Ever since the deer/antler silhouette trend exploded, I’ve wanted to make a “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” version. Mostly because I need more excuses to use glitter. And aren’t the holidays the perfect time to add some sparkly glitter to our nests?
Bonus: I’ll show you how to make a stencil out of contact paper, which you can apply to any painting project! Here we go:
- a piece of plywood, size is up to you (mine came from the hobby section of the craft store, in a 12”x12” square)
- contact paper
- red paint and red glitter
- a second paint in the color of your choice
- clear acrylic glaze (such as Mod Podge)
- brushes
- scissors
- pencil
Find a reindeer silhouette image that you like, print it on regular computer paper, and cut it out. I ran a Google image search on “deer silhouette” to find the one I used.
Trace the silhouette onto the back of the contact paper. You are creating a stencil, so trace the image flipped opposite of how you want it to look. Since I wanted my reindeer facing to the right, I traced the cut-out facing left.
With a pencil, give Rudolph a nose job to emphasize that glowing schnoz. If you are anxious about free-handing a circle (I was!), you can trace a round object, like a toothpaste tube cap.
Cut out the reindeer and apply the contact paper to the plywood. The easiest way to do this is to start with the widest part—the neck—and work your way up bit by bit. Smooth the contact paper down and press down the edges firmly. Press the edges down again. And again. Seriously, do not skimp on this step! The contact paper is acting like painters tape, so you need to create a good seal to get clean lines.
Now paint all the exposed plywood. I used minty green craft paint to tie in to the rest of my holiday décor. You’ll probably need several coats to get smooth coverage.
When the last coat of paint has dried, gently peel off the contact paper.
Finally, mix red glitter with clear glaze and paint the glitter over the red nose. And that’s it!
