DIY Fingerprint art keychains and backpack charms are easy homemade gift ideas and crafts that kids, teens, and adults can make.
Invite children to use their fingers and thumbs to make unique personalized fingerprint art DIY keychains and backpack charms with the easy step-by-step craft tutorial and video below. Fingerprint art crafts like these make a great handmade gift for parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, classmates, friends, or your child’s favorite teacher! You might also enjoy making fingerprint art magnets.
To make fingerprint backpack charms and keychains, gather the jewelry-making supplies recommended below and some ink pads (or acrylic paint) for fingerprinting. Then, follow the step-by-step instructions below the video tutorial at the bottom of the post to make DIY fingerprint art keychains or backpack charms. Alternatively, you can use the same craft materials and your favorite photographs to make picture keychain pendants. First published on May 18, 2018, this fingerprint craft tutorial is regularly updated and occasionally republished to improve the content and remain current.
Related: Hand-Painted Candle Holder Kid-Made Gift Ideas
How to Make Fingerprint Art Keychains or Backpack Charms:
Creating homemade fingerprint art backpack keychain charms and pendants is a delightful and personalized craft that adds a touch of uniqueness to your everyday accessories, such as a backpack, keychain, or purse. Fingerprint charms like these easy crafts also make excellent gifts for Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, siblings, cousins, friends, BFFs, classmates, teammates, coaches, and teachers.
To embark on this creative journey, gather the fingerprint art keychain and charm craft supplies you would like to use from the suggested craft supplies listed below. Then, watch the DIY video tutorial and read through the instructions to learn how to make these simple keepsake crafts. You can also use your fingerprints to make fingerprint art necklaces and magnets. Click the links to see each tutorial.
Experiment with different fingerprint art designs and patterns, making each piece one-of-a-kind before making them into a pendant or charm. Finally, add keychain rings or pendant findings to your fingerprint art creations voilà ! You’ve crafted a charming accessory and a keepsake that carries a piece of your personal touch wherever you go.
Or, even better, gift them to friends, relatives, or your favorite teacher on special occasions and holidays such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Grandparents Day, Teacher Appreciation Day, Friendship Day, Christmas, a birthday, or an anniversary. Fingerprint art pendant crafts also make an excellent DIY favor gift for birthdays and weddings. Happy crafting!Â
Related: Fingerprint Art Necklaces
DIY Fingerprint Art Keychain and Backpack Charm CRAFT Materials:
From the supply options list below, choose the type of fingerprint art charm pendant shapes and key rings you would like to use to make DIY fingerprint art keychains and backpack charms. Because there are several fingerprint pendant supply options, I recommend reading through the instructions below before determining the materials you want to use to make these simple DIY backpack charms.
- Cardstock (heavyweight bright white paper is best)
- Precision cutting tool and self-healing or glass cutting mat to precut paper shapes to match the bezel tray and cabochon shape and size you use (optional).
- Black ultra fine-tip permanent marker
or gel pens - Fingerprint ink pads or acrylic paint and a paintbrush
- Scissors
- Glue and jewelry adhesive (choose at least one of the following):
- Pendant trays and glass cabochons (choose at least one option from the jewelry-making supplies below):
- Keyring options for fingerprint art keychain pendants and backpack charms (choose at least one option from the list below):
- Swivel snap hook with keyringÂ
- Swivel snap hook and key rings with chain for keychain
or 
3 Easy Fingerprint Art Ideas for Fingerprint Art Keychains and Backpack Charms
First, invite children to create fingerprint and thumbprint art using any fun ideas below. Next, have the kids turn their artwork into keychain charms and/or fingerprint art backpack charms using the step-by-step tutorial in the next section below, which contains all the different fingerprint art ideas. Or try making these homemade DIY Gifts.
1. Thumbprint Heart Keychain or Backpack Charms:
Have children use their fingers or thumbs to make hearts to make thumbprint heart keychains or backpack charms. You can also make fingerprint or thumbprint heart necklaces. Please visit the posts for the step-by-step DIY tutorials.
