Friday, March 4, 2011

Restoration Hardware French Animal Art knockoff


This project was featured on Knock Off Decor! Can I get a what what!



I just recently discovered that Restoration Hardware has baby stuff. Seriously, a-stinkin-dorable stuff. The pieces that caught my eye were these.


Adorable, right? $100 each, worth of adorable? Not so much.




So I took a screen shot, and dragged it into photoshop. Then took the brush tool and made a rough outline of each animal. The original pics are 16x20, but since I was making mine 11x14, I couldn't just make the animals the same size as the original. So I made some guidelines, and adjusted my animals accordingly.




 So I sent those to hubby so he could print them out for me. I had him print out two copies, one that I could cut the letters out of, and the other I could cut the animal out of. The inspiration pieces were a yellowish/neutral color, but I wanted to put these in our bedroom, which means that I need to make these in blue. So again in photoshop, I adjusted the hue to give myself an idea of what blue would look like.


Yup, still digging it, time to proceed. 





I had my dad cut some plywood into 3 boards that were 11x14. Then gathered my supplies.

Are you wondering what the tissue paper is for? I knew I didn't want the wood grain to show through on my piece. If that's your style, more power to you and you can eliminate the next steps.

 




So I took a piece of tissue paper, crumbled it into a ball, spread a thin layer of mod podge on my board, and uncrumbled the paper and laid it down.

Then just ripped off the excess when it dried, and then did a layer of mod podge on it.








Then I started with my painting. Layers and layers blue, gray and cream. Some layers I would do the colors in a stippling motion. Other layers I'd put it on a paper towel and then rub it on in circles. Then other layers, I'd mix the paint with water and sponge it on. And between each couple of layers, I'd add another layer of mod podge.










So I took my printouts, and cut out the letters with my exacto (darn you all of you lucky schmucks that own a Silhouette). Then painted those on my board. I did the letters before the animals, because on the example, the cat and dog cutouts are on TOP of the letters.



So on to the next step. I cut out the printed animals, and then used that as my guide. At first, I was going to use newspaper like the original did. But it got really dark and muddy looking, so I scrapped that and started digging through my magazines. You know what worked? An ad about Botox. Yup, Botox. No colors or pictures, just black and white. So can you guess the next step? Yup! Mod podge the animal to the board.




 I wasn't worried about the wrinkles. Wrinkles = character, right? Plus, it would have never been completely flat, due to the tissue paper. But I liked it like that.







Now, did you notice on the original that there are very light letters ON the animals? Yeah, I didn't notice it either until I looked at it a few times. So, I decided to do that too. So again, have hubby print out some letters (I used his name and our last name), cut those out (again, curse you Silhouette owners) and I lightly stenciled them on there.








Yeah, I didn't like how bright those were. So I just lightly dry brushed on some gray to tone it down.







Yeah, MUCH better. So then, finish it all off with a final coat of Mod Podge. Then have hubby hang them up (since I've been banned from hanging stuff up in the house).










     So the inspiration pic...





And my attempt.








         And a close up....















You likey? Me likey. And since I had all the supplies on hand, it was FREE.

And just because it's freakin' adorable. I told my husband that I was going to glue tissue paper to these, and he gave me a confused look and said "You're going to glue snot rags on there?" Apparently tissue paper = facial tissue. That man knows how to make me laugh. 

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Let's have a party!

35 people love me:

SkinnyMeg said... [Reply to comment]

Love it! I'm really wishing I had photoshop right now :)

jandjhome said... [Reply to comment]

You are AWESOME! I am super impressed right now. I am wanting to try my hand at some art and I think I will pale in comparison. Great job!

Miss Lou said... [Reply to comment]

those look really cool, and j'aime le français!

Jenn @ Peas and Crayons said... [Reply to comment]

boooookmarked!!!! You rock! Thanks for the tutorial tips lovaaaa!! <#

Happy Friday!

xoXOxo
Jenn @ Peas & Crayons

LBB said... [Reply to comment]

Love this idea!! They turned out so great!!

jenclair said... [Reply to comment]

Great job with these! Your "knock off" is great!

Debra said... [Reply to comment]

Those turned out great!! Love them. Aren't husbands funny? That sounds like something mine would say. :)

Five Seconds From Crazy said... [Reply to comment]

I really love these! And I love your color choice! Vrrrry purtee.

