How to Make Embossed Metal-looking Tinfoil Art

This project is super easy and fun to make, and I am going to make several more of these! They look so realistic, and like real metal. It doesn't take long to make this project: only about 30-40 minutes, and then several hours for drying time.

I made this project because I love making crafts, and I really like the idea of turning simple cardboard and tinfoil into an ancient metal looking masterpiece. I'm going to be making another of these for my siblings: they all LOVED how they looked, and my parents were thrilled when they saw the finished project. I love making art, so this is a perfect thing I can do... I'm really excited to make more: the variety of designs you can make are endless!! :)

Here is what you'll need:

-Tinfoil

-1 piece of thick cardboard

-1 piece white office paper

-1 piece of carbon paper

-1 piece of paper towel

-Tape

-Scissors

-2 Q-tips

-1 pencil

-1 coloured pen (not black)

-1 paintbrush

Cut a 5 x 7 rectangular piece of cardboard.

Choose a colouring page you like, and print it so that the design on the paper will fit to the size of your cardboard (if the design is too big, save the image, drag it into word/open office/pages, and make the image smaller until it will fit on your cardboard).

Put your cardboard on the table, with the side you want the artwork on facing upwards: next, place your carbon paper black side down on top of it, and tape it onto your cardboard (where you can: usually you can only do 2 edges unless you cut the carbon paper to the shape of your cardboard, which is an unnecessary step). This will keep still while you are working. Take your design, and tape it onto the carbon paper in the place you want it to be applied to the cardboard.

Take a pen that is not black (so that you'll be able to see where you've drawn on the colouring page), and draw along the lines of your colouring page: press the pen down firmly as you draw. When you've finished tracing the whole thing, take the carbon paper off. You should be able to see your design very well on your cardboard.

With puffy glue, follow the lines of the design you applied in the last step. I used puffy dimensional fabric paint: it works perfectly well on cardboard (tacky glue will also work). After you do this you shouldn't see any black: only the glued design. Leave the glue to dry (this may take several hours/overnight). Make sure that your glue is completely dry before you continue onto the next step.

Now that your glue is dry, with your cardboard still right-side up (so you can see the dried glue design), place tinfoil on the top, and wrap the excess amount around the edges and secure them with tape: don't make the tinfoil taut (as you'll need a little bit of give), but don't have it too loose: you want to have it so that you can see a hint of an outline of your glued design.

Use a Q-tip and press around the glue so you can see the design embossed into your tinfoil. It may take a little time to figure out where your design is on the cardboard underneath your tinfoil. When your design is very visible, use a dulled pencil (if you have it too sharp it will cut the tinfoil), and trace around the edges of the raised design.

Using black paint, give a fairly light coat on top of your project. While the paint is still wet, wipe it off, so that there is only a slight residue of black paint. Then, with the paint still wet, take a Q-tip, and wipe off the black paint on the raised part of your design, so that the actual design is lighter than the rest of your project, and will stand out more. Leave everything to dry.

Congratulations!! You're done! You should have an awesome metallic-looking tinfoil project, that is super fun and easy to make! It looks really good framed, which is what I did.

I hope you found these instructions helpful and clear! :)