My DIY MerFrida iPhone Case

I wanted to make something very special for my first, ever, iPhone. I am a total klutz and knew I needed something durable to protect my new expensive purchase. What to make? Had to be a mermaid, that much I knew. But then I wanted to pay tribute to one of my favorite artists. I started looking around at pictures of Ms. Kahlo and found this one:

She was childless and her pets meant everything to her. This is why I decided to include a SeaFawn with my MerFrida! When I was going through those long four years of infertility, the memory of Frida and her pain helped ease mine, and I found myself talking to her in my head quite often. She comforted me, and I am sure she has comforted many others. Frida was strong, brave, talented, and heartbreakingly vulnerable. So many women today share these same qualities. We, as mothers, artists, career-women, wives, friends, daughters, leaders, thinkers wear so many hats, and, somehow, we manage to do so with grace and dignity. Frida is a symbol of that grace, strength, and dignity and this is why she means so much to me.

I videoed myself creating the final piece for my phone. I used Pelikan watercolors on 130lb watercolor paper. I then scanned the final using a HP Photosmart C4480. In PhotoShop Elements I positioned the image on one of the downloaded iPhone Design templates from Uncommon.  I then uploaded the image to Uncommon.com and selected a capsule case. If you would like to order an Uncommon case with my artwork on it, let me know. I have $5 off coupons and would be happy to give you the image and the coupon code for your order. Someday I will figure out how to make my own iPhone cases and sell them in my etsy store. Until then, watch me paint!
Please enjoy:


Watercolor Demo of Mermaid Frida from Heather Rigney on Vimeo.