Time to make a decorative clock

Use your computer to design a dramatic timepiece

By Tara Nolan and Heather Camlot

No need to synchronize watches! This above-the-mantel artwork does double duty as a clock — perfect for counting down to the new year or spicing up your décor.

The striking black-and-white orchid is a Clip Art photo reproduced onto multiple sheets of paper and glued onto foam core board. It’s a quick and easy way to liven up a blank wall. If only our New Year’s resolutions were so simple.

Follow the instructions below to create your own time-keeping masterpiece.

Materials

paper
glue (We used spray adhesive.)
foam core board (You could also use a very thin piece of plywood.)
clock mechanism and battery
scissors or sharp utility knife
sealer, such as Podgy
small drill or hammer and nail
screwdriver

Step 1: Select your image

In Word, insert a digital picture from your personal collection or a piece of Clip Art. Make the image’s resolution as high as possible as you’ll be printing it on a large scale.
Make any corrections to colour, brightness or contrast.

Step 2: Print your picture

Using the poster printing feature from your printer’s settings, test-print a low-quality version of your design and piece it together.
Once you are happy with the size and output, print onto the paper you wish to use.

Step 3: Glue to foam core

Trim your pages to fit together if your printer has produced a white border around the different parts of your image.
Fit the pieces together and, in a well-ventilated area, glue to the foam core board.
Allow to dry and, if desired, add a protective coat of sealer overtop of your image. We used Podgy.