How to make your own DIY mother-of-pearl artwork

Create with paint! Projects from Habitat by Resene

Using stunning Resene sea blues, it’s hard to believe this mother-of-pearl inspired artwork was created using potato printing.

Make a potato print artwork
DIY mother-of-pearl artwork

You will need

Resene testpots in your choice of colours; Nikki used Resene St Kilda, Resene Calypso, Resene Hemisphere and Resene Seagull
Potato cut into quarters
A3 stretched canvas

Instructions

Take one of the potato quarters and dip the bottom lightly into the Resene Seagull testpot. Alternatively, you could pour a small amount of paint onto an ice cream lid and dip from there.
Print onto the canvas, alternating the position of the potato between each print as shown below. To create an ombre effect, use the paint colours in order from lightest to darkest or darkest to lightest. Nikki used hers in this order (from top): Resene Seagull, Resene Hemisphere, Resene Calypso and Resene St Kilda.
Repeat the pattern right until you reach the bottom of the canvas. Leave to dry and your new art print is ready to go.

Supplies you will need

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Top tip: For a monochrome look use a series of neutrals including black, grey and off white. Or use one main colour for the potato prints then randomly use a second or third Resene colour to pick out a small number of potato prints.

Project by Nikki Astwood, 2020.

Projects from Habitat by Resene

View more projects

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