Whether made from Masonite, rigid craft foam, cardboard or plywood, life-size cutouts store in a smaller space than their 3-D counterparts. An overhead projector and a supply of printable coloring pages provide an unlimited variety of decorative seasonal images.
Materials
Cardboard sheets should be used only if the weather is fair and dry or if the cutout will be displayed on a screened porch or under a wide overhang. Masonite, rigid craft foam and plywood are more durable than cardboard. Rigid craft foam stands against rain, snow and ice but can be knocked over or blown away by even light winds if not securely anchored.
Unfinished plywood is usually the least expensive of the remaining options. It withstands all but the most severe winds without anchoring. Winds in excess of 50 mph can carry large cutouts across the yard or toss them into windows or vehicles, even with a medium-weight frame and moderate-strength anchors. If you drill or cut a few open areas, the wind will pass through the cutout and decrease the chances of it being blown away.
Design
Sites such as Crayola.com, Kaboose.com, and FamilyFun.com (see Resources) have numerous printable coloring pages, organized by theme and season. Select simple outline drawings that can be painted with as few colors as possible if you are on a limited budget or making life-size cutouts for the first time.
A soft-lead pencil and an overhead projector work best when sketching your design onto a 4-by-8-foot sheet of your chosen material: rigid craft foam, Masonite, cardboard or plywood. When you are satisfied with your initial sketch, go over all lines with a black permanent marker.
If you are not able to find an overhead projector, Martin Mander at Wired.com recommends using the freeware program, "The Rasterbator," available at Homakaasu.org
Beginning with the lightest color in the design, outline the area you intend to paint, and fill it in. Working from top to bottom, left to right, will allow each color section to dry completely before you switch to the next and prevent paints from bleeding into each other. When dry, use a small detail brush to outline each section in black.
Supports
Lean cutouts against the side of the house, garage or garden wall, or hang them using some type of large-diameter fastener, such as a lag bolt. You can also make a simple stand for each cutout using 2-by-4-inch stock lumber and carriage bolts. Each cutout needs two 2-foot long feet for every 3 to 4 feet in width, plus one additional foot for every additional 3 to 4 feet wider.
If you decide to use a "picture frame" style support, you will have to miter the ends of the support board so that it will butt against the cutout with no gap. Do any drilling from the front of the cutout, before it is painted, and use coarse through extra-fine discs on a sander to smooth the board before painting. Countersink any bolt or screw holes to prevent exposing fasteners to the elements.
Tags: craft foam, overhead projector, rigid craft foam, blown away, cardboard plywood