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Embellished Feather Handbag

Hand painted blue and white feather design on black purse with white swirls and triangles around feather design
Black purse with blue and white feather embellishment.

Have you ever wanted to upcycle something – take it from ho-hum to a-ha? This is how I easily transformed a solid black canvas handbag into a personalized, treasured accessory.

Materials List

The following list has all the supplies and tools you'll need to make this project.

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Step 1

Blank black purse for embellishment

Gather: First, find a plain canvas handbag like this relatively inexpensive one ($20US ) from Amazon. My goal was to find something affordable, fashionable, and functional - an iPad fits in here with room to spare!

Step 2

Research: Next, search for artistic inspiration. Keep a sharp eye out for designs you find particularly beautiful.

My research led me to a feather motif. I liked both the stylized look of Marisa Redondo’s nature studies as well as SutilDesigns’ digital design of realistic feathers.

Step 3

White crayon feather template on black handbag

Next, sketch your design with a white colored pencil on the canvas.

Then, outline the design with a silver Posca paint marker (or the fabric marker of your choice). Posca markers are made from acrylic paint and rarely drip accidentally on your paint surface. They also never leave an oily residue since they are not made from alcohol.

I chose a diagonal orientation to compliment the dragon logo imprinted on the the leather circle on the lower right corner of the front flap. You may also find that seams or other decorative or functional elements could interrupt your design. Be sure to allow for this in your composition.

Step 4

Hand painted purse with blue and white feather design

Now, it’s time to apply any colors you desire to your design. You may want to stick with a limited palette (silver and turquoise), or you may want to use all the colors of the rainbow. Go with your instinct and enjoy this step!

Step 5 (Optional)

I added some s-curves with arrows and tiny triangles and silver dots around the feather. The curved lines echoed the feather’s lines and added a sense of fun a bit of sparkle.

If you make a similar project, please let me know your color and design choices. I would love to see your pictures.

Happy art-making!

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