Art Adventure: Air-Dry Clay Completed

I'm such a dork. With summer and all, I haven't been keeping track of days very carefully. I didn't realize until today, that I had missed Tuesday. /Facepalm/

So, last Tuesday I showed you our progress with Crayola Air-Dry Clay.

Gabe made a cave which has gems lodged in the sides.

Chi made a rock.

Kind of makes me giggle. A rock.

I had the boys use their tempera paints.

 I was surprised by how much the paint soaked in. You can see the paint colors appear pretty light.

 I suppose acrylic might work better, but that's also more stressful since it's permanent (I mean on clothes, my table, etc.). Chi kept rinsing his brush and adding more and more water into the mix so his clay was starting to soften. So, the air-dry is not as permanent as they claim. Basically it seems like bone dry regular clay when it's dry.

If you have access to regular clay, then there is no reason to buy this stuff. If you don't though, the Crayola clay is available practically everywhere. It was easier for them than Scupley clay though. And the small container has enough clay for four small projects.

Tip for painting: no need for a paint palette. Just use a piece of aluminum foil. The paint doesn't soak in, like if you used a piece of paper, and it's super easy to clean up, just crumple and recycle.  

Art Adventure: Air-Dry Clay

My kids have been asking for Crayola's Air-Dry Clay for awhile now.

I decided to give it a whirl.

We don't have a completed project to show you because I did not realize the dry time would be 2-3 days. It's fine, but I should have planned ahead better. :)

They are enjoying moulding the clay as we speak. I would criticize that it is actually a little stickier than expected. A canvas pad for the table would do wonders.

But, it is definitely soft enough for young and weak hands.

After it dries we plan to paint them. I'll give you a full report next week. Have you tried the Air-Dry clay yet? What did you think?

Just to be clear, I'm just sharing a product that might inspire your kids to get crafty. I am not paid or perked by Crayola in any way. Paid full price for my own tub of clay. Crayola has no idea who I am.

Art Adventure: Reflections

When I first saw this project demo-ed, the instructor insisted on washable markers. I tried it with my son with regular Crayolas and it worked just fine. Maybe all Crayolas are really washable? But then why are some labeled washable and some are not? Hmm. Deep mysteries.

So, use what you have and see how it goes. Just don't use permanent markers.

Reflections

Supplies:

• paper
• markers
• spray bottle with water

Fold a piece of paper in half.

Draw a picture with markers. Make sure the folded edge is the bottom edge of the picture. It works best to really fill up the paper and have the image go to the bottom edge.

I did trees for an example. But how about a cityscape? Maybe even a person?

Either flip over or unfold and spray the blank half of the paper with water. Set the bottle to a fine mist, but really saturate the paper with water. (Just try to stop the child before you get into paper-falling-apart territory.)

Carefully fold the wet half onto the colored half and rub with hands.

Unfold. And you should have a reflection of the image as if it was at the edge of a pond or even a puddle.

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Art Adventure: Bleach Splatter Shirts

I'm the master of procrastination when it comes to Independence Day. I always decide to do it up the day before.

So, this year I figured the kids could make their own holiday shirts. The bleach splatter shirts are making the rounds. I actually accidentally did this to a shirt this past winter -- long story -- and after seeing the internets explode with them, I thought this could work with kids. In a controlled environment, of course. But seeing the bleach slowly change the color is kind of magical.

Bleach Splatter Shirts

Supplies:

• blank shirts, not white (darker colors work best)
• cardstock
• bleach
• water
• spray bottle

First, you need a shape (or shapes). We wanted stars for the whole stars and stripes fourth of July thing. I made stars on the computer and printed on cardstock, just so we had nice shapes, but you could draw them on the cardstock. Either way, the shapes need to be cut out.

Stuff some cardboard inside the shirt and lay out some place flat that won't get damaged.

Adults, fill the spray bottle. I used a little bottle and put a capful of bleach and topped it off with water.

Have the kids position the shape(s) where they like it. Let them choose. It's their shirt. 

They changed their minds right after this pic, but I didn't snap another picture.

Once they are happy with it, have them spray. Make sure the bottle is on mist. Light is best, but they may go a little nuts. It's fine. Don't stress.

When done, lift off the shapes for the big reveal. Then immediately have kids wash hands. 

While they do that, remove the cardboard and wash the shirts. I wash bleach shirts in the washer with no other items. I realize it's a bit wasteful, but you need to remove the excess bleach and you don't want to risk other clothing.

Once dry, they can wear their creation with pride.

