The world’s easiest way to decorate a pumpkin — just pour paint Jackson Pollock style. MATERIALS White foam pumpkin, from Michaels or Amazon Old acrylic paint, bright colors Newspaper and small cup … Read More
You pretty much can’t lose when you make pumpkins your subject matter for a painting. The line work alone is perfect for teaching kids how to give their circles dimension, let alone … Read More
I created this leaf template years ago, after getting inspired by some Zentangle art. Here’s a fun project when studying lines as an element of art. Below is the link to download … Read More
Here is how I made my cover art for a new paper from Strathmore. It’s very thick and black, perfect for those projects that always made construction paper flop and wrinkle. I’m … Read More
This example of radial symmetry is also a great way to learn how to draw fireworks. MATERIALS • Journal page or drawing paper • Pencil crayon or crayons DIRECTIONS 1. Students … Read More
This is my favorite way for students to make a scratch art picture, first a black marker drawing, then layers of oil pastel on top. MATERIALS • Card stock paper • … Read More
I wish I could draw like this little girl does. Nola is only in kindergarten, and everything she does just oozes child-like charm. Filling the space between the two heads with pink … Read More
Don’t throw away old, un-decomposable CD cases, turn them into gifts instead. They make great little terrariums, especially with a message for special occasions. You can watch your plants grow and make … Read More
If you are studying American symbols, here’s how to draw the White House. I’ve simplified it as much as possible, and have created some grid paper to help those (even as young … Read More
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I’ve made a tutorial of how to draw a Shamrock. If you can draw lines and hearts, then you can make this beautiful painting in honor … Read More
These watercolor resist hearts use rubber cement to lock in a paint color while the surrounding areas soak it up. I recommend it for a home project as it works best with … Read More
Looking for a collaborative project that creates a colorful, finished work of art? Try my favorite combo of Sharpies on dry wax paper, decoupaged to a stretched canvas and you are guaranteed … Read More
Here is some Valentine art that is just too cute not to share. Lisa H. wrote,“We live in Nebraska and every Friday my younger kids and my older grand kids get together … Read More
This technique for making tissue paper flowers is not new, but I have a new appreciation for its simplicity. If your students have had an overload of 2D work lately, try this … Read More
Jim Dine is an American pop artist, famous for his series of heart paintings. This project uses tissue paper, glue and oil pastels to create a heart in his very textured style. … Read More
My goal with this flying heart balloon painting was to keep things really simple so kids could experiment with their wet-on-wet painting. This fourth grader, Lola, did an impeccable job, using the … Read More
There are times when it is good to plan with a pencil, and then there are times when you just need to draw with a brush. You can’t go wrong with these … Read More
This just in, a finished “Chinese New Year of the Rooster” mural from Alison, a teacher. She opted to use an acrylic paint mixed with a soft gel medium to add some … Read More
If you know how to tint and shade with oil pastels, then try testing your skills on this Cubist style heart. MATERIALS • Multimedia or card stock paper, square • Pencil • … Read More
Students can practice radial symmetry with this Radial Hearts drawing. It takes time to fill in the entire paper, but the results can be really amazing. And once someone gets good at … Read More
This Valentine painting was inspired by a simple stock art drawing. I think it would make the beginning of a great story, given it’s a flying cat, holding a heart for someone. … Read More
Wouldn’t this textured ceramic box make a wonderful Valentine gift? It’s just one of the amazing clay projects in my friend’s ebook, “Create with Clay”. I’m sharing some snapshots of this project … Read More
Looking for ideas for homemade holiday decorations? I need some for my school’s holiday boutique, so I’m having students draw gingerbread houses and then cut them out. I found that if I … Read More
‘Tis the season for holiday decorations, so this Giant Popsicle Stick Snowflake is my solution for some inexpensive flakes that have a lot more impact than paper ones, and will last for … Read More
Old buildings are the stuff of storytelling, so this Old Fashioned Winter House is a perfect for young students this time of year. This painting was made by a kinder student named … Read More
