painting

Pumpkin Painting Process Art

October 29, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This pumpkin painting process art activity is easy and effortless to do. It looks a little messy but really isn’t at all. Your little learners will be very eager to participate in this unique art project.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

Gather the following supplies for this creative painting activity:

tempera paints
paint brushes
napkins
small pumpkins
paint palettes
gold glitter
spray adhesive
large disposable tablecloth

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Pumpkin Painting Process Art Set Up

To offer this painting activity, first cover a table with a disposable tablecloth or one that can easily be wiped down afterward.

Then set out a small pumpkin for each child participating.

Next, add tempera paints to paint palettes. Place a paintbrush, filled palette, and napkin next to each pumpkin.

A no-fuss painting invitation with real pumpkins and tempera paint. A process art activity everyone will love.

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Invite children to choose a pumpkin and paint it any way they like.

A super fun way to decorate pumpkins with tempera paint. An all-ages art project everyone will love.

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Encourage little artists to wipe their brushes on the napkin provided when switching hues.

As a finishing touch, have them generously sprinkle gold glitter on top of their pumpkin. This glams up each one big time.

Gold glitter glams up painted pumpkins big time, and is a welcome addition to this showy process art activity.

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After leaving the pumpkins to dry overnight, spray them generously with a craft adhesive to help the glitter stay on.

Now the pumpkins are ready to be displayed or taken home.

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Choosing Paint Colors

In this post, I feature primary tempera paint colors. A little yellow and/or white is added to each hue to lighten and brighten it up, as the paint colors are quite intense coming straight out of the jug. There are lots of brown hues on the decorated pumpkins, as little learners never tire of large-scale color mixing. Feel free to choose an entirely different color scheme for your pumpkin art project.

Note: I briefly touch on this pumpkin painting process art activity in a post titled “Pumpkin Color Activities.”

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Clean Up

A little handwashing and spot cleaning on the floor take care of cleanup quickly. Most of the glitter and paint are usually contained by the tablecloth. And if there are traces of glitter around the room, I say: “A little glitter never hurt anyone.” The added sparkle is welcome!

An easy and fun pumpkin painting process art activity everyone will be eager to try. Gold glitter adds glamour to the pumpkins.

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Collaborative Pumpkin Process Art Project

Another way to do this fabulous art activity is to set out one large pumpkin. Give all children a chance to paint it, working in groups of two or three. Each day the pumpkin can be redecorated, giving it an entirely new look. Just remember to add the glitter at the last painting session.

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More Pumpkin Activities

Eye Dropper Pumpkin Art

Glow In The Dark Pumpkin Art

Pumpkin Tablescape Pretend Play

Edible Playdough Pumpkins

Pumpkin Color Activities

Pumpkin Playdough Activities

Pumpkin Collage Art

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[Read more…]

Fall Leaf Salad Spinner Art

October 27, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Fall is well underway in our area of the world, and the leaves on the trees have turned bright shades of red, orange, and yellow in the past few weeks. The colorful leaves provide wonderful inspiration for art projects, and this fall leaf salad spinner art activity is one of my favorites.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies to Collect

For this fun and easy art project, gather the following supplies:

salad spinner
white cardstock paper
red, yellow, green, and orange tempera paint
paint pots
teaspoons
leaf tracer
pencil
scissors

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A beautiful painted leaf made with a salad spinner painting technique. This process art project is bound to be a hit with your little learners.

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The Fall Leaf Salad Spinner Art Project

To do this art project, pick a leaf to trace and cut from white cardstock. I feature a maple leaf, as it fits nicely in a salad spinner and has an interesting shape. Cut out a few paper leaves for each child participating.

Next, pour red, yellow, orange, and green paint into small containers, and add a teaspoon to each paint pot.

Then have participants take turns placing a paper leaf in the spinner, dripping paint colors on top, and spinning the salad spinner as fast as they can.

How to make beautiful fall leaves with a salad spinner painting technique. An easy and fun all-ages art project.

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The resulting paint patterns are always a delightful surprise, and the arty leaves are display-worthy. And they make a great addition to year-end school memory albums.

A beautiful way to create painted fall leaves using a salad spinner technique. And it's so easy and fun.

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Note: I previously featured maple leaf salad spinner art in a Canada Day post. You can download a leaf template (available in that post) to use for this art activity if you wish.

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Beautiful fall leaves created with a salad spinner painting technique. The arty leaves are display-worthy and would be a great additions to year-end school memory albums.

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The salad spinner cleans up surprisingly well with soap and water at the end of the art session.

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Related: Maple Leaf Theme Activities

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[Read more…]

Neon Finger Paint Tree Art

October 19, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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After reading the poetic book “The Tree In Me” by Corinna Luyken, I especially fell in love with the exquisite, gorgeous illustrations. The beautiful artwork is the inspiration for this neon finger paint tree art activity.

Neon colors, especially pink, balanced by soft yellow hues and touches of grey, are used often in the story. Author/illustrator Luyken states that she picked these radiant colors because she has a soft spot for neon, and wanted to give the story a more universal feel. I know that little learners will love using neon colors in tree art too.

A beautiful, picture-book-inspired neon fingerpaint tree art project the whole family can do. A free tree template is available to download.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

For this cheery tree art activity, only a few supplies need to be gathered:

neon pink, red, orange, and purple finger paint or tempera paint
yellow finger paint or tempera paint
paint tray
white or cream 8 ½ x 11-inch cardstock
tree template

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The Neon Finger Paint Tree Process

Steps to create beautiful neon finger paint tree art. A picture-book-inspired art project that is easy to do. A free template is included.

