Just a few weeks ago I shared my Bathroom Wallpaper in Navy and Coral which made a huge change in my once bland bathroom. But sometimes I finish designing a space and there is still something missing…in this case, it was art. So what did I do? I made my own DIY dive girl wall art. The best part of making your own art is you can make it exactly what you want.
The Inspiration
The one long wall seemed rather empty and I knew I needed something to fill the space. I wanted something to coordinate with my Sullivan’s Splash wallpaper.
It has a beach swimmer print so I wanted art that would work with the water theme. After doing some research I loved the idea of a vintage diver like some of the ones below. But when I couldn’t find the perfect match I decided that making my own art would be the best way to get the perfect fit.
Getting the Shape
I started by printing out a few of the images I liked the best and drawing them to clear transparency film. If you are a skilled artist you can do this by hand or trace the originals making any changes you’d like as you go along.
For the cutout, I used a 1/4-in x 2-ft x 4-ft Whitewood Sanded Plywood and an overhead projector I thrifted years ago. I hung the plywood on the wall and projected the image onto the board. Tracing the lines of projection gave me a perfect enlargement of the original drawing. If you don’t have this option there are also mini projectors that you can use to project images from your phone in the same way.
Next, I took my tracing to my scroll saw to cut out the shape. If you don’t have a scroll saw you could use a jigsaw or even a router with a cutting blade to cut your shape. When the shape is cut be sure to sand down any rough edges.
Painting
Now it is time to make it to make it your own! I gave my diver shape a coat of primer and selected the colors that would work well in my space. From skin tone to swimsuit and cap color the options are endless. I chose a navy swimsuit and coral cap to perfectly match my Sullivan’s Splash blush wallpaper. I used latex paints I already had on hand but acrylic or chalk paints would work too depending on the finish you’d like. You could even consider a glossy top coat if that’s the look you desire.
Details
For dimension, I added a few outlines with a fine-tip Sharpie and painted flowers from a plastic floral stem to apply to the cap for the look of a vintage petal swim cap. You may also consider paper flowers if your dive girl wall art DIY is not going into a humid space.
Big Reveal
Now it’s time to get Esther up on the wall. She’s very light so a few command strips down the length of her will be plenty to keep her up and also keep her from warping.
FYI: I named my dive girl Esther after Esther Williams an American competitive swimmer and actress. Check out this gorgeous pin-up of Williams from a 1945 issue of Yank, the Army Weekly
Esther is now making a big splash mounted on the once empty wall.
The best part is this dive girl wall art DIY is a perfect fit and a perfect match. Plus you get the satisfaction of knowing you made it yourself.
Couldn’t be more perfect ❤️ my favorite is the flower swim cap. I remember seeing ladies wear those when I was a child.
I think she is Perfect!!!!! And what a fitting name!!!!! Esther Williams was the epitome of the classic diving girl! This bathroom is my favorite makeover you have done!