The Purple " Elephant" Chair ......

 

I found this rush seat chair at a local upcycle shop.  It is a nice size and very sturdy construction and the seat was in perfect condition!  I began by spray painting it all over with a gloss purple, and loved it already.

I found a copyright free image of an elephant, a black and white rendering with lots of fancy detail.  I printed it off, colored it in with watercolor pencils and sprayed it with a fixative to keep it from smearing.  I added two embossed wood corner pieces on the back for texture and interest. 

 

Then I just started adding colors and shapes until it was all covered.  The last step was to  paint it all over with a gold metallic
glaze.

 

 

 This glaze gives the chair a soft glow and mutes all the bright colors to a wonderful patina.  When you see it in the light it really glows. 

 

I encourage you to find an old chair and have some fun with it!
  Go do it!