Acrylic on Tissue Paper (not achooo! paper) DIY wall art {tutorial}

We started this kid art project with our amazing friends who live in Tabiona, UT.  We  made a smaller version of what I did with the first-graders, here is the post A Swarm of Sea Creatures! Tissue Paper & Paint {tutorial}. We had so much fun, most of us anyway, my son didn't want to start his until we returned home.  

I'm completely obsessed with tissue paper art right now. So you will be seeing another tissue project, but who knows when I'll be able to post it! It's family-inspired and will be featured in the next issue of the fabulous Sandbucket family magazine coming out in April!

I have good news! BABY #4 finally decided to arrived into the world March 13th, 2013! HE is a joy in our family and we are adjusting to the new addition. Our kids love him! 

Tissue Paper Art Tutorial

Materials Needed:

• pencil & erasure
• black permanent marker
• white tissue paper (gift paper)
• acrylic paint & brushes
• pre-stretched and gessoed canvas
• Mod Podge

• I had the kids pick a theme or setting and go from there...

• Draw with pencil first on the tissue paper (tip: pencil very lightly so the paper won't rip if you want to erase) and then trace with permanent marker.

• Paint your drawings (tip #1: paint lightly, so you can see the black outline. tip #2: don't let your paint be so thick that it makes the paper rip. Make sure the tissue paper is not sticking underneath to surface as it is drying.)

 

2 DIFFERENT WAYS WE PREPARED & PAINTED OUR CANVAS:

You Can Choose!

• 1- After you have painted your "shapes or drawings" on paper, it is easier to figure out your background on your canvas. The top canvas is acrylic painted directly onto canvas. 

• 2- This canvas' surface & sides has been adhered (Mod Podge) with a layer of tissue paper first and now he is painting his background onto the tissue/canvas (gives it more texture).

  

• Cut out the paintings from the tissue paper. You can cut along the black lines tight, or around the outside, leaving a "cloud" (You can see the finished artwork later in this post to see what I mean...) of tissue paper. (tip: touch up artwork with permanent marker before you start to adhere) 

• Time to arrange their masterpiece before adhering to the canvas. 

• I used a brush and applied a thin layer of Mod Podge to the canvas' surface first for each individually painted object, and then placed the object on top. (tip: let the paper lay/float itself down and then lightly spread out with your brush)
• If you look closely, you can see that the tissue paper might by wrinkly in some areas. That's okay! Spread out as much as you can and then leave it alone to dry.
• When objects are dry, add a thin layer of Mod Podge to seal and protect artwork. Add another layer if desired. 

They turned out so beautiful and bright...

(10 years old)

(7 years old)

 Creating as a family!  (9, 11, & 13 years old)

What a wonderful Spring art project! I hope you enjoy these as much as I do. Look for my next tissue paper art project with our family...

. . . . . . . . . .

I will try to post as much as I can with a new baby, but his time is the most important right now.

Animals! Oil Pastel & Watercolor (dividing into shapes) - Summer Art Class

In this art project/exercise the kids drew their favorite "animal" and then divided it up into shapes and the background too if they wanted. You can see the different interpretations of the assignment! Different ages, different perspectives! Each one of them are completely different. Some used many colors to divide into shapes and others just one or two...

See our other watercolor and oil pastel projects here: "Oil Pastels with Watercolors (doodle shapes)!- Summer Art Class"

• First they did a pencil drawing on water color paper.
• Then they traced their drawing with a variety of oil pastels.
• Last they water colored inside the shapes to make the colors pop!

(ages 6-10 years) 

Oil pastels generally repel water colors - you can see it in the water bubbles. 

Birds... Hand Print Art

You know, it's funny, I was talking to someone the other day (could've been myself, I don't remember), and I don't know when I started doing all of this kid art that's coming out. I guess, I just decided there will be a time when I can do my own "adult" art- but now, I'm plunging in, the time is right for my kids' involvement (I would be concentrating on my own projects and wouldn't pay attention to "anything" in the room) ... and with a few other kids added to the equation...

BIRDIES FOR MOM'S DAY!

Here is another beautiful handprint project(spotted over at the Craft Nest) for Mother's Day that my kids gave to their grandmas!

I'm loving the birds outside chirping this time of year... even my little noisy birdies in my house... that's all year!

*Reduce *Reuse *Recycle - Taking Care & Appreciating

EARTH MONTH - OUR FAMILY'S EARTH DAY 

CELEBRATED ON SATURDAY...

In the early morning we rushed off to 2 soccer games (Try watching 6 & 9 year-olds play soccer, it is so entertaining!)

After the games, we spent a few hours picking up trash around our local NATURE PARK (aka "The Duck Pond"). Of course we played too and discovered things all over the many ponds. We spotted other people doing the same. (Then we did yard work ALL DAY!) It takes a little effort to take care of our EARTH.  We have so many beautiful things and beautiful landscapes around us.

What did you do to celebrate EARTH DAY?

Reduce. Reuse. Recyle.

Whenever you can.

Clay snowmen and animals... acrylic and glitter!!! - Winter Art Class

I loved seeing what the kids created. 

They are so clever! Playing with clay is so much fun...

CAT

(age 3)

YELLOW DESERT SNAKE with sparkle rocks on top for camouflage 

(age 6)

ORANGE SNAKE with yellow stripe

(age 6)

 BLUE SNOWMAN ICE SKATING with a sweet hat

(age 6)

SNOWMAN with a glitter scarf and hat!
(age 6)

ENJOY THE SNOW!

So, what are these...?

I am just loving this age when kids are discovering their talents and themselves! This is the continuation of MEsSy HaNds Make Beautiful Creatures.

Here are a few hand-built sculptures "in the round" that were just freshly painted from my daughter's 2nd grade class. I am lucky to be able to "introduce" messy art projects to her class. Are they not just so adorable? Okay, maybe they would be more adorable to you if one of your children made it just for you. Many of them had never sculpted or painted before. They were so proud... me too!

Turtle Family, Mr. Frog & Mrs. Duck

Watch out... Snake!

Mr. Bear and his family

More snakes, Mr. Cat...

The Bunny Family

Green and black snake & puppy

MEsSy HaNds Make Beautiful Creatures

Free-standing sculpture, sculpture that is surrounded on all sides, except the base, by space. It is also known as sculpture "in the round", and is meant to be viewed from any angle.

Little Creatures:

My daughter's class was studying animals a few weeks ago, and her teacher was gracious enough to let me bring in some clay. Most of the second graders decided to make their favorite animal, and their offspring as well. If that was too difficult, then instead, they rolled out snakes-there were 4 snakes. The tables, chairs, hands, shirts, sinks, and anything that got in the way, were covered in mud/clay. As always, it was a lot of fun!

Next we need to paint them!