let it run—you’ll be surprised how beautiful the result looks. This is how mine look “watercolored”!
STEP THREE: PRINT WITH SMART PRESS
Go to Smartpress.com
Upload your edited image and choose “card stock sign” for a rich, gallery-like feel – and, sturdy!
Pro tip:
I measured the opening of the mat in the frames I had and adjusted the image size to fit and print to that size.
Choose uncoated or matte finish for a fine art look
They ship fast and the print quality is incredible.
step four: frame it up
Pull out old frames you’ve been storing (or check thrift stores if needed).
Wipe them down, swap in your new print, and hang.
That’s it.
You just made affordable, personal, meaningful art.
Why I Love This Project
It’s budget-friendly
It uses what you already have
It turns your memories into something beautiful
It works for any style—from modern to cozy to classic
You’re not overthinking it. You’re just making your space feel like you.