2. Fingerprint Flower Keychain or Backpack Charms:
Invite the kids to create flowers using their fingertips to make fingerprint flower keychains, backpack charms, or necklaces. Click on the link for the directions to make one of these simple keepsake crafts.
3. Fingerprint Art and Thumbprint Art Keychain or Backpack Charms:
There are so many fun ways to create art with fingertips and thumbs! First, gather the fingerprint charm supplies on the list above. Next, pick a fun fingerprint art book from the list below. Finally, use the step-by-step video tutorial and fingerprint pendant instructions (below the fingerprint art book suggestions) to learn how to make this fun craft idea.
My daughter and I had a wonderful time making fingerprint and thumbprint art together using finger ink pads
, a black permanent marker with a fine tip, and the ideas in the books below.
We made fingerprint art magnets, necklaces, keychains, and backpack charms!
Click on the links above to learn more about making magnets and necklaces. Or, invite your kids or students to find inspiration to create unique fingerprint-art keychains and backpack charms using the easy art ideas in the books below. Then, scroll down for the video tutorial and step-by-step instructions for this fun fingerprint craft project.
Our Favorite Fingerprint Art Books:
My daughter and I particularly enjoyed Ed Emberley’s Complete Funprint Drawing Book. It contains two of his most popular fingerprint and thumbprint art books combined into a complete fingerprint art book for kids, which I highly recommend. My daughter also loved the Fingerprint Princesses and Fairies book and the Fingerprint Monsters and Dragons books, but each of the fingerprint art books below are great choices.
Ed Emberley’s Complete Funprint Drawing BookEd Emberley’s Fingerprint Drawing Book
Fingerprint Princesses and Fairies: and 100 Other Magical Creatures – Amazing Art for Hands-on Fun (Fingerprint Art)
Fingerprint & Draw: Animals & Insects: Draw & paint more than 25 cool fingerprint and thumbprint masterpieces (Drawing with your Fingers)
Fingerprint Monsters and Dragons: and 100 Other Adventurous Creatures (Fingerprint Art)
Fingerprint Activities: Animals
Fingerprint & Draw: On the Farm: Draw & paint more than 30 cool fingerprint and thumbprint masterpieces (Drawing with your Fingers)
Fingerprint Drawing: Art Fun at Your Fingertips!
Fingerprint Animals (Fun with Fingerprints)
Fingerprint Fun: Pictures to Complete with Painty Fingertips
Fingerprint Fun: Pets and Farm Animals
Elera 20 Colors Rainbow Craft Finger Ink pads for Rubber Stamps Card Making
Related: Handprint Jewelry Dish Kids Can Make
DIY Fingerprint Art Keychains and Backpack Charms Video Tutorial:
The video below shows how to make fingerprint-art keychains, backpack charms, and necklaces! In the video, you can also see my daughter demonstrating the simple technique she has developed to make gorgeous fingerprint art butterflies with gel pens
.
Below the video tutorial, complete step-by-step instructions for making fingerprint art keychains or backpack charms are posted. Another fun idea is to make DIY Picture Necklaces and Keychains using the same types of pendant trays used to make the fingerprint art ornaments shown in this post.
Related: Painted Candle Holders Gifts Kids Can Make
Fingerprint Art Keychain and Backpack Charms Step-By-Step Tutorial
Please watch the video tutorial and read the step-by-step instructions below before making fingerprint pendant crafts so you know what to expect.
1. Gather and prepare supplies to make fingerprint crafts:
- Choose the supplies you want to use from the recommended materials above.
- Precut cardstock shapes match the size and shape of the bezel tray and cabochons you use to make fingerprint backpack keychains (optional).
- Trace the glass dome cabochon using one of the two options below if you would like to complete this step before making fingerprint art:
- Use a marker or pen to trace the cabochon and cut the shape out with scissors.
