Leaf Rubbing Paintings

These simply beautiful leaf rubbing paintings are surprisingly easy. An afterthought of our Thanksgiving Leaf Cards, this is a great example of how you can take one art project and expand on it to make something unforgettable.


Materials Needed:

-Leaves (dried or fresh)

- white crayon, paper removed (I figured nonwashable crayons would make more sense for this one, but I’m sure washable would work as well)

-plain white paper

-watercolor paints

-glass of water, and paintbrushes (I found the round foam brushes, called a stippler, worked just beautifully with this project and would even recommend a trip to the store to find some-I found a pack of twenty different kinds of paintbrushes for $5 at Walmart, and they last for ages)

- Wipes or paper towels for cleanup

1. Using white paper and white crayon, follow directions from my Thanksgiving Leaf Card blog to make leaf rubbings. You will, obviously, not see the white crayon on the paper, but do make sure to really press down with the crayon and get the edges of the leaves, for you need a thickish layer of crayon for this to work perfectly.

2. With watercolor paints, paint on top of the crayon rubbing. You’re children will think you quite clever when the invisible leaf rubbing magically appears in white with the paint color surrounding it. (which is, of course, because the wax in the crayon repels the water based paint-can this be considered science class?)  Now, a few notes on technique:

- Painting directly on the leaf rubbings with a regular paintbrush worked, but was not very inspiring, kind of sloppy looking. I used (as noted above) the round foam paintbrushes used for stenciling-they are wonderful for all sorts of projects and quite fun to use. (You could, probably, use a rag or paper towel dipped in the paint for a similar effect, but I do not think it would look as good)

- To use the stippler (as the brushes are called, apparently, I looked it up in case anyone was confused) dip it in the watercolor paint, and pounce it up and down, instead of rubbing back and forth like a regular paintbrush. It is just lovely. I found that the effect was somewhat lost if the paint was too wet, so if it is, simply pounce onto a paper towel a few times before your paper and it will work perfectly.

3. Enjoy your creations, play with the paint, and let your students help you clean up.

Pepper Stamping

Who hasn’t eyed a pepper while making dinner and thought ‘That looks like a Violet’? What a fun way to play with your food!

Materials Needed:

-Pepper, sliced crossways so that the outline is of….a violet. Leave white inside bit intact.

-Washable paints

-Paint brushes, preferably the foam flat kind, but any will do

-Paper for background (I used colored card stock) plus extras for fun

-Wipes or washcloths for clean up

Optional: Pictures of violets (Google image search is just fine)



1. Look at pictures of violets together with your students

2. Have STUDENT apply thin layer of paint on exposed edges of pepper with a paintbrush

3. Slowly stamp pepper onto paper and lift straight up. Be amazed at God’s glory.

4. Have student add whatever details they want, a stem, some leaves, a flower center, colored flower petals, a sun, clouds, butterflies. It really is a fun easy craft 

5. Have your children help you clean up.

Paper Rainbow

This is a fun project to teach children how to measure using a ruler, and how to put colors in rainbow order.

Materials Needed:
1 “ wide strips of construction paper in: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Purple
Pencil
Ruler
Scissors
Stapler
Optional:
Paper for background/extra paintings
Washable paints
Paintbrushes
Glue
Wipes/Washcloths for cleanup
Light book (to weight down rainbow while it dries onto paper)

1. Have STUDENT measure and mark the following lengths in paper: Red:10 inch, Orange: 9 inch, Yellow 8 inch, Green 7 inch, Blue 6inch, and Purple 5 inch
2. Have STUDENT cut rainbow strips on measured line
3. Show student how to stack colors in rainbow order
4. Help student staple edges of paper strips together on both ends, folding the second end into an arch to complete

Optional:
1. Have student paint the background paper with the washable paints. You may wish to use only blues and whites with your students, but I let my children choose whatever design and colors they want. That’s what makes it art instead of an assignment
2. Brush white glue on an area about the size of the rainbow on your background paper. Lay rainbow on top of glue, and weight down with light weight (book) making sure it does not crush the rainbow
3. Have the STUDENT help clean up-wash paintbrushes and table after they are done

PS-Can’t stand throwing away those pretty rainbow paper scraps? Me neither-some ideas: Mix them up and have student arrange them from smallest to largest (hint:it will be in rainbow order) OR have student cut up the rainbow pieces. On seperate sheet of paper, use gluestick to write out a number or letter you are working on. Have student stick rainbow papers to the glue in shapes of the letter, creating a kinethetic learning experience!

Color Wheel

What a wonderful way to teach children how to mix paints and read a color wheel!

Materials Needed:

- Blank Color Wheel Printout. (one for each student, plus one for the teacher if you want the end result to be pretty and neat for future lessons) I found mine at: http://www.alifetimeofcolor.com (A very good site with useful information on the Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Colors, plus other projects to do with kids)

- Picture of painted color wheel (see above site)

- Washable Paints (red, blue, and yellow)

- Paintbrushes (you will either have to rinse your brush often while working or use many brushes-I opted for many brushes)

- Cup of water for rinsing brushes

- Paper towels

- Egg carton (empty please!)

- Wipes/washcloths for cleaning up


1. Show student picture of completed color wheel and explain that you are going to be mixing a whole rainbow of colors from only three primary colors (red, yellow, and blue)

2. Pour red, yellow, and blue paint into separate sections of the egg carton. Paint each of the large circular shapes on your blank color wheel a different primary color (they are marked ‘Primary Colors)

3. Explain to student that you are now going to be mixing two primary colors (red, yellow, blue) to make three new secondary colors (orange, green, and purple), which you will paint in the square shapes on your color wheel.

Using the color wheel as your guide (the two primary colors you use will be on either side of the new secondary color square, which is marked ‘secondary colors’) mix equal amount of the two primary colors in a new egg section to make the secondary colors. (red + yellow=orange, yellow +blue=green, and blue + red=purple) Either rinse and dry the brush in between colors, or use new brushes, or the colors will be muddy) Paint the square shapes (again, marked ‘secondary colors’ with the new colors.

4. Ask the student what colors they think will go into the remaining triangle shapes on your color wheel. Encourage problem solving here and then add that these next colors are called tertiary colors, and they are created when you mix a primary (red, yellow, blue) with a secondary color (orange, green, purple)

Using the wheel as your guide, mix the two colors on both sides of the triangle shape to make these third tertiary colors on new egg sections, keeping your brushes clean. Fill in these colors on the triangle shapes. (For those interested, red + orange= red orange, orange +yellow= orange yellow, yellow +green=chartreuse, green +blue +aquamarine, blue +purple=indigo, and purple +red=violet red. Violet is the technical name of our purple) (your children will think you are quite clever if you know these)

5. Have your children help you clean up now-they will become very good at cleaning brushes.