Go on a treasure hunt at your house to see what objects you can find that might make cool marks with paint. I found a drinking straw, a binder clip, toilet paper and paper towel tubes (empty, of course), bottle caps, and a paper clip.
Some suggestions to consider hunting for: a sponge, a potato masher, a plastic spoon, a plastic cookie cutter, or even a leaf from outside! Always check with your parents before using these supplies with paint, just in case. Most types of paint washes off with soap and water, but you don’t want to use something that they need or that is important to them without permission. It’s not a good idea to use paint on items that will later be used for food preparation, which is another reason to check first.
You will need any kind of paint and something to use as a palette. A paper plate makes a great palette and when you’re finished, you can throw it in the trash for easy clean-up. Have a baby wipe or paper towel or paint rag handy to wipe any excess paint off your tools. Grab a few pieces of paper and you are all set to start creating!
First, put some colors on your palette. Think outside the box: Just because billy goats aren’t orange doesn’t mean yours can’t be orange! Many great artists have played with color in their paintings. Do a Google image search on Picasso paintings to see some cool examples of unusual color use. Picasso played with shapes, too.
Next, try making marks on a paper with the things you found in your treasure hunt so you know what they can do. Decide which mark makers you will use for the different parts of your painting, and then start creating on a new piece of paper.
Have fun! Make different versions of your picture using different colors and post your favorite on the Franklin Township Library’s Facebook page – we’d love to see your work!
