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How to make Crop Art or Seed Art - A Mosaic of Seeds

[edit] Steps

Using pencil and eraser, draw a picture of what you want on a piece of Masonite or wood. Make your drawing a line drawing, like a picture in a coloring book, only instead of using crayons,fill in the sections with different seeds.
Attach picture hanging hardware to back of wood.You must do this before you begin gluing seeds on - if you do it afterwards, you knock seeds off when you hammer.
Begin applying seeds. Apply glue to small areas of your picture, and apply seeds by dumping them on and pouring them off (works best for small seeds, like millet or poppy seeds), or place them on one by one, using a toothpick to move them into place.
Gradually fill in all areas with seeds. Generally you want to cover everything, so there's no spots of bare wood.
Let glue dry. When completely dry, you may add a coat of spray acrylic or shellac, to add a shiny finish to it.

[edit] Tips

Rice works well if you want to make bold outlines.
Pay attention to the seeds texture, as well as its color.
All seeds will eventually fade in color, and no spray-on coating will completely protect your work from insects.
In mosaics, the eye reads a multicolored seed as one color, the dominant color. So a mostly pink with brown spotted seed will seem pink, when you step back and look at your work from a distance.
Eventually all green seeds turn brown.
You can also apply seeds, and then paint on top of the seeds with acrylic paint.
Big heavy seeds may need stronger types of glue.
If you want a frame, attach wood inside the frame, and then glue in seeds to make your picture. If you try to attach the frame afterwards, you need to leave a margin of wood free of seeds, to fit inside the frame.

Make sure you use picture hanging hardware that will hold the weight of your work.
Seeds are best stored in glass jars (plastic containers sometimes retain moisture leading to mold).
Seeds attract rodents and insects, so keep your seeds contained.

You will need: hammer, picture hanging hardware, pencil and eraser, toothpicks, seeds, white craft glue, 1/4" Masonite or plywood, spray shellac or acrylic finish(optional)