process art

Salt Painting Planet Art

May 3, 2025 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This salt painting planet art is super satisfying and oh so simple to do. The salt drip painting technique works well to create Earth or one of the other eight planets.

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Supplies to Collect

Gather the following supplies, which you probably have around your home, for this stunning planet art activity:

8 ½ x 11-inch cardstock paper
table salt
white glue
glue paddle
food coloring
paint pots
eye droppers
paintbrush
teaspoon
disposable plate
scissors and pencil
glue stick or glue gun
washable table cover

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Salt Painting Earth Art

The first planet to create is our Earth as seen from outer space. Complete this salty art activity over two days.

Day One:

Protect an art table with a washable or disposable table cover.

Cut out a circle measuring 18 cm/7 inches from 8 ½ x 11-inch or 9 x 12-inch cardstock paper.

Pour white glue into a small container or paint pot.

Set the sturdy paper circle, pot with white glue, glue paddle, and disposable plate on the prepared art table.

Dip the glue paddle into the white adhesive and spread it on the circle in shapes of land forms.

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Using a teaspoon, generously sprinkle salt over areas of the circle that contain glue.

Tip the circle sideways over a disposable plate and shake off excess salt. (The leftover spice can be used for more salt painting planet art projects.)

Let the gluey circle dry overnight.

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Day Two:

Cover an art table with a washable table cover.

Prepare the watercolor paints: Mix a few drops of blue food coloring into a paint pot containing water and a few drops of green food coloring into a second water-filled pot. Or mix a lighter and darker hue in each color for more variety.

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Set the raised salt circle on the art table with two hues of green food coloring. Add an eye dropper or pipette to each pot.

Using the droppers, carefully drip paint onto the salt-covered areas of the circle.

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Then, with a paintbrush, carefully brush blue watercolor paint around the raised salt land forms to represent water.

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Set the painted art project aside to dry.

The earth art looks stunning adhered with a glue stick or glue gun to a black or dark blue 8 ½ x 11-inch or 9 x 12-inch cardstock or construction paper background. Displayed in a group, this salt painting planet art project looks stunning.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning activities.

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Salt Painting Jupiter Art

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Jupiter also looks amazing in a salt painting planet art activity. To create planet Jupiter with this art technique, spread the glue in a stripy design to show Jupiter’s banded, cloud-covered look. Sprinkle on salt and shake it off next. After the spice-covered glue dries, drip red and yellow food coloring paint onto the raised salt areas. Then, carefully brush orange food coloring paint (or orange liquid watercolor paint diluted with water) between the raised salt areas for contrast.

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As with the salt painting planet Earth project, a group of arty Jupiter planets looks stunning when displayed on dark cardstock paper backgrounds.

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The salt painting art with an Earth theme is a great activity for Earth Day. Both art projects are welcome additions for a space theme.

Is this post helpful? Which planet would you create with this technique?

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Eye Dropper Pumpkin Art

October 26, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This eye dropper pumpkin art project is super easy to set up and loads of fun to do. Participants will want to make a few watercolor-painted pumpkins, so you will end up with a bunch of pumpkin art to display at home or in the classroom.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning activities.

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Supplies To Collect

Gather the following supplies for this no-fuss pumpkin art project:

liquid watercolors
eye droppers or pipettes
paint pots
non-permanent black marker
permanent black marker
paper towel roll
pumpkin template
scissors and pencil
newspaper or waterproof tablecloth

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Eye Dropper Pumpkin Art Preparation

Preparation for this eye dropper pumpkin art project is super quick. Start by tracing pumpkins onto one or two sheets of paper towel. Choosing a thick paper towel brand is recommended.

Next, mix liquid food colors and water into paint pots, and add an eye dropper or pipette to each one. In this project, my colors of choice are orange, yellow, and magenta, as they go nicely together.

Afterward, cover an art table with newspaper or a waterproof tablecloth.

Then set up art stations with liquid watercolor pots, eye droppers or pipettes, and paper towel pumpkins.

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The Eye Dropper Pumpkin Art

To create the gorgeous eye dropper art, invite your little learners to draw a mouth, nose, and eyes on a paper towel pumpkin using a black permanent marker.

Then direct your little charges to use the eye droppers or pipettes to squirt all three colors on their pumpkins. In no time the large fruits will be covered in brilliant hues.

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Let the arty pumpkins dry in the spot they were created or move them to a new place to do so. The painted pumpkins will likely be very wet, but by the end of the day, they will be totally dry.

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Eye Dropper Scary Pumpkin

If children use a non-permanent black marker to draw a face on their pumpkin before wetting it with liquid watercolors, the marker color will bleed during the art process. The pumpkins will have an ominous, scary look.

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Rainbow Pumpkin Art

You can choose to skip having your little artists draw a face on the paper towel pumpkin and get them right to work squirting liquid food colors on it. Adding a few more watercolor hues makes creating a rainbow pumpkin possible.

