This woodburned vampire bat box uses a Bat Sign from Walnut Hollow’s new Halloween and Harvest wood line. The Creative Versa-Tool is great for adding bat details to the rustic sign. The Cornice Box is smooth for easy painting. It’s large enough to hold items for a vampire costume kit including a vial of blood, fangs, makeup, and jewelry. For an Autumn theme, use the Short Pumpkin Sign instead.
SUPPLIES:
- Walnut Hollow Bat Sign
- Walnut Hollow Cornice Box
- Walnut Hollow Creative Versa-Tool
- Universal Point (include with the tool)
- DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics in Carbon Black
- DecoArt Media Metallic Fluid Acrylics in Silver
- Red acrylic paint
- Black acrylic paint
- White acrylic paint
- Thick craft glue
- Rotary tool with cutting blade
- Handsaw
- Sandpaper
- Flat soft paint brush
- Liner detail paint brush
- Paper plate (for palette)
- Cup of water (to wash brushes)
- Paper towels (to dry brushes)
- White pencil
- Nails
- Hammer
- Sealer (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1)The bat sign has a stake, meant to be inserted into something. Using a rotary tool with a cutting blade and/or handsaw, cut off the stake, around the bat’s bottom. Use sandpaper to smooth the cut wood.
2) Mix white and black acrylic paint together on the paper plate, to create grey. Using the grey and flat soft paint brush, paint the bat top, sides and underside, except the back of the stake. Paint the sides of the box grey with the flat soft paint brush. Let 1st coat dry. Repeat with 2nd coat.
3) Paint the box top red with the flat soft paint brush. Let 1st coat dry. Repeat with 2nd coat for more opaque color. I wanted a sheer red, so I used one coat of red.
4) Paint the box inside white with the flat soft paint brush. Let 1st coat dry. Repeat with 2nd coat.
5) Using a bat diagram for reference, draw the bat details onto the bat sign, with a white pencil.
6) Screw on the Universal Point onto the Creative Versa-Tool. Turn the tool to red/high and let heat up on the stand for 5-10 minutes.
7) Woodburn the bat sign, following the drawn lines. Take your time. Woodburning over paint is tricky. You might need to go over lines a couple times before they are evenly burned.
8) Lay the bat on the center of the box top. Using the pencil, lightly outline the bat. Remove the bat from the box.
9) Intersecting with the bat outline, lightly draw symmetrical swirls, with the pencil. The swirls don’t need to be perfect. Gently erase the bat outline.
10) Using the liner detail paint brush and DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics in Carbon Black, paint the swirls.
11) Using the liner detail paint brush and DecoArt Media Metallic Fluid Acrylics in Silver, add dots and lines along the swirls. Dip the paint brush handle end into the silver paint to make even dots on the box.
12) Around the box sides, lightly draw triple layered arches with the pencil.
13) Using the liner detail paint brush and DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics in Carbon Black, paint the arches. Paint lines connecting the medium and large arches. Paint circles in the middle of the medium V sections. Paint layered Vs between the large arches.
14) Using the liner detail paint brush and DecoArt Media Metallic Fluid Acrylics in Silver, add dots and lines along black arches and Vs.
15) With the flat soft paint brush and DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics in Carbon Black, paint stripes inside the box. For line precision, create stripes with painter’s tape before painting. I freehanded my stripes, inspired by a favorite movie, Beetlejuice. Let dry completely.
16) Using the liner detail paint brush and DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics in Carbon Black, carefully paint the box edges. Leave the box open while drying.
17) Using the liner detail paint brush and DecoArt Media Metallic Fluid Acrylics in Silver, paint lines along the black stripes. Paint Vs on the black stripes, for a different take on chevron.
18) (OPTIONAL) Spray clear sealer on the box outside and bat. I didn’t do this, because sealer can often dull metallic paints. Avoid sealers that leave a sticky finish, as the box will stick to other surfaces and may cause paint transfer. Avoid the inside edge, or the box may not open from sticking.
The below photo is just to show you what the stripes and silver look like together.
19) On the back of the bat, part of the stake is still attached. Apply thick craft glue to that section, avoiding the edge. Press onto the center of the box where the bat outline was. Let completely dry.
19) Inside the box top. hammer 4 finishing nails through the box and bat. These will hold the bat in place more securely than only glue.
This box is layered with patterns and details, which fits my quirky style. You could certainly pick two colors and one pattern for the full box. Walnut Hollow has various wood boxes and Halloween decor for making your own spooky projects. If you don’t have a need for a box, but love the bat, add him to a 12″ x 12″ Basswood Canvas and hang up your artwork. Whatever you choose to do, have fun with it! Visit our site by clicking the image below to see more projects like this and to get all of the supplies:
Abby has been an artist and crafter since she was a young child. She has been sewing and creating for 30 years. She has a degree in Fashion Design. She started her blog, Crafty Lady Abby in 2009, as a way of documenting her creations and motivating herself. She creates tutorials to share her creative knowledge and empower others to be creative.
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