Faux Crocodile Book Cover

photo album of your choice or book jacket sleeve
primed canvas
joint compound
Mylar sheet about 8" x 11"
crocodile stencil pattern
acrylic paint
8 oz. bottle Burnt Sienna
medium oak oil-based wood stain - Minwax
Provencial oil-based wood stain - Minwax
220 grit sandpaper
heavy-duty tacky glue
1 inch foam brushes
plastic putty knife
painter's tape, 1 inch wide
cotton cloth or paper towels
rubber gloves

1. Draw a crocodile design onto paper.

2. Place paper pattern (Figure A) under clear glass and the Mylar on top of glass. You can see through to pattern. Using electric stencil cutting pen (Figure B) cut out crocodile stencil (Figure C).

4. Paint the primed side of the canvas with Burnt Sienna acrylic paint using a foam brush (Figure E). There's no need to be careful; random brushstrokes actually add more interest to the finished panel.

5. Lay the crocodile stencil on top of the painted canvas. You can tape it in place if you wish using blue painter's tape. Apply a thin coat of joint compound over the stencil using a plastic putty knife. Smooth the joint compound over the top of the stencil (Figure F).

6. Lift the stencil straight up, disturbing the joint compound as little as possible (Figure G). If you need to fill in any adjacent areas with joint compound, allow the first area to dry and then reposition the stencil next to the first area. Immediately clean the stencil in soapy water if you will not be using it again quickly. The joint compound should dry to touch within 30-40 minutes. It completely cures in four to six hours.

7. Lightly sand the dry panel with 220 grit sandpaper (Figure H). Remove the sanding dust using a tack cloth or clean cotton cloth.

8. Put on gloves and work in a well-ventilated area. Apply medium oak wood stain to the canvas panel using a cotton cloth or thick paper towels (Figure I).

9. While the first stain is wet, apply the second stain (Provencial) with a cotton cloth or paper towel. Blot the stained panel to give an uneven stained look. Let the canvas panel dry overnight or at least 24 hours in a well-ventilated area (Figure J).

10. Fold over the side flaps and use heavy-duty tacky glue to secure top and bottom folds.

11. Slide new crocodile book jacket onto book (Figure K).