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Paper Towel Rainbow Art

If you run out of paper towel pumpkins for your eager art session participants, allow them to spread watercolors directly on rectangular or square sections of a disposable towel roll. They’ll be happy to use these as a canvas to continue exploring this watercolor painting technique.

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More Pumpkin Activities

Pumpkin Painting Process Art

Glow In The Dark Pumpkin Art

Pumpkin Tablescape Pretend Play

Edible Playdough Pumpkins

Pumpkin Color Activities

Pumpkin Playdough Activities

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Painting With Corn

October 21, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This painting with corn process art activity is quick and easy to do and offers young children an unexpected way to paint. It can be completed in a few different ways, adding variety and sensory options to the art experience.

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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 painting with corn:

corn ear and husk
box or serving tray
large sheets of sturdy art paper
8 ½ x 11-inch cardstock paper
tempera paint
paint pots
paint tray
teaspoons
sharp knife

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Painting With Corn Techniques

Corn Painting In a Tray

The first way to paint with corn is to set a piece of sturdy paper into a low-edged box or serving tray.

Next, spoon globs of paint in the colors of your choice onto the paper.

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Then shuck an ear of corn and drop it in the box or tray. Or use an ear of corn that is already shucked for the art activity.

Tip the box or tray carefully from side to side to move the corn ear around, and you’ll soon have a completed piece of art.

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For a little more control, paint the ear of corn instead of spooning paint onto the art paper. When the corn cob is covered in paint, drop it into the box or tray. Then tip the box from side to side as in the process above.

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Painting By Hand Rolling Corn

A second way to paint with corn is to forgo using a box or tray for the art process. Simply set a large piece of sturdy paper on a table covered with newsprint or a washable tablecloth.

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Then drop globs of paint onto the paper and roll the corn over them with your hands as if you were using a rolling pin.

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Or paint the corn ear first and then roll it in different directions over the paper.

This rolling corn technique just might go over best with little learners, as they love to mingle with the paint.

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Corn Half Paint Prints

The third method of painting is to start by cutting an ear of corn in half with a sharp knife, aiming to get a smooth sliced end on each half.

Next, spoon tempera paint colors into pie tins, disposable plates, or paint trays.

Dip the sliced end of one corn ear half into a paint color and press it onto the paper.

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When switching colors, wipe the paint-filled edge of the corn with a paper towel sheet before dipping it in a new hue.

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Corn Cob Paint Print

In the last method of painting with corn, the goal is to make a realistic corn cob by using a printmaking technique. In this art activity, a corn cob and a husk are used to make paint prints.

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For the art project, set out an ear of shucked corn. Save one of the green husks to use.

With a paintbrush, first thoroughly paint a corn ear with yellow tempera paint.

Next, press the corn cob on a piece of 8 ½ x 11-inch cardstock paper, slightly rolling it back and forth with your fingers.

Remove the corn cob from the paper.

Then paint one side of a husk and press it down on the paper next to the corn print. Make a second husk print on the other side of the cob. Afterward, add a couple more husk prints around the corn.

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You may wish to try all of the above painting with corn methods as each adds an interesting twist to the art activity. Which corn process art painting technique is your favorite? Share in a comment below.

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Related: Corn Theme Activities

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Watercolor Apples With Markers

October 7, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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If you are looking for an easy art activity with a WOW factor, this watercolor apples with markers art project is for you. Just a few supplies are needed for this gorgeous art activity.

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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 super simple art activity:

paper towel sheets
watercolor markers
spray bottles with water
trays or small utility tubs
waterproof tablecloth
apple template

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Creating Watercolor Apples With Markers

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To offer this effortless art activity, first cut out apple shapes from sheets of paper towel. Choosing a thick paper towel brand is recommended, but any kind will do. Feel free to download this apple template for the art project.

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Apple PrintableDownload

This template is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Next, set up stations with a paper towel apple, and washable markers. Select hues such as red, pink, yellow, orange, and green to represent apple colors.

Invite participants to carefully color their apples.

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Then have the little artists place their arty apple in a tray or small utility tub and spray it with water. Afterward, carefully lift off each apple and set it to dry on a table covered with a waterproof tablecloth.

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Your little learners will likely wish to create a few watercolor apples using this technique. In this case, you may decide to offer the activity with apple-hued markers one or two times, and then all the markers (except black) another time.

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Coloring and spraying rectangular, uncut paper towel sheets is fun too.

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When the fruity art has dried, use a glue stick or mini glue gun to mount each project on a cardstock or construction paper background.

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Tip: Paper towel sheets are usually double-layered. If the paper apple layers come apart, use a glue stick to dab a little glue between them. Then gently press the layers together

Watercolor Apple Prints

When a paper towel apple is colored in with markers and thoroughly sprayed with water, it takes a while to dry. To speed up the drying process, lay a rectangular sheet of paper towel over the sprayed apple and press down gently. This will remove excess water and reveal a lovely print of the apple design.

