Make Your Own Art Cheaply

My 18 yr. old daughter wanted a painting (several really) from Hobby Lobby for her room this Christmas. We were able to purchase 1 of the paintings she wanted but couldn't afford to get all of them. So we purchased a 2 pack of canvases (7.99) and 1 bottle teal craft paint (.77) (I had the other colors). I looked at drawings and pictures online until I found styles that basically complemented her painting, I then sketched and made changes until I was happy with look., then I transferred sketch to transparency paper and used my overhead projector to transfer drawings to canvas. Painted them in let dry, Brushed gloss shellac over them to give same sheen as store bought painting (pictures were taken before shellac) and then waited until Christmas. She loved them and was sure we had bought them until I showed her sketches I used. She has now asked for a couple more :). My total cost for 2 - 16 x 20 paintings was under 10.00.
We purchased the Center painting, the other 2 are companion pieces I made-- They can hang as a set or on their own. I had to mix dark brown with a little black to get a close shade for trees, Birds are as close as I could match color.
All you need to do to make your own is buy blank canvases, decide on a picture and either draw, print or trace it on to transparency paper. Put onto projector, trace on canvas or wall and paint.You can use any medium paint you would like- craft, acrylic, watercolor, oils, it's your art do what you love. Easy as can be. And if you see a piece you love but colors don't work, this lets you use colors that work for your home.
Here is a link to making an overhead projector to use -- just need lamp, box and tape. http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Paint-a-Mural-in-a-Childs-Nursery/step3/Projection/