When I was on The Marilyn Denis Show in November, I shared eight easy do-it-yourself art projects that won't break the bank. The project that I was proudest of? Definitely this DIY ombré art panel:  

 DIY ombré art: so sophisticated, but SO easy! Photography by Brett Walther.

  Ombré lends itself so beautifully to do-it-yourself art projects, whether you're working with fabric dye, paint or—as in this case— hardware store paint chips that always seem to accumulate when you're making that all-important decision on a new wall colour. This past year, I've been quite smitten with coral in all shades, from super-saturated to pale and powdery; so I just happened to have six paint chips strips in this hot hue at hand. The real beauty of DIY art, of course, is that you have complete control over the colours you include on your panel. So go ahead, indulge your inner chromaphile and experiment with colour you'd never dare apply on a wall-sized scale!   What you'll need: * Paint chips (I used six strip-style chips.) * Scissors * Glue stick * Sheet of paper * Art frame with matte   How to do it: 1. Using scissors, cut strip-style paint chips into individual paint colours. 2. Map out a rough arrangement of the chips, lining up the most saturated colours across the bottom row. Select increasingly lighter shades with each subsequent row, mixing up the colours slightly so that each column isn't necessarily a replica of the paint strip you started with. (You don't want it looking *too* perfect!) What you should end up with is a grid depicting a pretty gradient of colour. 3. Transfer your rough arrangement of chips to a sheet of paper, one at a time. (I used watercolour paper not only because I had it handy, but also because I like the texture, and it's substantial enough that it won't warp over time.) Give each paint chip a streak of glue from a glue stick, and then, using two rulers (one running horizontally and another vertically) as a guide, fix them into position. 4. Mount in a pre-fab frame (I used the 24" square Virserum frame from IKEA—just $20!) and hang for all to admire.     Follow me on Twitter!