To me, my family is a big factor. I try to prioritize my family members above everything. I’ve a little sister (well she isn’t little anymore but I love to call her little!) and she is my only sibling. Though she is younger than me, I take her advice in every step in my life!
So this time, I planned to do something for her. She has been using a backpack for a year now and it is too bland. I saw this as the perfect opportunity to give her backpack a new lease on life. As I love to paint here and there, I thought of decorating her backpack! After all, what better way to show love than by turning a mundane item into a personalized masterpiece?
But it’s a very risky task for me. She is too picky in everything and if the paint goes wrong, I’ll be doomed!
So I take some time to think and come up with an idea. As she will carry this one every day, so I want to paint something that will go with her personality. The one thing she and I love the most is cats! We also have a cat called Dosshu and he works like a stress reliever for us. As my sister has to face a lot of workload in university, I think painting cat may calm her too whenever she is with this bag.
Also like me, nature is her escape zone. So I decided to incorporate elements she loves: vibrant leaves, flowers, and cats. The thing is, it was not just about painting her backpack; it was about capturing her essence and giving her something that would make her smile every time she used it!
Ok enough of emotional talk! Let’s go for the details.
Prepping the Canvas
Before the painting, I told her to clean the backpack thoroughly and remove any dirt or grime. Once it was dry, I placed a piece of book inside the pocket to ensure the paint wouldn't bleed through. Also it will make the surface hard enough to paint.
With the backpack ready, I sketched out the design lightly with a pencil. This step is crucial because it allows for adjustments before committing to painting.
I wanted to keep Jiji (the black cat in “Kiki’s Delivery Service”) as the main character. And put some random cats on the side. I’m not a pro-artist but I think what makes your art special is - affection and love. I always try to put my emotion into the art which makes the piece special.
The Painting Process
I started by outlining the major elements with a fine brush. This helped in defining the shapes clearly. Once the outlines were done, I started filling in with vivid colors. I chose my Acrylic Marker for this time. As the material of the bag is fabric, acrylic color will be the best option. But first I tried with the liquid acrylic color which I painted on canvas. But that didn’t work out for this bag. So I had to try the marker and it was perfectly done!
For the smaller cats, I picked my small markers with sharp edges.
When the cats were all done, I chose the upper side as the next project. As I used faded colors for the cats, I went for vivid green shades for the leaves and stuff. Making the big leaves as the background, I put some bohemian design on the gaps. With the base colors dry, it was time to add details.
After some hours of hard work, the backpack was ready. I couldn't wait to see her reaction. She was satisfied and wanted something exactly like this. Seeing her happiness made every minute of effort worth it! It wasn't just about giving her a prettier bag; it was about showing her how much I care and appreciate her. It reminds me how small gestures can create significant joy and memories!
The next day when she came home from university carrying the bag, she told me each of her friends just loved it! They were saying who did this amazing painting. It brings a little smile to my face! And these types of appreciation are the only thing that a painter wants to hear!