Day of the Dead is also known as All Souls Day, and is celebrated in Mexico to pray for and remember friends and family members that have passed away. MATERIALS • Black card stock paper • Pencil • Scissors to cut template • Crayola Metallic Markers • View and download Skull template DIRECTIONS PREP: Print out a skull template 1. … Read More
Perspective is learning that the further away objects are, the smaller they appear. Painting trees with blowing leaves a good subject matter for this topic. MATERIALS • Watercolor paper • Watercolor paint DIRECTIONS 1. Students start by painting an off-center tree, with trunks and branches. A thick trunk with thinner branches work best. 2. Colored leaves in varying sizes are … Read More
One approach for an art trading card class is to think of a category, and challenge students to fill in the blanks. I offered a few orange supplies for prompts and then let the kids go to town. Any art supply that came in orange helped to spur ideas. MATERIALS Card stock paper, white Paper cutter Assorted orange art supplies … Read More
This simple leaf art project is a good exercise for those small motor skills. I’ve found students have a lot of fun just losing themselves in their patterns. MATERIALS • Drawing paper • Cardboard for leaf templates • Sharpie markers DIRECTIONS 1. Cardboard templates of leaves may help young artists get started, but drawing their own is always best. Students … Read More
When looking for painting ideas for kids, try everyday objects they are familiar with. Parallel lines were important for this drawing so I gave students 6″ x 1.5″ cardboard templates, the size of the wrapper, to help them get started. Beginners traced and drew “flat crayons”, the mid levels tried layering a few of them, and advanced used curves on … Read More
My goal for my watercolor students was to have them learn how to bleed colors together when they want, and keep them separate when they do not. This series of modern trees were easy to draw, and left lots of room for experimenting. MATERIALS Watercolor paper Crayons Liquid watercolor paint DIRECTIONS I was inspired by Eloise Renouf’s Etsy store, and … Read More
In this simple still life drawing, students are challenged to make as many values as they can with just one color and a little water. MATERIALS • Watercolor or Mixed media paper • Crayon • Watercolor paint tray • Brush • Bowl of water DIRECTIONS 1. On a chalk board, draw three simple still life shapes: the coffee cup, the wine … Read More
I’m calling this art trading card project a weaving sampler. it’s one way to introduce the very basic idea of “over and under” to young ones. MATERIALS • Card stock paper • Paper cutter • Scissors • Trading card sleeves DIRECTIONS PREP: Cut lots of cardstock cards to measure 2.5″ x 3.5″ and lots of thin strips that are 2.5″ … Read More
I’ve found another use for my supply of dry wax paper. The paper is perfect for tracing, painting and crumbling, and in making map art projects for kids. MATERIALS Dry Wax Paper, found at Smart & Final and Amazon Laser print of a map Sharpie markers, ultra fine tip Watercolor paint DIRECTIONS A class was studying ancient Greece, so … Read More
A clown fish craft is super easy if you start with Model Magic. It already comes in the perfect colors. MATERIALS • Model Magic, white and orange • Googly eyes DIRECTIONS 1. Each student started with a ball of orange. A small amount was set aside for the fins. The rest was rolled into a tube, and flattened a bit. … Read More
My favorite material to sculpt with young students is Model Magic. You can mix it to make new colors, and it sticks to itself like nothing you have seen before. MATERIALS Crayola Model Magic: blue, yellow, white, black, red DIRECTIONS I wanted students to mix up their own green, so they were given small golf ball sizes of blue, … Read More
Years ago I was volunteering in my son’s 2nd grade class and two students went off to make a birthday card for a friend. I turned around to see this, and my view of what kids can create has never been the same. MATERIALS Donated paper from a stationary store Scissors Glue stick Card stock paper, folded in half to make … Read More
This birch tree art project for kids uses tape to block off the tree shapes, and watercolor paint and salt to make the textured midnight sky. MATERIALS • Watercolor paper • Masking tape • Scissors • Watercolor paint, blue • Table salt • Acrylic paint DIRECTIONS 1. Tape a border around the edge of a square of watercolor paper with … Read More
Learning how to draw a skull, be it for Halloween or Day of the Dead celebrations, is not that hard if you break it down into steps. MATERIALS Watercolor paper Black Sharpie marker Crayons Liquid watercolor paint DIRECTIONS Draw guide lines on paper. Draw skull as shown. Trace the drawing with the black marker. Add decorations and patterns with crayons. … Read More
Lemon juice dropped on a watercolor art trading cards will make some pretty cool shapes if left to sit for a few minutes. Give it a few minutes to soak, dab away with a tissue, and some crazy shapes are left as a result. MATERIALS • Watercolor paper, cut to 2.5″ x 3.5″ ATC size • Dr. Ph. Martin’s paint … Read More
The best pumpkin lesson plans are easy for students of all ages. This mosaic pumpkin art with tape mean you only need scissors and tape. Anyone who has tried before to make a mosaic with paper, knows how hard it is to keep things neat and tidy. Working with tape eliminates all that, and just leaves a smooth surface. And … Read More
These leaves could be a study in the different types that live in your area. Add layers of markers and you’ll have some very colorful art. MATERIALS Finger paint paper Paper cutter (recommended) Sharpie brush markers Black Sharpie marker Metallic markers Trading card sleeves DIRECTIONS Coated paper works great with the Sharpie markers. If you don’t have access to … Read More
I have admired Art Trading Cards for years, amazed at what some dedicated artists can create on the very small 2.5″x 3.5″ format. MATERIALS • Watercolor paper • Paper cutter • Black Sharpie marker • Liquid watercolor paint • Crayons • Old phone book papers (for house collage) • Gelli pens • Various markers • Misc stencils DIRECTIONS PREP: Cut … Read More
Paul Klee’s City Painting is the perfect picture to try with acetate and oil pastels. Simple shapes yet rich colors on a dark background. A pretty potent combination. MATERIALS • Acetate, 8.5″ x 11″ • Copy paper • Download Grid Paper • Black Sharpie marker • Black card stock paper • Oi pastels (I prefer the Portfolio brand for their … Read More
I’ve used this Mother’s Day Card idea for kinders for years and I’m still surprised at how nice they turn out, especially when colored with bright patterns. MATERIALS • White construction paper, 12″ x 18″ size • Black Sharpie marker’ • Oil pastels DIRECTIONS PREP: Cut large white construction paper (12″ x 18″) in half to make panels of 6″ … Read More