How to create a headband extravaganza with LEGO DOTS™

Advice from Artist and LEGO DOTS™ Creator, Rachel Burke

Are you stuck inside and want to get creative but don’t know where to start? Don’t despair! Brisbane artist Rachel Burke has teamed up with LEGO DOTS to create a series of online ‘craftorials’ to get your imagination racing and inspire you to create at home!

What you will need:

1 x Headband
1 x Hot glue gun
LEGO DOTS™ Circle base plates
LEGO DOTS™ 4×4 Canvas
LEGO DOTS™ Tiles
Faux Flowers, crepe paper or just about anything else you can find!

Step 1 – Create the flowers

To start building your flower crown, decide what will be the base of your design. Don’t despair if you don’t have LEGO DOTS™ on hand. You can use faux flowers, paper, fabric scraps or maybe a combination of all three!

If you are using LEGO DOTS™ start by taking one circle base plate and surround it with the same sized circle base plates in a different color. I like to work with colours in complementing shades, such as reds, pinks and purples.

Step 2 – Create the leaves

Create a leaf design with your LEGO DOTS™ kit by taking a 4×4 canvas and attaching these to the back of your circular floral creation.

Try cutting out paper leaves from coloured paper to add volume to your headpiece as an alternative to LEGO DOTS™.

Step 3 – Add depth and shade

The key to making your flowers stand out on your headband is to create the look of depth and shade.

I do this with LEGO DOTS™ by adding some of the DOTS™ in complementary colours across my leaves and flower designs. For the leaves, cover three of the corners with smaller green DOTS tiles and use the fourth corner to attach the leaf to your flower piece.

To finesse your flower, add some DOTS™ in a similar tonal palette to the petals, and create depth by attaching clear DOTS™ to the centre of your flower.

If you are not working with DOTS™, depth can be added by layering materials over the top of each other. Try scrunching up a lighter colour crepe paper as the middle layer of a flower, and then doing the same with a darker color in the same tone to create the outer layer.

Steph 4 – Attach your design

The next step is to attach your design to your headband. The easiest way to do this is a hot glue gun, but make sure you ask a parent to help you with this as hot glue can burn!

Start by positioning your design where you want it and then adhere each piece with the hot glue. You can continue to build on your design as much as you want to create a simple or completely extravagant design!

Step 5 – Try on your headpiece

Now comes the fun part – modeling your design! Once the glue has semi-dried, try on your headband to make sure you are happy with the positioning. While the glue is still soft you can slightly move things around to achieve the best results.

And that’s it! Now get out there and create your own LEGO DOTS™ masterpiece!

Rachel Burke is a multidisciplinary artist and designer based in Brisbane, Australia.

Known for her vibrant, tactile designs and wild tinsel jackets, Rachel’s custom made styles are immediately recognisable and sort out by clients across the globe. Her work has been acquired by notable performers and artists including Kesha, Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Show, The Office), Susie Bubble, Dannii Minogue, Kate Miller-Heidke, Justine Clarke, Patience Hodgson and Kim Chi (Ru Paul’s Drag Race).

Follow along with Rachel’s video tutorial above or online at her Youtube page Tinsel Town. To enter the draw to win one of five bespoke DOTS™-inspired jackets by Rachel Burke, upload your craftorial masterpieces to Instagram with the hashtag #DOTSTODOTS by 15 May 2020.

Find out more about LEGO DOTS™ at www.LEGO.com.