Mother Nature's Forest Home Shadow Box

Mother Nature's Forest Home Shadow Box

Posted by DecoArt on Aug 29th 2016

Create a fairyland shadow box in mixed media with DecoArt Media® Fluid Acrylics.

SUPPLIES

    • transfer paper
    • scissors
    • pencil
    • flat brush
    • laser copy of image of your choice
    • liner brush
    • hot glue gun
    • stencil brush
    • small round brush
    • ribbon
    • small wire cutters
    • floral moss
    • watercolor paper
    • craft paper
    • air-dry paper clay
    • branches
    • craft wire
    • shadow box
    • E6000 Glue

    INSTRUCTIONS

    NOTES:

    Let dry completely between painting steps.

    1. Print out the desired forest photo to fit the back and sides of the house shadow box. Cut to fit. Using Matte Medium and a flat brush, adhere the image to the inside of the house and apply another coat of Matte Medium on top of the image. Let dry. Once dry, use a small amount of Carbon Black to darken the corners on the inside of the house with a stencil brush.
    2. Instruction #1
    3. Adhere desired image of a figure onto thick paper with Matte Medium. Let dry. Once dry, use a craft knife or scissors to cut out. Paint the figure's dress in Blue Green Light and white with a small round brush. Paint the wings using Primary Yellow, white, Quinacridone Magenta, Pyrrole Orange, and Quinacridone Violet. If desired, apply Turquoise and Magenta Interference. Cut a crown from a desired material (bark-textured ribbon used) and adhere onto the head.
    4. Instruction #2
    5. Use the provided pattern to transfer the butterfly wings onto watercolor paper. Paint using desired colors and a small round and liner brush. (Colors shown: Quinacridone Violet, Pyrrole Orange, Quinacridone Magenta, Primary Yellow, white, black, and Cobalt Teal Hue.)
    6. Instruction #3
    7. Cut out the wings. Hot glue wire onto the backs of the wings with a small piece of wire sticking out where the wing will meet the body.
    8. Using paper clay, make a butterfly body in sizes coordinating with the wings. Temporarily stick the wire from the wings into the clay where you would like them placed. Cut two small pieces of wire to temporarily place where the antennae will be placed. Allow the wires to stay in place while the paper clay dries.
    9. Instruction #5
    10. Remove the wings and antennae from the holding clay. Paint the body of the butterfly to coordinate with the wings as desired. Use a liner brush and a contrasting color to add details onto the body. Cut two pieces of wire and curl the ends for the antennae for each butterfly. Use E6000 Glue to adhere the antennae and wings into place.
    11. Instruction #6
    12. Cut branches or twigs to fit the inside of the box (approximately 4-5 branches). Use hot glue to adhere into place. Adhere moss onto the bottom of the box.
    13. Instruction #7
    14. Roll a small round ball of paper clay (three total). Using the end of the small round brush, poke a hole into the ball (not all the way through). Make into a bowl form and let dry once the desired shape is achieved. Cut a small twig to a desired length to be the mushroom stem. Let dry.
    15. Once mushroom top is dry, adhere the twig into the mushroom top using hot glue. Mix together Quinacridone Red, Titan Buff, and Pyrrole Orange and use the mix to paint the tops of the mushrooms. Let dry. Once dry, add dots to the top and paint the stem in Titan Buff.
    16. Using E6000 or hot glue, adhere all pieces in place as shown or as desired. (Shown: The figure is adhere to a branch.)
    17. Instruction #10
    18. Using a stencil brush, apply Raw Umber to the sides, front, and back of the shadow box house in circular motions.
    19. Instruction #11

    DOWNLOADS

    Butterfly Wing Pattern