Pets are besties for life! That’s why as soon as I got my Mini Schnauzer Gigi (we only use Genevieve when she gets in the trash) , I knew I had to have some quintessential proud dog owner decor. This DIY dog silhouette art, has been a favorite piece in my home ever since!
I made this silhouette of Gigi with a few simple supplies, and the best craft tool ever known to man: Modge Podge. Sorry, glue gun- you can take a back seat.
In this tutorial, I’ll show you everything you need to know to make your very own dog silhouette art. Keep this guide in mind as a thoughtful gift for pet lovers, too!
Here’s the Step by Step Tutorial For Black and White Dog Silhouette Art:
Things You Need To Make Your Dog Silhouette Art:
- A Canvas: I used a oval shaped canvas, for a classic look. I wanted to mimic those cool vintage bust silhouettes of people! If oval isn’t your thing, rectangular or square canvas shapes will also work well.
- Your Dog In Silhouette Form: Find a free Silhouette Or Vector image of your dog breed on google images. Or take your own photo and make your own. Once you’ve found the winner, print it large enough to fit the canvas.
- Shredded Newspaper: I filled the Silhouette with small pieces of torn newspaper to give it a vintage look.
- Black Paint: To fill the area outside of the Silhouette, I recommend using regular ol’ black acrylic paint.
- Paint Brushes: You will need a few of these! A thin one for fine details, and thicker brushes for the modge podge, and the black paint.
- Modge Podge: If you’ve never used Modge Podge before, it’s a craft glue that works great for paper projects. I used the Matte Modge Podge, but you can use the Gloss version if you want a shiny finish.
- Pair of Scissor & Tape.
- A Pencil with an Eraser.
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How To Make Your Own Dog Silhouette Art
Okay, finally on to the good stuff! Here’s exactly how to put together your DIY dog silhouette painting.
- Step 1: Lay out all your supplies on a covered surface.
When I’m getting crafty, I always use a vinyl table cloth because they wipe clean! It will be easy to let your artwork rest here while it dries, too. - Step 2: Cut out your Dog Silhouette.
Use a sharp pair of scissors and place it on the canvas. Make sure it’s centered, and secure it on the undersize with small piece of tape. - Step 3: Trace your pup!
Use the pencil to lightly transfer the shape of the silhouette onto your canvas. If you think the line is too dark, lighten it with the eraser! - Step 4: Fill in the Silhouette.
Take a small piece of newspaper, and place it on the edge of the dog silhouette. Take a brush dipped in Modge Podge, and paste the newspaper into to the dog shape. I recommend working your way around the edges of the silhouette first, and then filling in the middle. Let it dry for a few hours, depending on how big it is. Extra tip: Make the bits of newspaper roughly the same size for a consistent look. - Step 5: Paint it Black!
For the final step, you should fill the area around the outside of your silhouette with black acrylic paint. I used a very fine brush to trace around the shape of the dog head, and a larger brush to fill in the rest. Make sure to paint the edges of your canvas too, for a perfectly finished look. Let it dry for a full 24 hours, and voilà – your DIY dog silhouette art is ready to hang!
Tips to Customize Your Own Dog Silhouette Art:
This is just one way to make a piece of Dog silhouette art, but you can use this tutorial as a base guide! To make something that’s big, bold, and colorful, just swap out these materials.
For example, you could use colorful tissue paper, or magazine clippings to fill the inside of your silhouette.
Black paint isn’t your thing? Use an eye catching shade of green or pink instead!
As you can see in my pictures, I used an larger painted Oval frame around my Dog Silhouette to make it even more unique. You can use this same idea for any shaped canvas, too!
There are literally hundreds of ways you can customize your DIY Dog Silhouette painting to perfectly match the personality of you and your pooch!
I hope you enjoyed this simple Dog Silhouette Art tutorial, and it’s inspired you to keep your furry pals in mind while you’re decorating!
For more simple ideas for home decor, check out these 7 ways to decorate an updated traditional living room.
Do you have decor dedicated to your pet at home? If so, I would love to hear what it is! Let me know your favorite dog art and dog decor ideas, in the comments below!
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