Welcome to Fanbyte Makes, a column where we take chances, make mistakes, and get messy. If you follow along and make one of our projects at home, be sure to tweet it at us at @FanbyteMedia so we can see!
To celebrate the arrival of Pokemon Sword and Shield last month, my boyfriend and I purchased another Switch and both games. It’s easy to say we’re a little obsessed in this household, but it’s hard not to be with new characters like Wooloo. I mean, come on, it’s a ball of fluff that rolls around the English countryside. What’s not to love?
It’s December now, and our adventures in the Galar region continue. Since the holiday season is fast approaching, I decided we’d have a Pokemon Christmas. After getting a tree, I set to work creating some ornaments to celebrate Pokemon Sword and Shield. Want to make some of your own? Here’s how.
What You’ll Need
- Clear plastic bauble ornaments (available at craft shops)
- Masking tape
- Gesso primer
- Acrylic paints
- Ribbon or wire for hanging
- Pink cellophane
How to Make Regular Pokeball Ornaments
- Tape a line around the entire ornament while it is closed. This will be your main black line, dividing the colors of the ball. Try to make it as even as possible, as it will the focal point of the ball.
- Prime the ball using Gesso primer. I primed twice, I also did not prime the middle stripe until later. If you are doing multiple balls at the same time, I recommend numbering them so they line up again when you remove the tape.
- Begin painting your ball! I painted the bottoms of all the balls white first. I chose an iridescent white which added some nice shine. If you want a more cartoon look, you could use a flat white.
- Next, paint your top color. For example, I used several coats of red for my standard Pokeball. Just use as many coats as you need and be patient, this could take some time. A hair dryer or heat gun can speed up the process.
- Remove your center line tape. Prime the middle like the rest of the ball, being careful not to paint outside the lines. This is also when you can choose a place for your “button” and mark out a circle. Priming over your color will take a few coats, but since you will be going over it in black, don’t worry too much about this step.
- Paint the line and circle black. Again, may take several coats.
- Using (you guessed it) primer, prime the center white dot on the circle. After priming, I used the iridescent white once again to make it shine.
- Place your sides together and connect the ball. Using ribbon or wire, string the ball for use on a tree or other holiday décor. Now marvel at your very own Poke-ornament!
How to Make Dynamax Pokeball Ornaments
I am going to preface this by saying: I taped this thing to hell and back. If you’d like to skip the harder part of this ball, the little squares I created aren’t necessary.
- Uncap the ornament. Cutting strips of your pink cellophane, start stuffing them into the ball. I cut pieces around 6 inches x 1ft 6in (whatever works best for you). Using a pencil or paintbrush end, stuff the ball until no gaps remain. Recap the ball.
- Begin taping. If you have opted to skip this, move to step 5. I started by taping the regular center stripe, and luckily this ball has a plastic line around the ball where it was fused together. Using this as a guide, I began taping from bottom to top. Creating an X at the bottom, I used 6 pieces of tape. From there, I used smaller pieces of tape to create the squares and triangles between the center stripe.
- Using a sponge (I used a magic eraser, a makeup sponge also works), start sponging the iridescent pink on to the ball. I used several coats.
- Once you’re happy with the level of coverage, take off all tape.
- See steps 5-8 from the previous tutorial for regular balls. Finished!
