How to Make Picture Shadow Boxes

Pictures like these, with both an interesting foreground and background, work well in shadow boxes.

Shadow boxes are encased displays made of wood and glass. They are used to create dramatic picture displays and house souvenirs and collections. A shadow box can highlight a special picture and add context to it with three-dimensional items. A picture shadow box is inexpensive and simple to create.

Things You'll Need

• Box with sliding lid
• Acrylic sheet the thickness of the lid
• Utility knife
• Measuring tape
• Sandpaper
• Balsa wood
• Wood glue
• Foam-core board
• Double-sided tape or museum wax
• Glass cleaner
• Rag

Instructions

Picture Shadow Box

1. The box with the sliding lid will be the frame of your shadow box. Paint the box using primer and paint, if you want to change the color.

2. Remove the lid of the box and measure it. Copy the dimensions onto an acrylic sheet using a measuring tape and marker. Use a utility knife to saw partially through the acrylic sheet. Snap it apart. Sand the edges of the sheet until smooth. Use glass cleaner and a rag to clear any smudges or dirt from your new cover.

3. Measure the inner width of your shadow box. Cut this length in 2 balsa wood strips 1/2 inch wide. Glue these strips with wood glue to the inside of each width. Put these strips at whatever level you want your background. Clamp them to dry with a C-clamp. Let the background rest on this new ledge; this will bring your pictures closer to the acrylic surface.

4. Measure and cut a piece of foam-core board to insert as the new, closer shadow-box background. Consider adding a print to the foam-core board, especially if you are only displaying pictures in the box. One of the easiest ways to add a background is with printed cardstock that is intended for scrapbooks. Apply this to the foam board with craft glue or double-sided tape.

5. Choose pictures to display that have a unifying theme. You can use black-and-white photos for a different perspective. To embellish on the light and dimension play of a shadow box, use a many dimension of pictures; use photos for a foreground, middle ground and background. Affix the pictures using museum wax or double-sided tape.

Tips & Warnings

• A cool way to bring the pictures forward in a shadow box is to make pictures look like they are floating with protrusions from the balsa wood. Cut balsa wood strips 1/2 inch wide and in varying lengths to fit in the box like little spikes or pegs. Apply them with wood glue. Allow to dry. Attach pictures to the pegs with double-sided tape or museum wax. The pictures will look like they float at different levels beneath the glass.

References

• Martha Stewart: Preserve Vacation Memories in Shadow Boxes