- Alternatively, trace the glass dome cabochon with a precision cutting tool, placing a self-healing or glass cutting mat underneath to protect your working surface.
- Trace the glass dome cabochon using one of the two options below if you would like to complete this step before making fingerprint art:
2. Create fingerprint art for backpack and keychain ornaments or charms:
- Invite the kids to draw and/or use their fingertips and thumbs to make fingerprint art to make art necklaces and backpack charms:
- Press your finger into a fingerprint ink pad or lightly brush on acrylic paint with a paintbrush.
- Stamp it onto a sheet of cardstock or pre-cut shapes to match the bezel trays and cabochons you use before making fingerprint art.
- As shown in the video tutorial above, add features, details, and designs to the fingerprint stamp using a permanent marker or gel pen.
- See the photos above or the recommended fingerprint books above for art ideas!
- You can use any of the easy fingerprint and thumbprint art ideas above to make your charms or come up with other creative art ideas.
- Please allow fingerprint art to dry completely before proceeding to the next step. Otherwise, it may smear or become blurry.
3. Glue the fingerprint art to the glass cabochon:
- Place a drop of Mod Podge, white glue that dries clear, jewelry glue, or adhesive on the back (flat side) of a glass cabochon in the shape you choose, and place it on the fingerprint art, as shown in the video tutorial above.
- Please don’t use too much glue. A little goes a long way, while too much can blur or smear the fingerprint art.
- Press gently on the glass dome cabochon to distribute the glue evenly and remove air bubbles and excess glue.
- Allow glue time to dry. (Overnight is best.)
4. Cut away the remaining paper around the glass cabochon:
- Use small precision scissors (or big kid scissors) to trim and cut away paper from the glass cabochon for the fingerprint art keychain or backpack charms.
- You may not need to do this if you choose to precut cardstock shapes to match the size and shape of the bezel trays and cabochons you use (as instructed in Step One) before making these fingerprint crafts.
- It doesn’t need to be perfect because you will glue it into a pendant tray in the next step.
5. Glue the glass cabochon into the keychain charm Bezel pendant tray:
- Use glue or jewelry adhesive to glue the glass cabochon into a charm pendant tray of the same shape.
- Place the glass cabochon with fingerprint art into the pendant tray.
- Once again, press down gently to evenly distribute the glue and remove any air bubbles.
- Use a wet wipe or a damp cloth to remove any excess glue or adhesive.
- Allow fingerprint art pendant or charm time to dry. (Overnight is best.)
Related: Handprint Art with a Thumbprint Heart Keepsake Craft
Related: Thumbprint Heart Crafts and Gift Ideas
Fingerprint Art Keychain and Backpack Charms Gift Idea:
Use this easy fingerprint art keychain and backpack charms tutorial to make a gift for a friend, family member, or favorite teacher. Fingerprint art, thumbprint hearts, and fingerprint-glass magnets are always a big hit with friends and family.
DIY fingerprint art keychains and backpack charms are easy gifts that kids or adults can make at home or in the classroom for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, birthdays, and anniversaries. Fingerprint backpack charms and crafts are excellent end-of-school or back-to-school teacher gifts. DIY Photo necklaces or photo keychains are similar crafts that use the same DIY materials to make unique handmade gift ideas for kids and adults.
Don’t forget to check out all the other homemade gifts for Dad and these beautiful gift ideas kids can make. Click on the link for even more art and craft ideas for kids.
Learn more about Nell Regan Kartychok, author, photographer, and creator of this original fingerprint art keepsake craft and Rhythms of Play HERE!
Where is the video?
Hi Shannon,
The video tutorial for fingerprint art charms is directly above the written step-by-step instructions under the heading “DIY FINGERPRINT ART KEYCHAINS AND BACKPACK CHARMS VIDEO TUTORIAL.” Happy crafting!
Nell