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Interested in another watercolor activity with markers? Check out the blog post “Watercolor Planets With Markers.”

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More Apple Activities

Apple Theme Activities

Apple Print Activities

Apple Playdough Tray

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Gorgeous Eye Dropper Art

August 27, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Baeutiful paper towel eye dropper art . Do the process art activity on its own or turn the art into dragonfly, butterfly, and flower designs.

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What do dragonflies, butterflies, and flowers have in common? Aside from appearing during the summer season, they all look spectacular in eye dropper art. This easy-to-do, oh-so-satisfying process art technique is one of children’s favorite ways to paint.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

For this stunning art activity, gather the following:

liquid watercolors or food coloring
roll of absorbent paper towels
pipette eye droppers
paint containers
waterproof tablecloth

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The Eye Dropper Art Process

Create gorgeous eye dropper art with liquid watercolors on paper towle sheets. An all-ages process art activity.

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Things might get very wet with this art technique, so the first thing to do is cover the working surface with a waterproof tablecloth.

Next, tear off sheets from a paper towel roll. If you have a choice, pick a thicker brand, as it will be more absorbent. But any kind of paper towel will work fine.

Then pour water into paint pots, and mix a few drops of liquid watercolors or food coloring in each one.

Set up an art station with a paper towel sheet and paint pots with eyedropper pipettes for each participant.

Invite children to squeeze paint on their paper towel canvas with the droppers.

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When the arty paper towel sheets are thoroughly covered in paint, set them aside to dry.

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Eye Dropper Paint Crafts

Eye dropper painting is a well-loved process art activity, and participating artists will likely want to decorate a few paper towels. In this case, send some of the paper towel art home, and save a few sheets for crafts or other activities. The paper towel art looks beautiful in the following three crafts.

Paper Towel Dragonflies

Create a gorgeous dragonfly with a super fun eye dropper painting technique. A paper craft that looks stunning displayed.

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The large wings of mosquito-munching dragonflies have a moment with the eye dropper art technique. To craft the dragonflies, cut two pairs of long wings out of painted paper towel sheets, and a one-piece head, thorax, and abdomen from complementary-toned regular or glitter cardstock. Use a glue stick to affix the dragonfly wings to the back of the cardstock shapes. Finally, use a glue gun to add folded pipe cleaner antennae and wiggly eyes to the heads.

Tip: Paper towel rolls are often two-ply. If the layers in your cutouts separate while you are working, dab a little glue in a few spots between them so they stay in place.

Create gorgeous dragonflies with a super fun eye dropper painting technique. A paper craft that looks stunning displayed.

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Download this free dragonfly template to make the craft.

Download this free dragonfly template for art or craft activities.

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Dragonfly PrintableDownload

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This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Paper Towel Butterflies

Create a gorgeous, dainty butterfly with a super fun eye dropper painting technique. A paper craft that looks stunning displayed.

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Butterflies look fantastical in any kind of art technique, and the wings look especially dainty when crafted from painted paper towels. To create the butterflies, snip two pairs of butterfly wings from a colored paper towel. Then cut a one-piece head, thorax, and abdomen from cardstock. As with the dragonflies, affix the wings to the back of the cardstock bodies. With a glue gun, attach a folded pipe cleaner antennae and two small wiggly eyes to the heads.

Create gorgeous, dainty butterflies with a super fun eye dropper painting technique. A paper craft that looks stunning displayed.

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Download this free butterfly template to make the craft.

Download this free butterfly template for art or craft activities.

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Butterfly TemplateDownload

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This printable is for individual or one-classroom use only.

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Paper Towel Flowers

Create a beautiful flower with a super fun eye dropper painting technique. A paper craft that looks stunning displayed.

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A third art project is to create paper towel flowers. Cut the flowers and circular centers from painted paper towel sheets, and add cardstock or construction paper stems and leaves.

Create beautiful flowers with a super fun eye dropper painting technique. A paper craft that looks stunning displayed.

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Download this free flower template to make the craft.

Download this free flower template for art or craft activities.

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Flower PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one-classroom use only.

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Light Table Play

The eye dropper paper towel dragonflies, butterflies, and flowers look especially beautiful displayed on a light table.

Eyedropper art dragonfly, butterfly, and flowers display beautifully on a light table.

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As an alternative, eye dropper-painted geometric shapes cut from paper towel sheets also illuminate wonderfully and offer opportunities to create original designs.

Eye dropper art on geomtric shapes look beautiful on a light table and provide an invitation to create interesting new designs.

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Earth Day Heart Art

Eye Dropper Leaf Art

Spider Theme Activities

Ladybug Wand Craft

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