How to Make Printable String Art Templates - Westfarthing Woodworks (2025)

This is How to Make Printable String Art Templates, and I’ll show you everything you need to know to make perfect printable templates for free. It’s easy, fast, and you can create nearly any design you would ever want. Enjoy.

Why Use String Art Templates

Did you know that you are just clicks away from an unlimited number of free string art templates and patterns that you can print out at home? You don’t need any special skills, and you can do the entire thing from just about any home computer.

String art is a lot of fun, and one of the biggest secrets to getting professional results is to use a template. With a template, you get several advantages that you don’t get when building by hand.

The template shows you exactly where to place the nails, in real size, and on the actual backer board that you are making your project with. This lets you place your nails with laser precision, and end up with a great looking string art project.

See Also:How to Make String Art

Free String Art Templates

Where do you find all of these free string art templates? Online of course. All you need to do is go to Google Images, and start searching. However, before you rush away, let me show you some settings to change that will make your search more helpful.

Since you are making a line drawing essentially from string, and you need lines to place your nails, you need to narrow the search to certain types of images.

Go to Google Image Search and type in something easy like “flower” or “elephant” and click search. Once the results come in, click Settings under the search bar, and then Advanced Search. Scroll down to Type of Image, and change that to Line Drawing.

Finally, click the Advanced Search button at the bottom to add the filter. Now, you are seeing only the line drawing versions of the search you performed, and all of these make perfect free string art templates.

(Check the copyright of the images that you use. Most of the time, for personal use without making money, the owners will allow you to use the image, but make sure before you do anything like distribute or sell.)

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Printing Your String Art Templates

Once you have a design that you like, you need to print it out so you can use it as a template. This is easy too, just print out the image and see what it looks like. In most cases, it will either be too big or too small on the first printing, and you will need to resize it.

The easiest way to do this is put the copy back on the glass and resize it from the printer itself. Adjust the settings to make it smaller or bigger, and print out a copy. Check the fit from there, and keep doing the same thing until you have a pattern that fits your backer board.

Alternatively, you can copy the image into a document, and resize it there before printing it once. Be careful downloading pictures from random sites though, and make sure you trust the source.

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String Art Templates PDF Format

Many people enjoy sharing string art templates among each other. If you find an image that you like, and that you can share without copyright issues, then consider making it into a PDF file that you can share. This is pretty easy, and all you need is a computer.

Open a document and size the image inside to be the size you need for the final project. Then, export it to a PDF format, and name it. Now, you have a nice PDF file that anyone can open and use to make the same string art project that you made.

You can make several of these PDF templates and save them to your computer for later use. They last forever, and they print out really easily when you need them.

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How to Use a String Art Template

The beauty of a template is that it gives you a way to make a uniform, and repeatable design. To use your template, print it out, and place it over your backer board where you want the design to be.

Then, tape it down so it does not move around. Now, grab a nail or something pointy and sharp, and start poking holes along the lines. If you want, you can mark spots on the lines evenly first, and then come back with the nail and poke through the marks.

This will make the project more even, but after doing these for a while you will be able to do it by hand and have it look very even. Work all the way around the design, and then remove the template, leaving indents on the wood surface for the nail locations.

You now have your nail locations marked on the board, and you can start drilling. Yes, I said drilling. That is the other really big secret to making string art. You can do much better by pre-drilling the holes than by hammering in the nails.

Not only will the nails be straighter, but they will all be at an even depth, and overall your project will look a lot more professional. If you can buy a small drill press (less than $100) you can easily start drilling your nail holes and take your string art over the top.Check the post below for directions on how to do it.

See Also:The Secret to Making String Art

Your Action Assignment

Now that you know how to find unlimited string art templates online for free, it’s time to take a look at what you can start making. String art is a super fun project, and you only need to find some inspiring images to be excited about heading out into the shop.

Do a search, and narrow the results down to Line Drawings. Scroll through them and see what inspires you and looks like it will make a nice piece of string art. In most cases, just about any line drawing will work, just place your nails well and then string it up.

Print out your template, and size it to fit your project. Mark the locations of the nails by making a dent in the wood, and then start drilling. Place your nails, add your string, and you will have a great looking and professional piece of string art that you can be proud of.

If you have any questions, please and I’ll be glad to help. Happy building.