I went to see the highly anticipated film, Black Panther. The movie is based on the first black superhero in the American comic book franchise, Marvel Comics. The film was set in Wakanda, a mythical country in the continent of Africa.
The Production Designer for BP, Hannah Beachler, and her crew did a great job of filling Wakanda with beautiful tribes that donned a mixture of traditional African tribal garb and body paint.
So, in honor of Black Panther Weekend AND Black History Month I’m sharing this tribal inspired DIY. I created this piece last year and now is the perfect time to share.
You’ll need the following materials to create your own figurine:
– A wooden drawing mannequin (I bought one from Ikea for $5)
– Paintbrushes of different sizes
– Black and Metallic gold paint
-Metallic permanent markers
This little project was super simple. The supplies I mentioned are just an example of what I used. You even have to do a tribal inspired figurine. You can use any combination of colors and supplies you like.
While working on this project I created this virtual board of inspiration to help me understand how to freestyle the designs:
Creating this piece was super easy. In total I spent less than $10 to complete it.
Paint the mannequin with a glossy finish acrylic black paint. Be sure to paint all of the crevices.
Then let the figurine dry for 24 hours.
After drying, use permanent metallic markers (I purchased mine from Dollar Tree) to freehand the tribal inspired designs. Here’s a tip to help with the drawing process, follow the curves of the mannequin’s body. This will make for seamless lines. If you make a mistake just a paint over it. Use metallic paint of the same color of the markers to touch up the designs if needed.
And presto you’re done! In honor of Black Panther I named this piece “T’Challa” after the king of Wakanda.
This would be a great project to keep the kids busy or for a wine and design night at home with friends.
Did you try this idea? Let me know how you freestyled it! As always, thanks for reading. See y’all soon! #WakandaForever
