Pastel Spring Eggs

One arts standard for elementary students is to learn to tint colors. My kids seemed to really enjoyed seeing how many colors they could make by just mixing yellow, red, orange and white together.

SESSION ONE: I made an egg template which is downloadable HERE and gave one to each student along with white, yellow, red and orange tempera paint on a plate, a brush and a cup of water. They were instructed to see how many different colors they could make – all were to have some amounts of white in them. The eggs and background were painted.

SESSION TWO: Students were allowed to draw designs on their eggs with oil pastels, but they were to keep the same color palate as before. In other words, they were limited to the paint colors as before – red, yellow and orange. This repetition of colors makes the painting more harmonious to the eye when complete.

CA Visual Arts Standard: 2.2 Mix and apply tempera paints to create tints, shades, and neutral colors.

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Tinted Valentine Hearts

First graders need practice mixing secondary colors, but I just can’t get too excited over making color wheels on paper plates. Instead I had them focus on just mixing purple (plus a little white) in honor of Valentine’s Day.

1. I made an 11" x 17" size template of printed hearts which you can download HERE. Print at 77% for an 8.5" x 11" size template.

2. Students received printed paper, a paper plate of red, blue and white tempera paint, a brush and a cup of water. They were to see how many new colors they could mix, and then fill in the hearts as they wish.

CA Visual Arts Standard: 

2.2 Mix secondary colors from primary colors and describe the process.

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Custom Light Switch Plates

I saw this project in an Arts & Activities magazine. When your fridge and walls are already filled with your child's art, have them paint your switch plates!
1. Your local hardware or home improvement store carries plastic switch plates for every need and they're quite inexpensive.
2. Provide the students with lots of acrylic paint and a switch plate and maybe some ideas of subject matter. Small motor skills are needed so they should think of detailed images to make the most of their “canvas”. Be sure to have lots of thin paint brushes too so that painting tiny details is possible.
3. After the plate is painted, spray with a sealer to protect from scratching.

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Tinted and Shaded Circles

Once students know how to mix basic colors, they can learn how to tint (add white), and shade (add black) to a color.
1. Each student gets a paper plate with white and black tempera, a brush, some water,

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Gingerbread “Cookie” Painting

This is a good way to turn ugly brown construction paper into something pretty cute. The white tempera paint looks a lot like real frosting, and oil pastels are an easy way to add details.
With an 18" x 12" sheet of...

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Fall Watercolor Tree Collage

This was recently a very successful project for 3rd to 5th graders. I like the contrast of the soft watercolor against the crisp cut leaf edges.
Week 1. Give the students two 9" x 12" sheets of paper and watercolor paints. Instruct them to paint one sheet with a green grass base and blue sky. Dabbing the wet sky with a dry paper towel can create a soft cloud effect. The remaining sheet is to be completely painted in splotches of warm colors - red, orange and yellow.
Week 2. Give the students a rectangle of black construction paper to cut out a tree trunk silhouette with branches on top and roots on the bottom. This gets glued to the blue and green (sky/grass) paper. The remaining splotchy paper gets cut into small triangle shapes and glued to the tree, sky and ground.

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Haunted House Coffee Painting

I saw this idea in a recent Arts & Activities magazine, and loved the look. I thought a haunted house would be a good subject matter because of all the moody brown tones that could be created.

1. Halloween can be such a mixed bag when it comes to art lessons. I like spooky fun, but have seen more than my fair share of RIP headstones, etc. I set up rules that this project was to be 'drawn' with a paintbrush (so the kids wouldn't draw tiny shapes they couldn't paint) and that it was essentially a landscape (no ghosts, no zombies, headstones, etc.). Each student got a sheet of paper, thin brush, water and a tablespoon or so of instant coffee.
2. The students were to dissolve bits of instant coffee with water on a plate. I showed them how to paint a horizon line, and then “draw” an old-fashioned house on top.
3. After the outlines were done, the students filled in the painting by making as many different tones of brown as they could. Their finished painting should have a range of white to light to medium to almost black-brown. I loved this idea from Arts & Activites - where else can you get cheap instant paint?

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Landscape Collage

You can put your old paperbacks to good use by turning them into art collage paper.

1. Give each students several printed sheets from an old, preferably yellowed book. They are to paint each with watercolor paint, filling each page with large swatches of color. I made a red, yellow and green sheet for my sample.
2. After the pages are dry, the students are to cut out simple landcape shapes, such as a sun, grass, trees, and buildings. The shapes then get glued down to a background paper.
3. After the glue is dry, give each student a ball-point pen to trace around the edges of the shapes, and add details. Double-tracing the lines adds a kind of casualness to the art.

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Paint and Pastel Island House

This is another oil pastel over tempera project that worked well for a multicultural theme a few years ago. A teacher wanted an art project linked to the Bahamas, and this colorful house worked well. I’ve found that when students add oil pastel details over tempera paintings, they end up with a lot more color and detail in their art.

