You may recall in this post where I updated you on Chace’s ‘Big Boy Room’ progress, that I had another project in the works for this big blank space of wall…
Well here it is!
It all started when Chace got this awesome ‘card’ with one of the gifts from his 3rd birthday – a little multi-jointed robot (who also happened to fit his bedroom colour palette perfectly AND play off the robot art I created in his closet nook).
I couldn’t just file this little guy away in a box.
However, he did sit around awhile as I didn’t have a frame and there were other ‘bigger’ things I wanted to get for his room first (table, toy storage etc. as mentioned here), but this past week while looking for something else I stumbled upon this tucked away…
Art I had done in design school (I’m a Graphic Designer) yes, but more importantly, the perfect sized frame!
Here are a few close-up of my little ‘botanical style’ illustrations from back in the day – ah, memories. I remember even creating that custom matt with handmade paper. Ha. Good times.
Okay, so maybe styles have changed but it’s always fun to look back.
Knowing I wanted to paint the frame white, I started by taking out the old art. And that’s when it happened…
… the glass broke.
So I took this as a sign that my little robot friend did not want to be kept under glass (kinda like how nobody keeps Baby in a corner – name that movie) and just came up with a new plan – to ‘bump’ him up (more on that later). No glass needed for this direction.
Armed with my newly glass-free frame I headed down to the garage for a little spray tan.
And even managed to do this step without breaking anything.
I had always planned to put some decorative scrapbook paper behind the little robot to add some fun but wasn’t sure exactly what look I was going for. I know I wanted somethind dynamic and playful but not too busy. I didn’t want any pattern to compete with our star – little robot.
I grabbed three paper contenders from my stash and headed up to my other stash (this is where my organized hoarding comes in handy) to find a larger piece of white paper to fill the whole frame. I knew my scrapbook paper was 12″ x 12″ so was not going to fill the whole space up. I needed a simple clean background to mount it all on.
But I had nothing.
However, I did find a clean white mat instead.
But it didn’t’ fill the frame either.
So I came up with a new plan.
Spray the board that came in my frame white, layer the scrapbook paper on that, covered with the matt and then bump up my little robot.
Yes.
First to pick a scrapbook paper design though…
I started with the busiest of the shortlisted bunch but quickly decided that yes, it was too busy. Althought cute, little robot wasn’t the focus I wanted him to be. Oh, and I know he extends past the inside frame of the mat but I was okay with that – even wanted it if I’m being honest. I liked that he was jumping out – much more dynamic that way.
That dark brown backing is actually the back of the frame board that I mention above – pre-‘sprayathon’.
Next up was a crisp green plaid.
Much better but not quite the right shade of green. I liked the boyish plaid though and loved the diagonal. Getting closer…
From the same pack (a Christmas one if you can believe it) I found the match to the above paper, but in blue.
DONE!
Loved it. Boyish, fun, playful and non-competing with the robot. And the fact that it was going on a blue wall – serendipity.
With that decided, I was back to the garage to begin spraying the board. I decided to spray the rough side of the board as I thought the texture would add an unexpected element – plus it was a little more ‘boyish’.
Holy paint suck batman! This board kept drinking and was never satisfied! It drained what I had in this can and I moved on to some white primer I had on hand – but it still didn’t look good. Oh, and I only sprayed the outside edges as the middle would be covered up.
Here it is once dried (after about 10 coats).
The texture is fun but the whites don’t work well together and you can still see bits of the brown fibres. It just didn’t accept the spray paint evenly and uniformly.
So I did what any blogging mama on the fly would do – I changed my plan – AGAIN. By the way, this project cost me zero dollars. I just kept working with what I had on hand until I found a solution that worked!
I remembered that I had some leftover blue wall paint from when I painted Chace’s room a few months ago and thought applying that with a brush could garner the results I was after.
Here you can see how uneven the white finish was…
And here it is with a coat of blue.
Looking promising!
Chace may have been in the tub when I was doing this, hence the impromptu painting set up in the bathroom! You take every moment you can get when you’re a full-time working, graphic design on the side, blogging mama of a toddler!
He thought it was awesome and gave me a full play-by-play of what I was doing.
Here is a close up of the blue paint (and mat) once dried. Much better! Doesn’t the texture of the backside of the board look neat?
Then I began adding some little foam ‘bumpers’ to the back of robot so that he sat elevated slightly. These are also from my scrapbooking supplies. They are simple to use since they are sticky on both sides of the foam. You apply one to your surface, and one to your ‘subject’ and this is what you get!
The cool thing about this is that the robots hands, feet and antenae are free to move since I didn’t need to add any there. That way Chace can manipulate them if he wants to play with it. Interactive art ;)!
Once it was put back into it’s frame and hung up, this is how he looked!
I think it really fills up that space (which definitley was in need of something)
beeboop – beeboop – splurt – zap – wheeez!
That’s robot for “how do you like them apples!?” And you know what, I like ’em. A lot.
I’m actually glad my original vision didn’t work out and I had to change my plan 367 times. I love how the blue ties in to the wall colour. I love the layering effect of the board, scrapbook paper and mat. I love the texture of the board. I love how my little robot is still the star even though he is only one of the many elements at work here. And I love that Chace loves it.
I guess change really is good.
How about you? Ever start a project only to revise it every second step? Ever made art of out of something that wasn’t? Found any old school projects shoved lovingly stored under the bed that came in handy when least expected?
Beblurrrrp – that’s robot for “dish/spill”.
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