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Salt Painting for Summer Art Projects

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KoiArtProject10

Recently I was introduced to a new form of textured painting called salt painting.  Basically, you take glue cover it with salt, then drop watercolors on top to absorb the color.  Well, can I just say, “Wowza!”  This is such a fun technique and it creates beautiful art work that children can really be proud of.

A quick pinterest search for Salt Painting is sure to inspire you to try this out, but today I wanted to share our own Salt Painting Project: Koi Fish Watercolor

I created a Step-by-Step photo tutorial you can follow to make this project with your own children.

Of course they will want to make their own creations as well, so after you show them this technique, give them the supplies and let them spend their Summer day creating!

Tip: Use Foam Core Board or Poster Board for this project.  The weight of the glue and salt overwhelms carstock, and you’ll need something a little sturdier.  (Construction paper glued to cardboard would work well too.)

Here is an example of another project my daughter made with this technique:

SaltPainting

 

SaltPaintingTutorialIsn’t that beautiful!  This would be a fun way for a Tween or Teen to add some custom art to their bedroom!

Check out the full tutorial here: Salt Painting fo Kids

Find more Japanese Art Projects for Kids Here

Find more Ocean Art Projects for Kids Here

 

Koi Watercolor Art Project for Kids

KoiArtProjectPinKoi fish are beautiful carp that hold special symoblism in Japanes culture.  Koi ponds are placed in beatiful, tranquil settings and japanese gardens.  Encourage children to learn more facts about Koi before you create this stunning project.

Materials:

  • PosterBoard
  • Watercolors
  • Salt
  • Glue
  • Eye Dropper
  • Pencil/Paintbrush
  • Reference Photo

Suggested Resources for a Unit Study:

japanesecelebrations tokyo      japan     japancrafts

Art Project Tutorial:

Step 1

Choose an inspiration photo for your project. Using a pencil lightly sketch a drawing on your poster board.

Step 2

Using glue and a paintbrush fill in the shapes you just drew.

Step 3

Cover the glue with table salt. Let dry for a minute then turn your board over so the extra salt falls off. If you wait to long to do this the glue will flatten out under the weight of the salt and your shape will be distorted a bit.

Step 4

Using a water dropper, fill your water color paints with water. Mix well then used the dropper to slurp up some colors.

Step 5

Drop the watercolor over the salt and watch it spread out and blend.

Step 6

Use your photo reference as a guide, but don't feel you need to stick with it exactly

Step 7

Finish dropping colors on your board until you're happy with how your project looks! Let dry and give this project to a friend!

American Flag Craft for Kids

AmericanFlagPinThis is a fun twist to making an American Flag.  Children use white crayon to make the stars then paint over them with blue watercolor.  The stripes are made with masking tape and red watercolor paint.

Materials:

  • Sheet of Paper
  • White Crayon
  • Masking Tape
  • Watercolors

Suggest Resources for a Unit Study:

patriot1   Patriot2   Patriot3   patriot4

Art Project Tutorial:

Step 1

Draw a pencil outline for where the blue of the flag will be in the shape of a rectangle. Take a white crayon, press hard and make stars

Step 2

Using masking tape, lay out strips alongside the rectangle to the other end of the paper. The paper under the tape will be the white stripes.

Step 3

Using blue watercolor paint over your stars

Step 4

Using Red watercolor, paint over your stripes. Wait for your project to dry then carefully remove the tapes from your paper

All Done!

Hang your flag up in your classroom, or on a pole! Or you can write the pledge of allegiance on the back.

Barn Owl Watercolor

BarnOwlPinThis is a great project for kids to explore watercolors, focusing on hue as well as saturation. Children can discus the emotive qualities of the book “The Barn Owl”

Materials:

Suggest Resources for a Unit Study:

owls3   owls1   owls2     owl4

Art Project Tutorial:

Barn Owl Template

Print this template and poetry for each child.

View Resource

Step 1

Cut your owl window out and set aside.

Step 2

Talk with children about mixing colors. We're going to make a dark blue and a golden rod yellow. Mix brown with blue, and orange and yellow.

Step 3

Use the dark blue paint to paint a cloudy sky at the top of your construction paper. (We're using large sheets of paper)

Step 4

Use the golden rod color to make wheat. across the bottom to make the wheat "dance" in the wind.

Step 5

Here is what your sheet will look like. Set it aside to dry.

Step 6

Start to paint on your Owl Window template. Using watercolors and a little bit of orange, paint the surrounding area of the barn owls face. face.

Step 7

Then use a bit of red to paint around the barn window.

Step 8

Use some watered down golden rod to paint the inside of the barn. Show children how to use water to change the saturation of the color.

Step 9

Here is how your owl looks now

Step 10

Optional: Use some Popsicle sticks to frame the barn window.

Step 11

You can even paint your sticks red to match the redwood theme

Step 12

Cut out your poem, or make your own and add it to your project. (The printable poem is above in the materials list)

All Done!

You can even use paint on some of the words in the poem!

Easter Cross Watercolor Craft

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EasterWatercolorHeader

Today we have an Easter Cross Watercolor Craft for children of all ages.

CalvaryWatercolorGraphic

Calvary Cross Watercolor Craft

 

What makes this easy and fun is that you can provide younger children with our printable template, making it easier for them to follow along.  Older children can start with a blank paper.

You start out with a little  white crayon in select areas:20140215_124311

And you finish up with an amazing watercolor of the cross on Calvary

20140215_125530

Click Here for the full Craft Tutorial

CraftEasterHeader

Find More Easter Crafts & Printables Here

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Distracted?

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I need to be honest here for a minute.

Lately, I’ve been quite distracted.

And even more honestly;

I’m really not getting very much work done

At All.

Maybe because it’s Spring.

Or maybe because I recently moved my desk in front of a window.

But, really I think it’s because I bought some of these.

And a little more of this.

And sitting at my desk,
When the children are tucked away in bed,
I open up my email box,
Glancing out the window….. for just a minute

And it’s hard to look back at the computer.

And soon enough, instead of typing,

I’m making a mess.

And loving every distracted minute of it!