1. The students begin by drawing the angled roof shape in the middle of their paper.
2. The house side is drawn below.
3. The left side of the house is added. Younger students might be better off ignoring the little indents of the roof.
4. A base is added to the bottom house, and also a horizon line.
5. The house, sky and ground are all painted with colorful tempera paint. Let dry overnight.
6. A white pastel may be used to draw clouds, black to make edges on the house, and green to highlight some grass shapes.

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Birch Trees

Variations of this project are often posted on Artsonia.com, but I like the subtle colors that come out in this version by painting with a toothbrush.
1. Each student starts with a 9" x 12" sheet of watercolor or heavy paper. They are to tear off six strips of 1 1/2" wide painter's masking tape at various lengths from 6" to 7" long. Then, carefully tear each piece of tape down the middle and attach each joining the straight edges so that the outer edges are rough. Note: Overlapping the shorter lengths will create narrower trees for enhanced depth of field, as shown. Place the pairs randomly on the watercolor paper with top ends touching the top of the page. Press all of these “trees” down firmly.2. Using acrylic paint, dip a toothbrush in green paint and hold over the paper. Rub a thumb over the bristles so that paint splatters onto the paper. Don't worry about smudges as they will look like clumps of grass. Repeat until the bottom grass area is filled. Wash the brush and repeat with blue for the sky above.
3. After the paint has dryed, carefully peel away tape to reveal white trees. Water down black paint until it is very thin. With a brush, paint a gray vertical stripe on the white tree to represent the shadow. Repeat on all the trees, always keeping the shadow on the same side of the tree.
4. With thick black paint, paint small horizontal marks randomly on the trees.

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Fauve Portraits

The primary mission of Fauve artists in the late 1800's was to work with vibrant and unnatural color. Van Gogh, Gauguin and other artists wanted their art to be new and modern, much like the technology that was developing around them.
1. If your budget permits, give each student a canvas panel to work with – they really add to the professional look of the artwork. If not, a very thick paper is needed to support the paint. Students should first draw with pencil a very simple portrait. Round face, simple eyes, nose and mouth and hair. No small details.
2. Distribute very bright acrylic paint and brushes. Starting with the skin, the students are to choose a color that they think is the opposite of what it should be. Fill all the skin in with paint, leaving the eyes, nose and mouth empty (layering dulls the colors). Continue with the rest of the portrait, always choosing unusual colors.
3. After the paint has dryed, pass out small brushes and black acrylic paint. The students are to paint a thin black line where all their pencil lines use to be, to finish off the painting.

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Self-Portrait Painting

Years ago I taught my first self-portrait project in my son's 2nd grade classroom. They've since become a favorite of students and their parents and have served

as great fundraising tools. 1. I started with 5" x 7" canvas panels and an assortment of acrylic paint. It helps if you include lots of skin tones, as well as other bright colors when purchasing your paint. During the first class session, I had the students just choose one color and paint the entire background. Let dry for at least one day.
2. Distribute small brushes and paint. Ask the students to paint in an oval face and then a neck. A simple shirt is painted below and the hair is added around the face. Let canvases dry for at least another day.
3. Here's where I learned that it's too hard to paint lines on the face with a brush. You're better off passing out Sharpie markers for the features and signature on the chest when complete.
4. You can then attach all your 5" x 7" canvases to one surface, or as in my case, scan them to computer, make a collage and a nice glossy print for everyone in the class.

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3D Laurel Burch Cat

You can use this idea to turn any silhouette into a 3-dimensional shape. Just make sure you use a thick paper so your design will stand up nice and straight.

1. I love using Laurel Burch's cats as inspiration for projects, her style is so fun to imitate. I made a two cardboard templates of a silhouette (see picture) and had the students trace each onto the heaviest watercolor paper I could find.
2. Each student is to cut out their two cats, including the narrow slits. They need to be about 1/32" wide to accommodate the thick paper. Test sliding the cats together to make sure the slits are working.
3. The students may then draw in pencil their cat design, which they need to repeat on both sides of the two paper cats. When the design is done, they paint in the shapes and designs on their cat with liquid watercolor.
4. After the paint is dry, I gave each student a gold poster paint marker and had then trace all the pencil lines. When the marker is dry, slide the cats back together and enjoy seeing your cat from all directions!

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How to Draw King Tut

This lesson can be a good supplement to a history lesson on Egypt.
1. Working with large paper (at least 11" x 17") have the students fold the paper in half vertically so that the face can be centered easily. Start by showing them how to draw a large "U" in the middle that is centered on the fold. A line closes the top, and another parallel line is added below.
2. The face may be filled in next. This can be a good time to review proportions of most faces. A key addition to making the Egyptian look is to add the lines on the outside of the eyes.
3. Add neck lines below the head, and a headpiece that curves in at the bottom.
4. Stripes are added to the headpiece. Encourage the students to draw one side and then do their best to make a symmetrical copy on the other.
5. Sharpie permanent markers are needed to trace all the lines. The gold tempera paint is very transparent and can just be painted over the lines. I gave the students a choice of painting the alternate stripes in either red or blue or purple.

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Folk Art Bird

One of the main features of Folk Art is that it is made by untrained artists. In this lesson I encouraged students to paint and draw with a very rough and sketchy style. This time, neatness doesn't count!

