Heart resist painting

The technique we use to create our heart art project is easy and fun for kids of all ages. The twist we mentioned entails using 2 different colors of oil pastels to draw hearts. Using white and black oil pastels create a completely different final result.

A heart art project created using black oil pastel looks amazingly similar to stain glass artwork!

Another change from standard watercolor resist painting where you use watercolors to paint directly on paper, we used washable markers and transfer the paint on paper.

You can use your finished heart art to create other Valentine’s Day crafts like Valentine’s Day cards, add them to a journal, turn them into a banner to hang around your home or classroom, or even frame them as an artwork!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, we may receive an affiliate commission.

Supplies for Heart Art Project

• White Construction or Watercolor Paper
• Oil Pastels
• Aluminum Foil
• Washable Markers
• Spray Bottle with Water

How to Make a Heart Resist Painting with a Fun Twist

Start by drawing or doodling your heart design with black oil pastel on white construction paper (or watercolor paper). Use another piece of white paper to doodle and draw a different heart design with white oil pastel.

Cut out a piece of an aluminum foil, a bit larger than the prepared piece of white paper you used for drawing your heart design. Use washable markers to scribble directly on the foil. Pick a color combination you like the most, we decided to use pastel colors for our heart resist paintings.

After you are satisfied with watercolor marker scribbles, take a spray bottle filled with water and lightly spray water all over the foil.

Next step is pressing the paper with your heart design facing down on foil. Go over the white paper with your fingers and palm, making sure the complete surface is pressed onto the foil.

Lift the white paper and admire your heart artwork! Here you can see how lovely the heart resist painting looks with black oil markers, giving a stain glass effect. Leave aside to dry. And move onto a second heart design!

This time, change the design of your watercolor scribbles, we used a circular drawing. Repeat the process – apply water spray and press the white paper facing down, make sure to press it firmly.

It’s amazing and magical how the white heart pops once the color is applied! 

We have to warn you: this heart resist painting process is addictive and kids could end up making tons of different heart designs! Prepare enough white paper and foil pieces in advance!

If you loved this heart art project, please pin it to your favorite Pinterest board.

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Press Painted Apple Craft For Kids

Fall is right around the corner and since we have always had a thing for apple crafts we wanted to add something new!

Press painting is something my kids love to do because of the beautiful results they can get at any age! It’s a form of process art that creates a different result with each apple.

Apple-themed art projects are perfect for decorating a classroom. We used these apples to create a garland and a mobile. But the possibilities are endless!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, we may receive an affiliate commission.

No time to paint apples now? Pin it for later!

If you can’t make this apple art project now, pin it to your kids’ crafts ideas board on Pinterest and it’ll be here for when you’re ready.

Tips for making this classroom art project.

• This project can get messy! We recommend creating outdoors or in a space where the mess will not be an issue.
• Let your kids decide if they want to make red or green apples.
• Let your kids experiment. It is all about the process! There is no “right” or “wrong” way of doing this art project.

How to make apple garland

Below is our step by step tutorial for creating this art project. Feel free to print it for easy reference.

More apple projects you will love!

• Fine Motor Apples – These apple suncatchers will help build fine motor skills too!
• 3D Apple Tree – A construction paper craft that pops from the page.

When to make this craft

Sometimes you see a craft and think, oh that’s cute! But then you don’t know when you will make it. Here are some ideas for this fun art project!

• String them around your classroom for some back to school fun.
• Hang them from a frame to take pictures on the first day of school.
• Glue them to the front of a card and give them as a teacher gift.

If you loved this apple decoration, share it by pinning or sharing on Facebook.

We are thankful for every share! Each time someone shares our posts, our site grows and we are so thankful that we can continue to create unique and simple projects for kids. Know a friend who’d like this apple craft for kids? Please share it on Facebook or save it to your favorite kid’s craft board on Pinterest.

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Painting with Oobleck

Sensory play is something we like to incorporate into playtime in our homes. If we can turn it into something crafty that’s an added bonus!

My daughter and I decided that we wanted to experiment with painting with oobleck, and the results were beautiful and fun! So add some cornstarch on your next shopping list and give this process art a try!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, we may receive an affiliate commission.

No time to make this process art project now? Pin it for later!

If you can’t make get crafty now, pin it to your kids’ crafts ideas board on Pinterest and it’ll be here for when you’re ready.

Tips for oobleck painting.

• This project can get messy! We recommend creating outdoors or in a space where the mess won’t be an issue.
• If this is your first oobleck experience you will notice it is quite an interesting goo. It will seem hard, but runny at the same time! You want to add your water little by little until you can use force with your fork to move it all to the side, but when you let go it puddles back together. If your still not sure how to make it, the video below will help you out. 
• The food coloring will tint your kiddos fingers a bit so if you have a fancy dinner to go to that night, stick to the fork. 
• Let your kids experiment with dripping the substance. It is all about the process! There is no “right” or “wrong” way of doing this art project.

