Painted Zebra Floorcloth

Add some flair with this zebra-striping technique for a floor covering.

All About

Product Ideas

Materials and Tools:

2-3/4 yards of 60"-wide #4 canvas
yardstick
pencil
scissors
black or dark brown acrylic paint
plastic bowls
foam brushes
bristle brush
glue gun
clear polyurethane
optional: burnt umber acrylic paint, sponge

Steps:

Copy a picture of a zebra from a book or another source to get the markings correct. Since this design will be a flattened-out depiction of the skin, a carpet store that carries animal-print rugs may be a good source for a design.
Outline the shape on the canvas, and cut it out, adding 1" to 1 1/2" for the hem. Draw the stripe design on the canvas. Don't worry about the lines - they will be painted over.
With the foam brush and brown or black paint (or a mixture of both), paint the "spine" line down the center of the "skin." Add one stripe at a time, stopping between every two or three stripes to feather the edges with a bristle brush to give the impression of fur.
For an antique look, mix burnt umber paint with water to make a thin glaze. Apply it to the entire canvas with a wet sponge.
With the sponge brush, paint a bold border all around the "skin." Then turn the edges under. Cut out "V" shapes as needed to make the hem flat, and glue it in place.
Apply a coat or two of polyurethane and the floorcloth will be easy to clean when it gets dirty.