This negative space tree project can really look like stained glass if you use really bright colors. I love the combo of black Sharpie trees and then soft oil pastels to fill … Read More
I’ve been on the lookout for a new way to draw a cardinal. This one, inspired by a stock art illustration is built on some very simple shapes that I think young … Read More
I am still struck by how bright these winter silhouette paintings came out, this one by a third grader. I honestly think it comes from upgrading my tempera paint to something better … Read More
I came up with this Craft Stick Snowflake to help students make a special gift for their parents that is inexpensive, non-denominational, and pretty quick to make. My sample measures about 10″ … Read More
Here’s a simple snowflake painting project that was inspired by an illustration on a stock art website. I’ve found some amazing ideas at istockphoto.com and shutterstock.com, and gettyimages.com, just to name a … Read More
Quilling is an art form that involves rolling, and gluing strips of paper together to create decorative designs. If you use bread ties instead, the curl stays and thus easier to glue … Read More
Here’s a super easy way to draw a frame on your artwork with this fun, precut paper. Add a few swirly black lines and you have a wood grain look that adds … Read More
This watercolor resist snowflake art is easy to create with laser-cut wood decorations that are found at craft stores. They make perfect crayon rubbing material because they are so decorative, yet perfectly … Read More
Making scratch art with oil pastels can be rather basic, but have you tried making different color combos on one piece of art? Or coloring three layers to see what happens? Many … Read More
This clay snowman is made with holes in his body so real twigs can be inserted when he (or she) is finished. I’ve learned to really appreciate white ceramic projects as they … Read More
Looking for an easy way to draw Santa’s face? If so, here’s a simple approach drawing just his head. And if you work on brown kraft paper, you will get a nice … Read More
For this snowy winter tree painting, students have the chance to just focus on the branches without any worries about leaves. Studying their basic structure will help them draw more realistically. I’ve … Read More
These Model Magic Gingerbread Cookies are so easy to make, thanks to the perfect gingerbread Model Magic color, also known as “Terra Cotta”. If you have cookie cutters to use, that would … Read More
My art room is filled with giant Nutcracker drawings right now, waiting to be lined up in our auditorium for our upcoming holiday show. I took a que from my Harvest … Read More
Try Elf feet drawing for a fun holiday project. The close up view of just the legs and shoes make for festive picture that would be great for many different uses. MATERIALS … Read More
A candle card works well for the holidays as so many religions use them to celebrate. This is simply drawing candles and then breaking up the background for a faux stained glass … Read More
I taught my students how to draw a teddy with a few simple shapes, and they found many, many ways to turn him or her into their own creation. For instance, it … Read More
I’ve made a tutorial on how to draw Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, which I believe keeps his cute details, while keeping him as simple as possible to draw. That said, I … Read More
This recycled pencil star idea came about from seeing lots of half-used pencils in my room. I have boxes of them that are a bit too awkward to hold, but seem too … Read More
To make this ornament Christmas card, try filling the shapes with lots of with lines and patterns and watch the edges appear all by themselves. MATERIALS • White cardstock paper, 5″ x … Read More
There is no digital replacement for mixing colors for a fall leaf painting, and I was reminded again how much kids just love the unknown of stirring two colors together. I’ve come … Read More
In the spirit of giving this holiday week, I’d like to offer this free Thanksgiving Mural PDF template. The five-page file that you can download below has the four pages needed to … Read More
Need a follow up turkey coloring sheet for a Thanksgiving lesson? Or maybe just looking for a good adult coloring page for yourself? Here’s a turkey that I think offers more creative … Read More
Here is a Sharpie Winter Landscape project that works well for a wide range of students. The black permanent marker allows for liberal painting over the trees, and the white marker creates … Read More
For something new, draw a cartoon turkey and then make up a funny story about him or her. This guy is pretty simple, and I’ve even tried it successfully with kinders. At … Read More
