How to Make Mermaid wood collages

Besides making a mermaid
collage craft try: 
bird, sailboat, 
lighthouse, flowers or fish.

Materials needed:
1) old salvaged wood
2) glass pebbles - found at the Dollar store
3) Contact brand frosted or clear paper peel shelf paper
4) Elmer's Glue All
5) Acrylic paints
6) Sparkle nail polish

Small signs and collages can be made from scrap wood found at grocery stores where they sell scraps of bundled wood for kindling. You can also check the dump where they may have recycle wood pallets. Your local lumber company may even give these way for the taking. Check your town to see if it has its own swap shop.

Let's get started : Decide on the desired size of the painting and cut to size or use the wood piece as is.
In this example of Mermaid collage I found a used plague that was scalloped all around. I made for a perfect backdrop for my mermaid painting.

Paint the entire front of the wood with black acrylic paint.
Next Paint a loose background of a landscape as shown in this picture on the left.

For the mermaid, I found a vintage image on the internet.  To put the mermaid (or other object on the wood over the landscape) you must first print the image out on paper.
After you print it out,  place a layer of clear contact paper over the image. Smooth out any bubbles. Then proceed to cut both the Contact paper and the image using fine  cuticle scissors or a similar tool.
When you get to the legs and feet of the image you will not follow the leg or feet outline to cut, but rather cut the shape of a mermaid fin as shown in the picture to the left. If it helps to draw in pencil first before you cut, then do that step first.

Next, on the back of the cut out paper image paint a thin layer of white glue and place in position on the wood. Smooth out any excess glue slowly and carefully with a soft cloth or paper towel.
Once the mermaid is glued in place, you can now  cover the fin  with the paint of your desired color to blend with the rest of picture.
Add a final touch to your collage  craft  for accent:
Just add sparkle with nail polish or glue on some star fish and /or glass stones to complete. Add a sawtooth hanger on the back to display.