Week 1: Give the students large pieces of butcher paper, about 12" x 18". They are to paint a one-color large bird in the middle, in profile. The background gets painted black, deliberately leaving a bit of paper edge around the bird and the paper edge.
Week 2: With oil pastels, the students are to add detail to the bird, such as legs, eyes, beak, etc. The background is to be filled with lots of line patterns. Finally the painting gets glued to a larger paper, and border patterns are drawn on that too.

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Starry City Night

Vincent Van Gogh's “Starry Night” painting has inspired many an art project, and this is just one more.

1. Distribute 9" x 12" watercolor paper, and ask students to make several large yellow oil pastel circles of various sizes in the top half. Next they are to draw with a blue oil pastel lots of curvy lines that go around all the yellow circles.
2. Give the students blue liquid watercolor paint and have them “wash” the entire paper with the blue paint.
3. Each student is to take a 6" x 12" sheet of black paper, and with a white oil pastel, draw a sky line that stairsteps up and down to make a building silhouette. (Make sure that the skyline is drawn horizontally and not vertically to match the watercolor paper.) Lots of details should be added, like windows and doors.
4. Lastly, the black silhouette should be cut out and glued to the sky background.

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Recycled Paper Heart Valentine

This heart is made from just newspaper, white glue, string and some pretty sparkle paint.
1. Tear about 8 sheets of newspaper (lengthwise will be the easiest direction) into 1" strips. Cut those strips into little 1/2" bits and place in a large bowl. Cover with hot water and let soak for 24 hours.
2. The paper will start to look like a pulp. Work it through your fingers, tearing up any large lumps so that it looks like gray oatmeal. When the lumps are gone, take a large handful of pulp and squeeze out all the extra water.
3. Working the pulp in your hands, add white glue to the mixture at about a ratio of about 1 unit of glue to 4 units of pulp. Form a ball, place it on wax paper and press to form a flat heart that is at least 1" thick. Let dry for several hours or until it starts to harden. When you can pick up the heart, wrap it with a length of string, pulling firmly to make indentations. Tuck the ends into the back.
5. When the heart is dry, paint the entire shape with a thick layer of white acrylic paint. Let dry and then paint with a thick layer of red paint. Let dry and have fun experimenting with smudges that emphasis the texture of your heart. I added some glitter paint for a final touch. A spray of a glossy sealer would be a good idea to finish off your project.

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Picasso Tinted and Shaded Self-Portrait

Pablo Picasso's Blue Period, in which he painted only blue paintings of sad subject matter, is a good example of how an artist used color to reflect his feelings. Ask children to think of the different feelings associated with colors before they choose the main color for their self-portrait.

1. Show the students how to draw a simple self-portrait with pencil on a heavy piece of paper. It's a good time to review the basic proportions of the face (eyes in middle of oval, nose halfway down, etc.) Have them trace the pencil lines with a black Sharpie marker.
2. Let the students choose one main color - red, blue, green or yellow are good – and distribute on a paper plate with a little black and white. (Acrylic and tempera paints will work for this.) Show the students how they can mix many variations of the main color by adding a little of each color together on the plates.
3. Ask the students to fill in each area of their drawing with a different color of paint. If the paint is thinned well with water, they can paint over some of the black lines if they want.
4. After the entire face and background is painted, let dry. When complete, any black lines that were painted over may be traced again to make them stand out.
This very cool painting was made today by a kindergartener in my afterschool class.

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Sea Turtle Painting

If you look closely at this picture you'll see a lovely texture that was created by...plastic wrap.

1. You need to use true watercolor paper for this. I once ran out and used plain drawing paper – it didn’t work at all. So, give each student a 9" x 12" sheet of watercolor paper and demonstrate how they can draw a sea turtle with ovals, legs and head. They may start their drawing with a pencil, but they then need to trace all the lines with a dark crayon to hide the pencil.
2. I like to use dissolved watercolor tablets. Give the students blue and green watercolor in separate cups, and have them make overlapping splotches of each color all over their drawing. They must use a generous amount of paint. When the paper is really wet, cover the entire paper with a generous section of plastic wrap. Show the students how to push the wrap around until a lot of wrinkles are created. Let the painting dry about an hour or so before you remove the wrap.

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Butterfly Collage

Just about any Eric Carle book can make a good visual aid to this project.
1. It is important to begin with quality watercolor paper, one that has texture on one side. Give each student two 9" x 9" sheets – one is for painting and one is to save for the background.
2. Distribute a wide (1" or more) flat brush, acrylic paints, a paper plate and scrap paper to each student. Demonstrate how the students can dispense a little paint on the paper plate, spread it on the scrap paper until streaks start to show, and then apply it to the watercolor paper, textured side up. Each student should fill their paint sheet mostly with the main butterfly color, and then smaller sections for the antenna, rectangle body, and details.
3. Once the paint is dry, the butterfly wings need to be cut out. Older students can cut one wing out, flop it and trace for the opposite side. Younger students may need a template they can trace.
4. After all the butterfly wings, body, antenna and details are cut out, arrange them on the remaining sheet of paper. Once the cutting is complete, everything can be glued down with white glue.

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