Looking for a creative woodworking project that combines painting with a touch of illumination? This stunning glowing mountain art project was designed and executed by Elena Makes, and it’s perfect for adding a unique touch to your home.
Materials & Tools
- Plywood (birch recommended)
- Acrylic paint
- Slow-drying extender (Golden Glazing Liquid)
- Rust-Oleum spray paint
- LED strip lights
- Jigsaw
- Paper templates
- Sandpaper
- Clamps
- Gloves
- Measuring tape
- Masking tape
Step 1: Sketching Your Design
Start by sketching out your mountain landscape idea. Elena emphasizes the importance of exploring multiple ideas, having learned from her graphic design studies that sketching at least 50 variations can lead to the best outcome. This process helps you sift through mediocre ideas to find the gems.
Step 2: Preparing the Plywood
Once you have your sketch, transfer it onto the plywood. Elena chose birch plywood for its lightweight properties and attractive wood grain, which would enhance the final look of the art piece.
Step 3: Creating Paper Templates
To ensure proper layering of the mountains, create paper templates based on your sketches. This will help you visualize the arrangement before cutting the actual plywood.
Step 4: Cutting the Plywood
Using a jigsaw, cut out your mountain shapes. Elena decided on the jigsaw for its maneuverability with larger pieces. Make sure to test different blades to minimize tear-out when cutting the plywood.
Step 5: Sanding the Edges
After cutting, sand the edges of each piece to remove splinters and round off the corners. This step is crucial for both aesthetics and safety.
Step 6: Painting the Layers
Before applying paint to the cutouts, experiment with different paint techniques on scrap pieces. For the final layers, Elena used a watered-down acrylic paint mixed with a slow-drying medium to achieve a smooth finish.
Step 7: Adding Color Gradients
To create soft color fades, Elena opted for Rust-Oleum spray paint. Mask off areas you don’t want to paint to maintain clean lines and avoid overspray.
Step 8: Assembling the Layers
After all pieces are painted and dried, assemble the layers using small spacers to create depth. Ensure that the alignment of the layers is consistent with your initial design.
Step 9: Installing the LED Lights
Finally, attach LED strip lights to the back of each mountain layer. The LED strips should have a sticky backing for easy application. This will give your artwork a glowing effect, enhancing its visual appeal.
Final Thoughts
Once everything is set up and dried, your glowing mountain art piece is ready to hang! Elena’s project beautifully demonstrates how to merge painting and woodworking, creating a stunning piece that serves as both art and illumination.
