Once you start looking for Model Magic ideas, you’ll see why cupcakes were a topic I came back to again and again. Save this one for Mother’s Day, or some other event that calls for a special project. To make your Model Magic stretch as far as possible, have students make hollow cupcakes. This is done by forming a bowl … Read More
My giraffe face drawing tutorial works great with watercolor and oil pastels. It keeps the blue paint from running into the pretty yellow faces, which is more likely to happen if you use watercolor for both. I love this point of view of the giraffe face. It really breaks down the distinguishing features in to easy steps, so you have a pretty … Read More
My Black Paper Cat turned out to be such an easy paper craft that I thought I’d try it with other color combos. This one started as a Pacon project, which makes strong paper so your cat stands up nice and tall. MATERIALS Paper Tiger Tutorial Pacon Premium Tagboard* Scissors Glue stick Black marker *The above product link is a … Read More
A fun and easy abstract art project for kids is to use brush Sharpie markers on mini canvases. It feels like you’re painting with the world’s brightest colors. The best part of this design is that you only need two center pencil lines to start. The rest can all be free hand lines drawn directly with the marker. I recommended … Read More
Mini painting ideas call for images that can be forgiving. Kandinsky’s circle art is perfect for even young artists to imitate. For special occasions, try a batch of Sharpie Brush Markers and mini canvases. The color will just glide on and pop on that white background. One of my favorite after school classes was a mini canvas session with kinder through … Read More
To draw a Labrador, just adjust the shape the of face and ears of your average dog. This step by step tutorial will help you draw one in nine easy steps. When complete you get to decide if he or her is a yellow or chocolate or black lab. MATERIALS View and download Labrador Tutorial Drawing paper Black marker Crayons … Read More
Most simple train drawing tutorials for kids focus on the old-fashioned version, for some reason. There are a lot of modern options though too. The newer and sleeker trains are a lot of fun to draw, and still start with simple shapes. You could get inspired by the familiar Amtrak cars, or even the high-speed trains that are found in … Read More
Now you can try out an Earth Day printable and see how easy it is to make large, colorful murals for your home or classroom. This mini Earth Day mural has just nine pages, but it will show you how my larger ones work. PDF FILE INCLUDES: • Nine mural pages (8.5″ x 11″) • Assembly instructions MATERIALS NEEDED • … Read More
Here’s an Earth Day coloring page with plenty of fun shapes to color. It is based on my Doodle Mural, which makes a lovely work of art for any classroom door. I hope the message inspires more awareness of reducing, reusing and recycling to keep our planet beautiful. Who knows what we can accomplish if we all work together. To … Read More
This tutorial for how to draw aliens encourages a mixing of eyes, hands and feet. After all, who really knows what an alien might look like? It’s a good direct draw project for the very young as aliens can be whatever they imagine. MATERIALS Draw Aliens PDF Tutorial Drawing paper Black marker Crayons DIRECTIONS Prep: Print tutorial for each student. … Read More
This step by step rooster drawing is great for kinders as it talks about circles, squares and triangles. Add some crayon lines before you paint and you get a very pretty watercolor resist rooster. MATERIALS • View and download Rooster Tutorial • Multimedia or watercolor paper • Half circle and square templates for young students (optional) • Permanent Sharpie marker … Read More
Searching for a butterfly printable for symmetrical coloring practice? Here’s a butterfly drawing I created a while back that is free to download. Enjoy! MATERIALS Download PDF Butterfly template Drawing paper Printer Crayons or markers DIRECTIONS Download the Butterfly template from the link above. Print the line drawing on your printer. Copy as needed for art or science projects. For … Read More
Here’s how to draw a snake that looks like he is all coiled up. Add some texture by rubbing with a crayon when you are done. MATERIALS Download Coiled Snake Tutorial Drawing paper Black marker Crayons Animal Skins Rubbing Plates *The above product link is a referral. If you click through and take action, I’ll be compensated a small amount, … Read More
This is pretty much the world’s easiest way to make a cute sheep drawing. The simple cartoon eyes will kind of seal the deal. • Download Cartoon Sheep Tutorial MATERIALS Drawing paper Black marker Crayons DIRECTIONS Prep: Print tutorial for each student. Draw guide lines on paper or fold in half to make creases. Students follow the tutorial to draw the … Read More
Here’s a simple way to draw and paint a cruise ship. The bottom ocean got an extra coat of blue so that it would stand out from the sky. MATERIALS PDF Cruise Ship Tutorial Watercolor paper Black permanent marker Liquid Watercolor paint DIRECTIONS Follow the six drawing steps as shown, adding as much detail as desired. Trace all the lines … Read More
Here’s an easy Easter bunny drawing that is fun for kids of all ages. He’s sitting up, which makes it easy to add a basket in his paw. Try tracing the marker lines with a crayon, just to add some extra texture and color. MATERIALS View and download Easter Bunny Tutorial Watercolor Paper Black Sharpie Crayons Liquid watercolor paint … Read More
This snail craft was inspired by a cake decoration found over on Pinterest. I love how simple it is to make something look real, just maybe prettier colors. The simple little creations found in cake decorating sites are perfect for kids to imitate with Model Magic instead of fondant. Pinterest and cake decorating are my “go to” searches when I … Read More
For an extra cute bunny face drawing, watch where you place the eyes. A large head, with small eyes, that are far apart will always do the trick. For some extra fun, add clothes to your bunny, as in Peter Rabbit style. It just may inspire a story about who your bunny is, and what they do all day. MATERIALS … Read More
Here’s an easy to draw dragonfly tutorial works really well for young artist, especially kindergarteners. Lots of oval drawing practice. This drawing happens to be one of my favorites, as in all-time favorites. The smile, and eyelashes, and hearts and scribbly color all just make me smile every time I look at it. All I know is that if I … Read More
Here’s how to draw a baby chick, which I found to work really well with kinder through 2nd graders. I recommend finding some kind of circle to trace for the head. A bowl, roll of masking tape, anything to get it round and centered on the paper. Circles are some of the hardest shapes to first draw, and students often … Read More