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An artist airbrushes wedding dresses, and you can buy one of her colorful creations for your special day

Zoë Ettinger   

An artist airbrushes wedding dresses, and you can buy one of her colorful creations for your special day
Taylor Ann Linko airbrushed her own wedding dress, and trending photos of her nuptials inspired others to reach out for similar designs.Taylor Ann Art/Canvas Bridal
  • Taylor Ann Linko is a San Diego-based artist who uses airbrushing to create eye-catching wedding dresses.
  • Linko started getting design requests after she airbrushed her first bridal gown in 2016, which was for her own wedding.
  • Linko, who sells her creations via her brand, Canvas Bridal, transform gowns from thrift stores, bridal and clothing shops that are closing, and donations.
  • "I love pushing the limits, testing, even failing — I'll just keep trying until that little dream in my head starts to appear," Linko told Insider.

Linko made her first airbrushed gown for her own wedding in 2016.

Linko made her first airbrushed gown for her own wedding in 2016.
Linko's own wedding dress was the first one she airbrushed.      Taylor Ann Art/Canvas Bridal

Linko came up with the idea to airbrush her wedding dress after using the same technique to add color to her wedding flowers.

"The colors looked so nice, and I was so frustrated after failing over and over again trying to get decent color results with my dress," Linko told Insider. "I just thought, 'Why can't I just airbrush the dress like these flowers?'"

After her wedding, photos of her dress got attention on social media, and people started asking her to emulate the design on their own gowns.

After her wedding, photos of her dress got attention on social media, and people started asking her to emulate the design on their own gowns.
The "Iris" dress by Linko has pink and purple details.      Taylor Ann Art/Canvas Bridal

"Not going to lie, my dress looked awful as I started working. It really didn't come together until the very end," Linko said of the first dress she airbrushed.

She said that despite it being her first attempt at the design technique, after her wedding, fans online were enthralled with the effect and started reaching out to her with gown requests.

Linko started getting more requests than she could manage for airbrushed wedding dresses.

Linko started getting more requests than she could manage for airbrushed wedding dresses.
The first dress Linko sold had a peacock-inspired color combination.      Taylor Ann Art/Canvas Bridal

Linko said that she used the profits from her first client order to buy supplies and write a contract for her business.

The dress Linko designed for her first client had a peacock-style design, a color combination she said is popular with customers.

Today, Linko sells her designs via the website for her brand, Canvas Bridal, which currently ships in the US.

At first, Linko airbrushed dresses that clients sent to her, but she decided to start sourcing her own bridal gowns to preserve her artistic vision.

At first, Linko airbrushed dresses that clients sent to her, but she decided to start sourcing her own bridal gowns to preserve her artistic vision.
This vintage wedding dress was dyed in sunset colors.      Taylor Ann Art/Canvas Bridal

Linko said that she started to feel like she was losing her love for creativity when clients would send her bridal gowns to airbrush.

"I started to be just a maker — doing what people asked — and less of an artist," Linko said.

Linko sources her dresses from donations, thrift stores, and bridal shops that are closing or looking to get rid of gowns.

Linko sources her dresses from donations, thrift stores, and bridal shops that are closing or looking to get rid of gowns.
Linko works on both new and used gowns.      Taylor Ann Art/Canvas Bridal

Linko has a stock of dresses in a wide range of styles and sizes.

"As an avid thrifter from childhood, this makes my soul so happy," she said.

By airbrushing gowns she's found herself, Linko said she's been able to bring some of her "wild ideas" to life.

By airbrushing gowns she
This lace wedding dress features an ombré design.      Taylor Ann Art/Canvas Bridal

"I wanted to create some of the wild ideas I had been dreaming of, like a dress that changes color in the sun, and one inspired by a bubble. So I decided to take the chance and really change my business," Linko told Insider.

Linko has two lines of dresses: gowns that are in great condition and can be painted on instantly, and older gowns that require cleaning or alterations before airbrushing.

Linko has two lines of dresses: gowns that are in great condition and can be painted on instantly, and older gowns that require cleaning or alterations before airbrushing.
Her "Bubble" dress was inspired by pastels.      Taylor Ann Art/Canvas Bridal

"'Collaborations' are gowns in near perfect condition — I just color them like a canvas," she said. "'Creations' are old, damaged gowns people would have just tossed, and I change the design and add color."

Linko's "Bubble" gown, pictured above, is an example of one of her "creations."

Depending on the style, Linko spends a week or more airbrushing each gown.

Depending on the style, Linko spends a week or more airbrushing each gown.
Gowns with more intricate designs can take longer.      Taylor Ann Art/Canvas Bridal

"I made my goal with Canvas Bridal to post one new dress a week since that's usually around how long they take," she said.

Linko loves dreaming up new ideas and adding unexpected pops of color to wedding dresses.

Linko loves dreaming up new ideas and adding unexpected pops of color to wedding dresses.
She airbrushes the gowns in a range of color patterns.      Taylor Ann Art/Canvas Bridal

Linko said it's an amazing feeling to be inspired by something and then bring that idea to life.

"If I'm being honest, it's really hard for me to focus on anything else once I get an idea in my head," she said.

Linko's unique wedding dresses range in price from $1,500 to $4,210 at the time of writing.

Linko
Her "Blue Sun" dress offers a color-changing effect.      Taylor Ann Art/Canvas Bridal

The "Blue Sun" dress, pictured above, changes from white to blue when it hits sunlight. It retails for $3,780 at the time of writing.

"Indoors, it looks like a white dress, so you can have that traditional church wedding, then make the jaws drop as you step out the door into the light," Linko described the "Blue Sun" dress on her brand's website.

Explore more of Linko's designs on the Canvas Bridal website.

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