Lindy@Itsy Bitsy Paper said... [Reply to comment]

These look awesome!
http://itsybitsypaper.blogspot.com

Simone @ Doberman's by the Sea said... [Reply to comment]

These are adorable. Good job.

Shelley said... [Reply to comment]

wow, this is amazing!!

Erin W said... [Reply to comment]

Bahaha! He makes me laugh!
Those are adorbs!
And yes, I curse the Silhouette owners too. :)
I'm seriously getting one soon! I better!

Michelle said... [Reply to comment]

So cute! LOVE these! They turned out so great! And free is a million times better than $100/piece.

And I just have to say, husbands are totally clueless sometimes. I love that your husband thought tissue paper was tissues. My husband asked me once to get him some hair soap at the store . . . I was like, um, shampoo?

foreverdecorating said... [Reply to comment]

A lot of work, a lot of steps but I think your effort paid off in spades. Well done.

Katherine said... [Reply to comment]

You did such a great job! Love these!

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

I LOVE it! I might have to try something like this. They're beautiful! I think I might do a bee and the french word for honey. Thanks for sharing!

Emily Carter said... [Reply to comment]

Very nice, thank you for linking up!

Lucydesignsart.com said... [Reply to comment]

wow, these look really cool!

Michelle said... [Reply to comment]

K, so I already commented on this post, but I wanted to let you know that you won my giveaway! Hop on over to see what you won :)

Jess (hellowifeonline.com) said... [Reply to comment]

I love this! Well done!

Carol, The Answer Is Chocolate said... [Reply to comment]

Love it. Saw it at the DIY Show Off. I can't wait to try that tissue paper technique!

g.suzie said... [Reply to comment]

Oh love those, some people are just so darn clever!!!
And that cracks me up, what your
hubby said. . .
sj

Kate said... [Reply to comment]

Great idea!! I'm featuring you on Flaunt it Friday features. Stop by and get an "I was featured" button if you'd like. Thanks fro linking up!!! :)

Kate said... [Reply to comment]

Yeah, that fro was for, I can almost type and I wasn't referencing a bad hairstyle. ;) lol

Sherry @ No Minimalist Here said... [Reply to comment]

Jennifer, These are just the cutest things! How clever.
Hugs,
Sherry

Kim @ Too Much Time said... [Reply to comment]

OOOHHHH, I want some! Love these! You did a really nice job and the tute is so helpful. Just found you on Funky Junk and I am going to follow you and your tricks!
Kim
www.kim-toomuchtimeonmyhands.blogspot.com

Erin said... [Reply to comment]

I love this idea! I found your blog at the DIY Showoff. I just adopted a shelter golden retriever and this could be a cool way to make some new puppy artwork in our home! I'm your newest follower and I'd love it if you'd check out my site, too: http://stillwaterstory.blogspot.com/

Vivienne @ the V Spot said... [Reply to comment]

This is super cute! I've used that mod podge/tissue paper technique before, but never as the BASE of my project. I always added it as a top, finishing layer.
You've definitely inspired me to try it in reverse.

DIYbyDesign said... [Reply to comment]

What's not to like...so cute. I host a blog party that opens each week on Tuesdays 8pm EST. Hope you drop by and link this up. It looks great.

Roeshel said... [Reply to comment]

I love this, Jennifer! What a great idea and so pretty! I'm including a link in this week's highlights! ;) Thanks so much for sharing in the DIY Project Parade!

Have a GREAT week!

Roeshel

Christine @ sugarandtrash.com said... [Reply to comment]

these are so adorable! love le chien best.

Kathy Loves Pink said... [Reply to comment]

Lovely! I like them better in blue.

Kim with a K said... [Reply to comment]

Wow!!!
Pretty fantastic!!!

jandjhiggins said... [Reply to comment]

I am so excited to find this tutorial! I too, want those pictures, but don't want to pay that price and want the colors to be a tad different. I am trying to get my creative ideas flowing, but am a bit stumped. I have a projector and was going to project them onto the wall, trace them, etc.. However, when I do a screen shot and try to print the image it doesn't come through dark enough. Do you have any suggestions (I don't have photoshop)of anything else I can try?

Erika said... [Reply to comment]

Oh this is so cute, I love it.