How to create art with oobleck

Below is our step by step tutorial for creating this oobleck art project. Feel free to print it for easy reference.

Yield: Lots of fun!

How to create art with oobleck

Print

Create loads of sensory fun with Oobleck art.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Materials

• Cornstarch.
• Water.
• Food Coloring.
• Cardstock

Tools

• Plastic Forks.
• Mixing Cups.

Instructions

1. Start by placing approximately 2 tsp of cornstarch into each of your mixing cups and add a little food coloring to each cup with a little bit of water. Begin to mix together.
2. Once your colors are mixed it’s time to start painting! Using a fork or fingers drizzle the oobleck all over your cardstock.
3. You can cut your cardstock into strips or shapes or just use a sheet!
4. When you’re done painting, allow the oobleck to dry completely.
5. Then scrape off the dried oobleck with a spatula.
6. Check out the beautiful design underneath!

More art projects you will love!

• Melted Crayon Pots – These make fantastic Mother’s Day gifts.
• Twig Art – Create colorful art with nature!
• Ombre Handprints – Capture those handprints in this fun art project.

If you loved this messy craft, share it by pinning or sharing on Facebook.

We are thankful for every share! Each time someone shares our posts, our site grows and we are so thankful that we can continue to create unique and simple projects for kids. Know a friend who’d like this painting with oobleck? Please share it on Facebook or save it to your favorite kid’s craft board on Pinterest.

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Ombre Easter Egg Art

Finding new creative ways to paint with my little one is always a fun challenge for me. Sure there are plenty of times she just spreads around the paint, but this project really helps her see how you can mix paints to achieve different shades. Plus the finished product is perfect for the Easter season!

This ombre Easter egg art slowly mixes white with colors to create lighter and lighter shades. Your kids will love watching the colors change each time they add white.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, we may receive an affiliate commission.  

Supplies for these painted paper eggs:

• Egg Template Printed on Cardstock.
• Paint. White and One color.
• Foam Brush.
• An Extra Sheet of Cardstock.
• Scissors.
• Craft Stick. Or something to mix your paints.
• Paint Pallet or Dish.

How to make this ombre art project for kids

Check out these quick step by step instructions to create your ombre Easter eggs. Then you can see it all in action in the video below!

Print our free Easter egg template here!

Start with white paint and add a little bit of your color. Stir the paint with your craft stick and explain to your child about how it is making a light shade of the color! Using your extra piece of cardstock, create a barrier to protect all but the top inch of your egg. Brush in an upward direction with your brush across the whole egg. 

Related: Create beautiful ombre bookmarks!!

Add a bit more of the colored paint to the white and mix again.

Then move your cardstock down and repeat with a slightly darker stripe. If your child goes up and down with the brush this ok, but you might need to trim your top piece of cardstock in case any paint gets under.

Continue this all the way down your egg. You can do as many layers as you like. A stripe per years old is a good place to start.

When you get to the bottom you can put a dab of paint right from the bottle onto the foam brush. Allow your egg to dry then cut out!

You might have paint leftover and you can create multi-colored eggs with the same process! My daughter did this one too. 

Pin this to your favorite Pinterest board!

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Press Paint Flowers

We impulse bought a pack of wooden bookmarks a while back. There were assorted shapes at the top of each one of them. We created hearts using this same technique and they turned out gorgeous. My daughter had so much fun making them we decided to do the same with the flowers in the pack. I have to say these might just be my favorite!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, we may receive an affiliate commission.  

Supplies for wooden flower bookmarks

• Wooden Bookmarks. ***Unfortunately since creating the post they do not include the flowers in their assortment!! For a quick substitution, you can paint green craft sticks, then glue on these wooden flowers!
• Acrylic Paint. Colors for your petals and a green for the stem.
• Parchment.
• White Glue.
• Craft Sticks.
• Foam Brush.
• Pouring/Mixing Cups.
• Water.

How to creatively paint wooden flowers.

Check out the step by step instructions for our press painted flowers. Then see it all in action in the video below.

We started mixing our paints with an easy to make thickening agent. 2 parts white glue to 1 part water. It works great for projects that you need the paint to flow a bit more without it getting too watery and mixing really fast. This is the same method we use when we do our pour painting projects with kids. Just mix your thickening agent, half and half with the paints you will use for your petals. You don’t need to add anything to the green paint.Start by painting the stick, or stem, of each flower green. Lay down some parchment paper and start dripping your petal colors in small circle areas. You want to do at least 2 colors per flower. This way they mix together to create an awesome effect, that looks like it took much longer than it did. Next, press your flower right into the circle of paint.