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This painting activity is easy to set up and do, and early learners will get excited about having the chance to finger paint.

Before starting the art project, read the storybook “The Tree In Me,” or view a video version of the story. Discuss the colors used for the illustrations, along with the many tree-related activities the children in the story participate in.

Next, set out a paint tray with neon finger paints or tempera paints. I feature neon pink, red, and orange tempera paints in this art project. I didn’t have neon yellow paint, but bright yellow paint works fine with neon colors.

Afterward, select a tree template to use for the art. Feel free to download this template for the painting activity.

A free tree template to download for art and craft activities.

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Tree Printable

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Invite early learners to dip a fingertip into the paint colors and finger paint their tree template. While they are working, talk about the colors of paint available and the ones they choose to use.

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Finger Paint Tree Art Benefits

Aside from facilitating language development, this finger paint tree art improves eye-hand coordination and develops fine motor skills. And it offers children a chance to create with unique, dynamic paint colors.

The artwork in “The Tree In Me” is joyful and whimsical, and complements the heartwarming text. Neon finger paint tree art is a terrific follow-up activity to reading the story.

Gorgeous neon finger paint tree art inspired by the picture book "The Tree In Me" by Corinna Luyken. An all-ages, easy-to-do art activity. A free template is included.

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Related: Book-inspired Tree Art

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[Read more…]

Bubble Wand Painting Activity

August 22, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Variety is the spice of life, and this is so true with painting activities. Although paintbrushes are most commonly used to spread paint on canvasses, little learners delight in experimenting with other tools. Offering this bubble wand painting activity gives them an exciting new way to do just that!

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Supplies To Collect

Gather the following supplies for this super fun art activity:

jumbo bubble wands and trays
tempera paint colors of choice
12-inch x 18-inch art paper or canvas
plastic tarp or table cover

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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The Bubble Wand Painting Process

Painting with bubble wands is a fun way to experiment with unique tools for spreading paint. Follow these steps for the process art activity.

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For this activity, pour tempera paint into bubble wand trays, or use trays that are just larger than the wands.

Tip: Tempera paint can be a little dark when used straight from the bottle. Lighten and brighten hues by mixing in a little white and/or yellow paint.

Next, cover a large table with a plastic table cover or tarp.

Then set out big sheets of art paper or canvasses, along with the paint trays. For this project, I feature a budget-friendly stretched canvas purchased at a dollar store.

Have each participant dip a bubble wand in paint, and press it onto the canvas. If the wand is used as a fly swatter, the paint will splatter, adding to the fun.

Repeat the process using additional bubble wands, trays, and paint colors.

It's easy to fill a canvas with a bubble wand painting technique. Give this all-ages super fun art project a try!

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Note: This is a messy activity! Make sure participants wear play clothes and a painting apron, and that your art station can accommodate splattering paint. As an alternative, offer the painting activity outside.

If only a few bubble wand sets are available, have little learners take turns doing this painting activity. Wash the bubble wands and trays before adding each new color.

Big sheets of paper or canvases can seem overwhelming to little learners, but the jumbo bubble wands make painting on a large canvas easy to do.

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Related: Printmaking With Apples

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[Read more…]

Watercolor Planets With Markers

August 17, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Creating watercolor planets with markers is an easy and satisfying process art activity with stunning results. Your little learners will absolutely love doing it. And if you need a quick, beautiful bulletin board or wall display, this project checks that box.

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Supplies To Collect

Gather the following supplies for this art activity:

8-inch diameter paper basket coffee filters
water-based markers
12-inch x 12-inch black cardstock paper
spray bottle
plastic tub
hot glue gun

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Creating Watercolor Planets With Markers

First, flatten basket-shaped coffee filters, and set them on a table with water-based markers.

Invite little learners to decorate their paper circles any way they wish.

Steps to create stunning watercolor planets with markers. This all-ages process art looks beautiful displayed together.

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Tip: Offer analogous colors, which are groups of three colors positioned next to each other on the color wheel. Because these colors complement each other, they work well in process art projects.

Create watercolor earth art with just markers and water. A quick and easy process art project everyone will love. — **Planet Earth With Blue and Green Markers**

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Create watercolor planet Jupiter art with just markers and water. A quick and easy process art project everyone will love. — **Planet Jupiter With Red, Orange, and Yellow Markers**

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Afterward, have everyone take turns wetting their project with a spray bottle filled with water. When doing this, place the decorated circles in a small tub to be sprayed.

Tip: Your little charges may want to soak their circular canvas with lots of water, but just giving the colorful coffee filters a few squirts results in nice art pieces for display.

Next, dry the paper circles on a flat surface covered with a plastic tablecloth or tarp.

Finally, mount the round planets on a 12-inch x 12-inch square piece of black cardstock, or sturdy paper that is 8 ½ x 11 inches in size. Using a hot glue gun works well.

This process art project looks amazing displayed in a group.

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More Watercolor Planet Process Art

Because little learners love the spraying water part of this art activity, invite them to make more colorful planets without restrictions. They may spray the color right out of the circles after decorating them, but they enjoy doing this soooo much. Have them try black or dark green markers. Early learners are sure to be excited about the new colors that will be revealed.

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