Silhouette Memory Board

Hello Friends! I’ve been busy getting ready to share my Fall Decor with you all tomorrow in the Autumn Welcome Home Tour…If you have not checked out the tour, it’s a must see!  All of the homes are gorgeous!  If you happen to be stopping by from the tour…Welcome to OneKriegerChick!!  I’m so happy you are here!

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Well, while I was decorating and looking around at all of my projects, I realized I had never shared how I made my silhouette art of my boys.  It happens to be one of my favorite art pieces and it is so much easier to create than you might imagine…

Let’s get started, shall we? For this project, I used: 

(silhouette template, 12 inch pine board, white wash stain, black paint and/or chalkboard paint, pencil, and paintbrushes.  Not pictured: old washcloth or rag and a chalk marker)

Staining the Wood:

If you have never stained wood before, don’t stress.  It’s really easy!  Use a foam brush to apply a coat of white wash as shown above.  It looks really white, but pine soaks most of it up.  Let it sit on the wood for a few minutes, then wipe off with an soft cloth or rag (old t-shirt or washcloth works perfectly.)   Here’s the difference:

Once you have applied white wash stain to the front and sides of the board, let it sit while you create a silhouette template.

Create a Silhouette Template: The most challenging part of creating a silhouette is getting wiggly kids to stand still for a photo.  FYI: Don’t do this step when it’s bedtime…My boys were less than cooperative…

1. I took side view photos of each boy.  Then I uploaded each photo into PicMonkey.com (free online photo editing program) and changed the coloring to black and white.  You can also print in black and white from your printer to achieve the same effect.  I tend to complicate things for myself.  I then printed each photo as an 8×10 onto white computer paper.
2.  Cut around the outside edge of the child’s features.  
3. Trace onto white cardstock.  This step can be eliminated if you print onto cardstock in the first place. 
4.  The silhouette in Step 3 was too small, so I enlarged it 125% to create a larger Silhouette.  This is the perfect size for a 12 inch wide board.  You can create a Silhouette in the size that suits you, then cut it out to create a traceable image.

Painting the Silhouette: Position your templates where you like them on the board.  I labeled my boys with their initial just in case I use the images again.  Not that I’ll forget who’s who or anything.  Trace each silhouette into place using a pencil.

 

Use a small brush and paint just inside the pencil line.  This will make it easier to fill in the image without going out of the lines.  

 Fill in the lines with a larger brush.  This may need multiple coats of paint.  I painted with acrylic paint in charcoal first and followed with two coats of chalkboard paint.  It’s not quite dry in these photos.

 If desired, when the paint is dry add a child’s initial or name using a chalk marker.  I also rubbed white chalk over the paint and wiped off with a paper towel.  This cures the chalkboard and gives it a distressed look.

 Set it in place in your home or give as a gift and enjoy!  

If you liked this project, you may also like…  

{Bathtime Photo Shoot  in a Window Frame} // {Pottery Barn Inspired Chalkboard Frames} // {Gallery Style Photo Board}

 

This post was previously shared on the SNAP! blog.

 

What projects have you been working on lately?