A budget-friendly DIY & lifestyle blog

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Knockoff: DIY Lord Bodner's Octopus Triptych

I about died when I first saw the Lord Bodner Octopus Triptych while I was feeding my brain...err, I mean, while watching Giuliana & Bill.  The original is a copperplate engraving by Lord Bodner and was published in 1826 in London as part of a series studying creatures of the deep.  You can purchase the framed triptych version from Natural Curiosities for $3550, a framed print from Outer Banks Trading Group for $1590 or there's another original artwork created by Julie Canale for $3550 that's just as swoon worthy as the Bodner triptych.  So, feel free to fork over your hard earned cash, but might I ask why, when you can make a smaller scaled version for pennies on the dollar?


Supplies:

  • Three 11x14" canvases
  • Black latex paint
  • White latex paint
  • Small roller
  • Thin paint brush

I had all of the supplies on hand, so this project cost me next to nothing.  I used the small roller to paint two coats of black interior latex paint onto the front and sides of three 11x14" canvases that I had sitting around from some project I never completed.  While the paint was drying, I sat and wondered how I could make my octopus look as amazing as Lord Bodner's...then I googled it.  Oh, how I love the internet.  It turns out that I wasn't the first to try to recreate this masterpiece.  Holly from 1922 House created her wood panel version by using this free clipart, which, if I'm not mistaken, IS Bodner's octopus.  I used this same image and inverted the colors in Photoshop.  I sized the image to fit on the three canvases, printed, cut it out and taped it together to recreate the image.  Then I cut out the large empty spaces in between tentacles.





Next, I traced out the image with pencil onto the canvases.


And finally, I got to painting with some white latex interior paint.




If you're not too much of a perfectionist, this project really is quite easy.  And while, it's not the Lord Bodner $3550 version, it's pretty damn close!








SHARE:

40 comments

  1. This is gorgeous! I would be so intimidated to paint something on this scale. You did an amazing job.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much! It feels great to hear that and thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  2. Wow! This is so cool. All I could picture while reading it was us trying to trace those stupid letters on the NW Aluminum sign. I'm sure you now know some tricks that would have made that job a lot easier. (Wait, why did that sign need to be painted if the plant was closing?)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hahaha! Oh man, BEST.JOB.EVER! Seriously, I wish we would have been willed that cushman when the plant closed. Shared custody? It would have been the right thing to do.

      Delete
  3. Great job! I've looked at that thing on those other sites and drooled, then gagged at the prices. Love your free version and don't you just love telling people you painted it! Happy Easter. highpointcircle

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I absolutely love that part of it..."oh that? yeah, i made that." :) Happy Easter to you, too!

      Delete
  4. This looks fantastic well done. I don't think I would have the patience to trace something so intricate but its worked out so well for you xox

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! Seriously, it was easy. I just traced the outline of the body, so no patience was needed. :)

      Delete
  5. This is amazing, Meg! I totally LOVE it!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Amazing job! You are very talented.

    ReplyDelete
  7. That is beyond amazing! I think I actually like it better than the original. Its head is just so intense. You've got some talent, m'lady.

    ReplyDelete
  8. My sister also fell in love with this. For several years we have been looking for something affordable that compared. I dont suppose you would be willing to make one for a gift. I of course would pay you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ummm....yes! Feel free to email me at revamphomegoods@gmail.com with the specifics. And, thank you!

      Delete
  9. Wow! What an incredible creation! Love the way you were inspired by the vintage piece and made it your own so cleverly and artfully.

    I've decided to make your post the sole feature on this week's "A Little Birdie Told Me..."! Definitely deserves its very own spotlight!

    Best,
    Jenn

    ReplyDelete
  10. You should definitely make this a new business. I would buy this in a heartbeat!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow gorgeous and incredible! I would buy in a heartbeat also, but I would never make. You sure are talented, and did an incredible job. I actually like it better than the original too! Thanks for sharing you creative inspiration at Sunday's Best!

    ReplyDelete
  12. WOW!
    You did an amazing job! It looks incredible!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your homemade art looks amazing! If I didn't know you had painted it yourself I would think that it was an art print you purchased! Great job!!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Amazing job! ! found you thru knock off decor and am so impressed with your octopus! Nne follower and fellow paintern/diy'er!

    Kim

    ReplyDelete
  15. Stunning! I'm amazed at your mad DIY skills!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Seriously? This is amazing. I wish I had your painting talent.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Sharon! And thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  17. You are a freehand painting rock star.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I've admired this print before (saw it on fabric, too). It's wonderful!!!! Time consuming??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not at all - the most would be working with the template (sizing it, cutting it out, tracing) but really that only takes about an hour.

      Delete
  19. Great job! I've never seen the original, tho, but yours turned out great.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to hang out awhile and catch up on all of our DIY projects - or better yet, Subscribe and get future articles delivered right to you. Cheers!

© Revamp Homegoods. All rights reserved.
Blogger templates by pipdig
09 10 Code line 7 9 is for loading jQuery library. Remove this line if you’ve already loaded it somewhere else in your blog. Hint: If your blog has an image slider, carousel or something with fading effect running, chances are it is powered by jQuery. If this widget doesn’t work, the first thing you want to do is comment out or remove this line. To use your own button, replace the URL in line 3 with the direct link URL to the image. Make sure to keep the quotes. To reposition the button, replace