Art Time – Fun with Paint Dough

We’ve been trying to fit a mama-directed open-ended art project in each week.  This week we made “paint dough”.  The recipe for this was from one of the books I’ve mentioned in previous posts – Preschool Art, by MaryAnn Kohl, a book very well worth getting!: 

To make this special kind of paint, mix together equal parts of flour, salt, and water.  I used about 1 cup of each to make about 2/3 a bottle of 5 different colors (you can see our bottles below, I think they each hold about 2 oz.).  After mixing you should have something that looks like this:   Add a tablespoon of tempera paint in various colors (divide the mixture into separate bowls before adding the color), and mix in.  You could use a few drops of food coloring too, if you’d rather.  Use a funnel to fill squeeze bottles with the paint.  Because I know I’ll get questions about where we bought our squeeze bottles, here’s the link. :)

The neat thing about this “paint dough” is that it’s runny, but the colors just bump up against each other and don’t mix together.  You could swirl them with a toothpick or skewer for a really neat effect!  It also creates texture because it is so thick.  Not quite like puffy paint, but very similar.  Thick, yet runny… a very interesting combination!

Use heavy cardboard or something similar for painting on.  We ran out of cardboard and started using cardstock, which was not a thick enough surface and some of the paint soaked through.  It’s a very heavy, wet paint, so a layer of newspaper underneath is a good idea too.

M was fascinated with this this paint.  I have to admit, I was pretty fascinated myself, and spent a little time just playing around with it and having fun. :)

He squeezed and painted and immensely enjoyed himself until every last drop of paint was gone.We had oodles of paint dough creations.  Here’s a few samples of how it looks:

A van on a colored road

     A tree

 A lion, with a green smile :)

Once the paint was all used up M begged for more, but I had used up all our salt and couldn’t make anymore that day.  However, this is definitely on our do again list! 

I should mention that this paint dough takes a while to dry – ours took two whole days for the pieces that had pretty large puddles on them, but only overnight for the pieces with simple lines.  Next time I’ll adjust the tips of our squeeze bottles (they are the glue kind) so they don’t allow quite so much to come out at a time.  All in all, it was a definite success and clean up was minimal for the amount of time it kept M happily occupied!

Have a beautiful day! :)

 

The Art Box – Oct. 4, 2010

I try so hard to be organized every week… but inevitably something always gets overlooked!  This week it was the art box again.  I just can’t seem to remember that it’s time to change out the supplies (or let M change them out) and we end up just haphazardly grabbing extra paper and whatever he wants on the spur of the moment.  And art gets done, but there’s no neat and tidy art box.  And I like a neat and tidy art box – even if it’s just neat and tidy long enough for a picture to be taken.  One of the things I like most about these posts is seeing those supplies, all picked out and nicely arranged, just waiting for imagination to take hold and something to be created.  It helps me remember what we’ve done, what items M has especially enjoyed, and gives me ideas for what to give him in the future.  So.  Next week – maybe?

I do remember that he had access to markers, do-a-dot painters, and stencils this week.  And here’s what he created…

He tried the stencils with his dot painters and then with his markers.  I can really see the difference between the two “techniques”. ;)  I was also impressed that he was able to trace the outlines with the markers, which was something totally new for him.   

 

His drawing has really taken off lately too.  He drew up a storm, but here are my three favorites:

I’m not sure what this is, but I love the happy smiley face!

A family, not ours, but one with two boys… which is what he wishes our family was.  (Me too!)

A rainbow, a sunshine, and a bird – so sweet!

 

He has created a “collage box” that he keeps near his “reading spot”.  Basically this is a box full of interesting magazines and catalogs and calendars, and general stuff.  He’s been creating collages non-stop with all the good things he’s finding in this box o’ things.  And with his new found love for masking tape, I’m being surprised with new collages popping up everywhere I turn.

 The front door.

  A closet.

  The hallway.

And more in the kitchen and bedrooms.  Sigh.  I don’t plan on keeping these beauties up, but so far I haven’t had the heart to take any of them down since he is just so darn proud of himself.  Yet, deep down I know my house is beginning to look a little… strange.  Like a 4 year old is running around on the loose with scissors and tape.

Lastly, Daddy’s birthday is coming up soon and M made him a little something:Pretty special, wouldn’t you say? :)   

If you have a kid's art post, link it up below! Be sure to link back here somewhere in your post.

Have a beautiful day! :)