Home > Arts and Crafts Projects for Kids > Paper Crafts for Kids > Making Pictures and Art
This is another picture craft that is very easy to do. All you need to do is to prepare the paper beforehand by either coloring the paper with rainbow of colors in crayons or watercolors. If using watercolors, make sure to use watercolor paper and to let the picture completely dry. Next, cover the entire picture in black crayons. Next scratch a design in the paper with a bent paperclip or a toothpick. The black will be the background color and the scratched surface will be rainbow colors. These turn out great!
This is just a dooling sort of arts project to do. Draw a series of loops and curves, and keep in mind that you want to join the ends in the final loop. Either a free form sort of design can be made or one combining a series of symmetrical figures. Color the loops with crayons or colored pencils, either in assorted colors or a few harmonizing ones. Often, kids will like to color designs made by other children so swapping pictures to color is a fun idea to think about.
This is such a cool idea - you will like it. Ask your parents to help you mix soap flakes and water together until you get a stiff paste. Draw a picture in which a soapy foam would make sense, such as the ocean or a woman's hair. Then draw the part of the picture that doesn't use the foam such as a face and use the soap foam to draw the hair. Or...as you see above, draw a boat, whale, fish, or whatever and then use the soapy foam to draw the water. Have a lot of fun with this. This will dry in a neat peak formations.
It is fun to make silly pictures...and you don't even need to know how to draw to do this. Just find pictures from all sorts of places....magazines...Internet print-outs...drawings...greeting cards...comics....newspapers...advertisements...and more. Then cut out specific items, parts, or figures from these pictures and then glue them together in absurd, silly ways to make idiotic pictures that make everybody laugh. Do you want even more fun? Have a funny caption contest to see who can write the funniest words under the picture.
This is very simple in idea, but you probably haven't though of doing it. Draw a picture with crayons on a piece of paper with the same color...so for example....green crayon on green paper. This way the crayon drawing is invisible. Then send secret pictures or messages to your friends. To decode your message or to figure out what the invisible drawing is, just have your friend or loved one, paint over it with watercolors. The only thing that will not get painted is the secret message or picture. This is a lot of fun.
This is a drawing activity or game that you have to do with at least one other person. Firstly, get out a blank piece of paper. Next, give the paper to the first person and that person should draw the head of an animal or person or other creature on the top portion of the paper. Then he folds the top portion of the paper over. Draw the a bit of the neck on the next page so the next person knows where to start the chest of the next body. Next hand the paper to the next player. He or she needs to draw a chest of the random animor creature. Then he or she folds that page back too and makes sure that a bit of the chest outline is on the next fold so the next person knows where to start. The next person could be the first person again or another player. Then he or she draws the belly portion of an animal and folds the paper over again. Then the last person draws the leg. There will be a lot of laughs when the paper is opened to reveal the drawing.
This is a fun project for Autumn time when there are a lot of leaves and pinecones laying all over the place. Kids can learn a lot about nature and it is a lot of fun to create a beautiful picture. Just start out by making a drawing and then covering the drawing with glue and items from nature.
This is a fun way to make a really unique piece of art. Find a drinking straw and then put some thinnish brown or orange paint on the paper. Then blow the paint in all different directions to form the branches of a tree. Then when the paint has dried....put glue down on the branches and then get tissue paper squares and crush them into the paper...as pictured above.
This is my favorite type of picture to make. Mosaic art is the use of small pieces of items to make a larger picture...in this case we will be using paper pieces. You can get colorful pieces of paper from magazine cutouts, advertisements, labels, construction paper, or other places. Draw a light sketch on a piece of paper or cardboard...in the case above it was a flower....then just fill in the flower / or other picture...with different shades of that color that you need. It turns out looking really neat.
To make this touch and feel picture, you will need the following materials : 1 outline picture or colored magazine picture which may be interesting to the child, 1 piece of 9"x12" colored construction paper, paste, bits of cloth, fur, cotton, sand paper, and other items that have special textures, and scissors. Let the child mount a picture on a piece of 9"x12" colored construction paper. Provide bits of cloth, fur, cotton, etc. to add to parts of the picture to suggest the actual textures or properties. (See sketch.) This is a great project for younger children as well as autistic children who have a special relationship with textures.
This is a fun craft to do at school, camp, or on sleepovers. Get a huge piece of paper and ask your friend to lay down in different poses. Then you take a pencil and trace an outline around your friend. Then afterwards you can use a marker to re-outline the drawing. The fun part is drawing yourself or your friend inside the outline.
Materials needed : Muffin tin; supply of various colors of finger paint, wooden spatulas or tongue depressors; fingerpaint paper; large flat pan; water; aprons for children; table covered with linoleum, oilcloth or other washable surface; large supply of newspapers. To finger paint, dip finger-paint paper in flat pan filled with water and wet it thoroughly. Place on table for child to work on. Put spatula in each muffin cup of paint. Start painting by placing 1 spatula of paint (about 1 teaspoonful) in center of paper. The child should use one hand to cover entire surface of paper with the paint (sketch a). He may then use both hands to smooth it, make upward strokes or wriggly lines, then horizontal lines (sketch b). Other colors may be used over the basic covering. All work must be done while paint is wet. When painting is finished, lift it by corners and place on cardboard or newspapers to dry (sketch c). If you wish, press painting (when dry) on wrong side with hot iron to remove wrinkles.