Other options:

1. Instead of bleach, use white shirts and fill spray bottles with fabric dye and spray.

2. Add some finishing details with fabric paint pens.

Art Adventure: Bubble Painting

This is a pretty common art project for kids, but it's good fun, so I thought I'd include it in case you haven't tried it before. I have tested different methods of making the colors and you can mix tempera with water or even use watercolors, but I have found food coloring works best.

Bubble Painting

Supplies:

• food coloring, various colors
• water
• dish soap
• containers
• straws
• paper

Mix water, about 10 drops of food coloring and a small squirt of dish soap together. I prefer to do this in a relatively shallow container, so I don't need as much effort to get it bubbled past the rim (which I'll explain momentarily).

Once you have your colors ready, put a straw in each container.

Have your child blow through the straw to make bubbles. You want the bubbles to push up past the rim of the container.

Once you have bubbles, pull the straw out and lay a piece of paper on the bubbles. Lift up and you have a print of the bubbles.

Repeat as often as you like.

You can keep layering the colors to your heart's content. Malachi just really like blowing the bubbles; sometimes I had to remind him to make a print. :)

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Art Adventure: Magic Painting

It's a gloomy day, and a little magic is in order. Went into the archives for this one. Enjoy and go make some magic. :)
 
Don't you just love how kids see magic in something that as adults is obvious?

Magic Painting

Supplies:

• white crayons
• watercolor paint
• white paper
• brushes

First, have your child draw with the white crayon. This can be a bit complicated for kids because it can be hard to remember exactly where you drew before. It's completely acceptable to scribble.

Then use watercolor paints to go all over the drawing. 

As you paint, you will see the paint resist or pull away from the white crayon revealing the drawing - like magic. :)

Incidentally, you can use the same technique when dying eggs. Draw on the egg with white crayon before dipping in the dye and the drawing with appear.

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Art Adventure: Blind Contour Drawing

This project is for kids who are a bit older. Everyone has a hard time doing their first blind contour. Not looking at what you are drawing, well, giving up control is hard!

Two reasons to do it: 1. the results are fun and you produce something really unique; 2. often when people draw they don't really look at what they are trying to draw. This forces you to really look at the person or object and draw what details you really see.

Great exercise for people of all ages and art skill level.

Blind Contour Drawings

Supplies:

• paper
• cardstock
• pencil
• chalk pastels

Start by poking a pencil through the center of a piece of cardstock. This will create a guard so your little artist cannot cheat and look at their picture.

Once the pencil is all fixed up, have your child start to draw anything they want, but something with details. We used faces.

Two rules: do NOT look at your paper (just keep your eyes on what you are drawing) and do NOT pick up your pencil.

The drawing is one continuous line.

Yes, things will look wonky. That's fine! The wonkier the better really.

The next part is to use the chalk pastels to add color. Use the lines as guides and just add color however you wish. Use fingers to blend the colors.

Gabe wailed about the injustices of not looking and not picking up his pencil at first, but once he finally just did it, he really enjoyed it.

Malachi, being four, didn't get it at all, but he loved the pastels.

However it comes out, it's a fun process to try.

 

Art Adventure: "Stained Glass" Easter Eggs

I've been so swamped with school, I literally just realized that Easter is only two weeks away. How did that happen?

I thought I would squeeze in one Easter craft.

"Stained Glass" Easter Eggs
 

 

Supplies:

• wax paper (or plastic wrap)
• permanent marker
• tissue paper, cut or torn into small pieces
• school glue
• brush

 

Mix glue (eyeball it, a couple tablespoons if it's just one or two, more if you have the whole Brady Bunch) and water. I just add some and stir until I have a runny consistency. You can go half and half if you want.

Use the marker to draw your shape on the wax paper. Go as big or small as you want. Ideas other than an egg shape: flowers, chicks, bunnies. Then FLIP IT OVER! You want the marker on the back, if it is painted with the glue/water it will run.

Use the brush to paint the glue/water inside your shape and start putting on the tissue paper. You can be meticulous, or random. I was working with a three year old, so we went random.

  

Let your pieces overlap the edge of your shape. 

When it's all filled in, dab over the whole thing with the glue mix. This will make sure all is glued down and sealed in. 

Now, there's nothing left to do but wait, wait, wait.

Once it's dry, grab a pair of scissors and trim out your shape.

Supposedly, you can now peel off the wax paper. Your tissue paper would totally stick together, but I found that my tissue paper was firmly glued to the wax paper. It really doesn't matter much. When you put it in the window, the light still shines through.

Eh, dreary day, but still nice and colorful!

It would peel off plastic wrap, but I just find plastic wrap to be a pain to deal with. Wax paper works even if it doesn't peel off.