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aewacreations

The Making of a Handcrafted Coral Reef framed wall art



Welcome to my creative corner! Today, I’m thrilled to share the journey of my latest artwork—making a vibrant coral reef wall art meticulously crafted from clay. This project has been a labor of love, capturing the intricate beauty of marine life through a medium that's both challenging and rewarding.



Inspiration Behind the Art

The ocean has always been a source of endless fascination for me. Its diverse ecosystems, especially coral reefs, are teeming with life and color. Coral reefs are not just stunning to look at; they are vital to marine life and our planet. Sadly, they are also endangered, which motivated me to bring their beauty to life through art and raise awareness about their importance.


The Process: From Scratch to a textured ocean themed home decoration

Every artwork begins with a vision. I started by researching various types of corals, their shapes, colors, and how they interact within their ecosystem. Sketching out initial ideas helped me visualize the final piece and plan the structure of the reef.


Gathering and Sculpting Materials

For this project, I used air dry clay, sculpting tools (sometimes as simple tools as a toothpick or a pencil) and my favorite acrylic paints combined with shimmering mica powder.

The foundation of the coral reef is the backboard of a deep box frame. This needed to be prepared by painting a layer of sealant on it at first, then I've used tiling net to make sure the adhesive has a good base to adhere to. A thick layer of tiling adhesive has been used to attach the individual coral shapes that I've made ahead of my project.


Crafting the Coral Elements

Each coral piece was individually sculpted and attached to the base. This was the most time-consuming part of the project, requiring patience and precision. From branching corals to sea urchins, I aimed to represent the diversity found in actual reefs. Texturing tools were used to add fine details, giving each piece a lifelike appearance.


Drying process

Once the collage was complete, the entire piece was carefully dried to prevent cracking. Usually it takes in between 48 - 72 hours.


Painting and Finishing Touches

Painting brought the coral reef to life. To keep this artwork's classy and simple look, I've opted for Titanium white acrylic paint with iridescent layer of Mica powder. These ensure that the highlights and shadows enhance depth and realism. Finally, a protective sealant was applied to preserve the colors and details.


The Final Piece

The result is an original, small but stunning coral reef sculpture wall art that captures the beauty and complexity of marine life.




Watch the Process

I’ve condensed this extensive process into a 2-minute video, showing the transformation from a simple block of clay to a detailed coral reef. Watch the video here and see each step come to life in fast-forward!


Engage with Me

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this piece! Drop a comment below, like the video, and share it with your friends. Follow my journey on social media for more behind-the-scenes content and upcoming projects.






Conclusion

Creating this coral reef has been an incredibly fulfilling experience. Through this artwork, I hope to inspire others to appreciate the beauty of our oceans and take action to protect them. Thank you for joining me on this creative journey!

Stay creative!


This piece of artwork is available to purchase here




More similar ocean themed collages are available here



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