Materials Needed : Coffee can 1/2 full of water; a piece of natural sponge about 2" in diameter; plastic egg tray or muffin pan with red, blue, yellow, white and black poster paint colors in separate compartments, brush, large pieces of newsprint, white shelf paper or bogus paper (the latter is preferred) Give each child a piece of paper, a sponge and a can of water. Set the pan of paints in a convenient place for several children to use. Let child wet the sponge, dip it into a color and paint. Put the sky or background area in first. Then, rinsing sponge for each new color, add foreground colors and figures according to the picture to be painted. Colors may be blended and mixed right on the paper. The paint will go on easily and give a very real effect.
Go and get the papier mache recipe here. You will also need a small piece of wood, wood stain, paint brushes, tape, 4 inches of string, glue or paste, strips of paper and paint or food coloring. Start off by staining the wood and then allow to dry completely. Then draw a design or picture on the wood...making sure to make it exactly the way that you imagine it. (figure a) Now make the papier mache from the recipe linked above. Cover the wood with glue and mold papier mache into place by dipping strips of paper into papier mache mixture and molding into place (figure b) When molding is finished, allow 2 or 3 days for papier-mache to dry. Now use paint to colorize the molded figures and objects (figure c). When the paint has completely dried, attach hanger. Knot each end of the string and place in loop fashion on back of plaque, near top. Tape loop to board (see figure d).
You will need Soapsuds paint (see the recipe here), waxed paper, brown wrapping paper, colored comic pages or colored construction paper, and lollipop sticks sticks. Give the child a tablespoonful of soapsuds paint on some waxed paper. He can use a wooden stick or fingers and paint a picture. An unusual effect can result when he paints an abstract design on the colored comic pages. Or, he can paint a picture on a piece of construction paper, then paint or draw in background with paint or crayons.
By mixing flour and water into a paste and adding some tempera paint or food coloring, an interesting new medium is made. Use the fingers to lay this "paint" on any bright or deep-colored construction paper. For fine lines, use a stick,cardboard strip, or drinking straw. Experiment with combining paste and other powdered materials to get novel textured effects. This technique is perfect for Halloween pictures as you can use a black backgroun for the dark, spooky night. The white shows up perfect on the black background. Try it out and have a spooky time.
You will need different kinds of bark, moss, and other dry woodland materials, Wilhold glue, piece of white cardboard 10" x 12" or similar size, poster paint, brush, pencil, spray, and Mod Podge or shellac. Sketch desired scene on cardboard. Allow 1/2" margin all around cardboard for framing. Allow plenty of foreground space for gluing on bark, twigs, etc. Paint background with poster paints. (See sketch a.) Lay pieces of bark in foreground and glue in place. Create a woodland scene. (See sketch b.) (A very clever mosaic can be done with bark also.) Spray finished scene with shellac. Frame in regular frame or make one from heavy paper, cardboard or wood.
You can make a lot of really cool pictures from using toothpicks. You can either just play with them by making different shapes and pictures or you can glue them down to make intricate and beautiful pieces of art. Try it out and have fun.
Draw skinny-pinny figures (stick figures) without heads on paper or cardboard. Paste a button in place for the head (see sketch). Draw a nose, mouth and other face features. Draw hair on or around button, plus a hat or other desired features. Crayons may be used to color clothes, hair, face, etc., or pipe-cleaner arms and legs may be pasted on the paper for a body. Follow same general directions for making animals but add small pieces of furry cloth for bodies, small buttons for feet, etc. Encourage children to be creative.
Outline tracing is always good fun. Just place whatever you want to trace on a blank piece of paper. Hold it in place with one hand, and with the other trace around it with a soft-lead pencil or crayon. There are many interesting things around the house that you can trace—leaves, coins, shoes and your own hand.
You can make a guessing game from your tracings by asking others what they are.
Making Dried Flowers Pictures - This is made with flowers that have been pressed in a book for 3 weeks....then you make a frame, put the flowers between plastic wrap...and a few more steps.
All Colors Are Beautiful Art Picture - In this craft you will draw a picture of yourself, copy it and color each picture with different colors...this represents how people are beautiful no matter what color they are.
Life-Sized People Drawings - This is a fun craft...you need really big paper to make these really big drawings of yourself and your friends.
Make Beautiful Artwork with Thread Paintings - This greeting card is perfect for anytime of year and for any family or friend. They are sure to love it. So, let’s get started on this thread painting craft. Not only will you enjoy doing it…. the result of this craft is always a surprise.
Drawing and Doodling with String - This is so much fun. You drop a string (that has glue on it) and let it lie where it lays. Then when the glue dries, you turn the string shape into whatever you want it to be. Fun fun fun.
How to Make Stained Glass Heart Sun Catcher - Learn how to make faux stained glass / sun catchers by following these easy to follow crafts instructions.
Make a Fabric Tapestry with Crayons - What?! You heard me right. Make a Fabric Tapestry with fabric, an idea for a nice design, crayons, and creativity. Have your Mom or Dad heat up the iron and set it on the fabric. You can then hang it up and stare at its utter beauty!!
Make Silhouette Self-Portraits for Mom or Dad - This will make a wonderful keepsake craft for Mom and Dad as they watch you grow up and get to see how small your head used to be in comparison to how you look now (when they look back on it years later).
Paint and Fire Ceramic Tiles without a Kiln - Don't have a kiln? No problem, learn how to glaze & fire tiles without a kiln.
String Painting Techniques and Methods - There are several ways to paint with string...find out the methods and techniques that will produce the beautiful art you are looking for.
Making Matchstick Pictures (Safely with a parental figure supervising) - Be creative and make artwork out of match sticks.
Fingerprint Paintings - Learn how to make paintings with just fingerprints...it is fun to explore this method of painting...especially for young kids.
Yarn & Button Art - make a picture with wallpaper, yarn, buttons, and other decorative items.
Greeting Card Murals - Make murals from shelf paper and cut up greeting cards.
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