Alpacas versus Ewoks

On a scale of 1-10, who is the cutest – an Alpaca or an Ewok?

My apologies to all the Star Wars fans, but this week our craft project is all about Alpacas.

This baby alpaca looks so soft and cuddly like a stuffed animal.

Adults have long shaggy fur, which is used to make yarn for blankets, sweaters and other garments.

Some have monochromatic fur, such as the one pictured above.

Alpaca fur tends to be thick and plush in a variety of shades and a few fashion-forward combinations. Whatever your preferences, you can’t go wrong applying those creative choices to this fun project.

How to Paint a Wooden Alpaca:

Raw Wood Alpaca

Thick wood has been cut out in the shape of an alpaca. Both sides and all the edges will need to be painted. Due to the raw nature of the wood, it may require a little sanding, especially along the edges.

Supplies

Supplies:
Wooden Alpaca (6-1/4” high x 4-1/2” wide x 1-1/2” thick)
Acrylic Paints – gray, white, black
Bottles Fabric Paint – brown, white, black
Paintbrushes
Sandpaper
Black Sharpie Marker or pencil

Paint Base Color

Using acrylic gray paint and a brush, paint both sides of the body and all the edges.

Paint Accent Colors & Draw Eye Detail

Apply white acrylic paint with a brush on the head, neck, lower legs and tail. With a pencil or marker, draw the eyes.

Define Facial Details

Using a combination of acrylic and fabric paints, add the eyes, nose and mouth.

Textured Fur Detail

Creating thick, three-dimensional fur is easy with fabric paint. You must start at the BOTTOM and work your way up using short downward strokes. Keep the placement and stroke size random, layering new fur over the previous sections as you work your way to the top. Allow the paint to dry overnight because it shrinks as it dries. Repeat this process until you achieve the desired appearance.

Paint White Textured Fur

This photo shows the completed white fur on the legs and tail. Repeat this process on the other side.

Note: To achieve a very thick fur coat, you may need several bottles of fabric paint.

Paint Brown Textured Fur

Apply brown fabric paint on the torso, and upper legs, using the same textured process described above.

Paint Additional Layers of Textured Fur

Repeat the painted fur process as many times as needed to create a thick fur coat.

Paint White Textured Fur

Once again using the white fabric paint, start creating the fur at the bottom of the neck and work upward.

Paint Additional Layers of White Textured Fur

Repeat the process to achieve desired thickness. Remember to thoroughly cover the edges too. You may also want to add more fur on the tail as well for a bushy effect. Allow time for the paint to dry between coats so that you can see which areas need more work.

Finished Alpaca

Congratulations! You are now the proud parent of an adorable alpaca!

Finished Details

As you can see in this photo, the fur continues up over the top of the head, including bangs on forehead.

Alpaca – Before & After

We started with a plain wood figure, and with little effort and patience during drying times, this cute alpaca is ready to adorn your home or be given as a gift. Either way, smiles are sure to follow.

Thanks for Reading & Happy Crafting!

24 thoughts on “Alpacas versus Ewoks”

We see alpacas when we visit Michigan. They are so cute! Very clever to make fur with fabric paint!

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I’m voting for alpacas! Love this post!

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24 thoughts on “Alpacas versus Ewoks”