Related Craft: Press Painted Heart Bookmarks

Pick up and press down as many times as you need until the whole flower shape is covered. Then lay on a piece of parchment paper to dry!

Just like in nature, no two flowers will look alike! And everyone will love receiving one of these beautiful creations!

Pin this to your favorite Pinterest board!

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Pour Painted Shamrock

Since we have been pour painting on everything in sight, we were not going to pass up a fun chance to do something for St. Patrick’s Day! We decided to create a fun shamrock mobile to hang around for the holiday!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, we may receive an affiliate commission.  

Supplies for these fun shamrock decorations

• Cardboard or Wooden Shamrocks.
• Acrylic Paints. Green, Gold, & White.
• Pouring Cups.
• Medicine Cup.
• Craft Sticks.
• Pouring Medium. Or create your own DIY medium using 2 parts white glue 1 part water.
• Parchment Paper.
• Hole Punch.
• Hemp.
• A Stick.

How to make a fun St Patrick’s Day Mobile

Check out these step by step instructions for creating a pour painted shamrock.  Then see it all in action in the video below!

Start by cutting out a few shamrocks from a thick piece of cardboard.

You will want this from a packing box, not a cereal box. Or you can just buy wooden shamrocks too! Prep your paints by mixing in at a 1:1 ratio of paint and pouring medium. Now start stacking your paints in your medicine cup. Go back and forth between the colors.

Then pour the stacked paint over your shamrocks!

Related Project: Pour Painted Rocks!

Tilt them from side to side to get that paint moving.

You can drip them from one to another, give them a little nudge using a craft stick, or even do a second pour if you need!

When you are happy with your shamrocks place them on a piece of parchment paper to dry. Once they are dry, punch holes in the top of your shamrocks and secure to a stick with hemp.

Pin this pour painted shamrock to your favorite Pinterest board

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Painted Heart Bookmarks

We have been pour painting fanatics lately in our home… and while sometimes we catch our paint onto a canvas, that isn’t always possible.

We decided we needed a creative painting idea to solve the problem of using the extra paint. Whether you are starting from scratch or cleaning up some unused paint you will be amazed at how beautiful and unique these press paint bookmarks are.

It’s a fun way to paint that even the youngest artists can enjoy!

Plus it’s a really fun Valentine’s Day art project.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, we may receive an affiliate commission.  

Supplies for wooden heart art:

• Wooden Heart Bookmarks.
• Acrylic Paint.
• White Glue.
• Water.
• Craft Sticks.
• Parchment Paper.
• Toothpicks.

How to create these fun non-candy Valentine’s Day gifts

Check out these simple step by step instructions for creating our painted heart bookmarks.  Then watch it all in action in the video below.

In our pictures, we are cleaning up after a fun pour painted love sign project. But, as I mentioned above you can easily start from scratch with this project like we did with our press painted snowflakes that you can see here!

We use the same DIY thickening agent in our paints to help stretch the paint a bit farther and to help keep the colors blending together too much. Make your thickening agent with 2 parts glue to 1 part water, then mix the glue mixture with your paint in a 1 to 1 ratio.

Using a craft stick drizzle, drip, or smear some paint down on a piece of parchment paper.

Use all the different colors and try to spread them close together.

Related Project: Press Painted Flowers

If you are working with a very young child you might want to trace a box a bit larger than your bookmark to give them a place to aim. Then take your heart bookmarks and press them into the paint!

Use a toothpick to help pick it back up.

You can press the bookmark as many times as you want until you love the finished look.

Place them on a fresh piece of parchment paper to dry. Do not let them dry in the paint. They will stick! Once dry you can add a card with some ribbon or tape. These painted heart bookmarks make a great non-candy Valentines to pass out to friends & family!

Pin this creative painting idea to your favorite Pinterest board

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Press Painting Snowflake Decorations

We have been sharing quite a few different pour painting projects with you. This technique is just so fun for the kids and creates beautiful pieces of artwork. However, sometimes you have some paint that drips below… We don’t like to waste art supplies around here so after we finished up our pour painted snowflakes we tried something out with the drippings. The results were beautiful! So we skipped the pouring altogether and created these snowflake decorations using this fun press painting process that is perfect for kids of all ages!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, we will receive an affiliate commission.  Thank you for supporting Twitchetts!

Supplies for creative painting

• Acrylic Paint.
• Water.
• White Glue.
• Craft Sticks.
• Wooden Snowflakes.
• Cardboard.
• Parchment Paper.

How to make painted snowflakes:

Check out these step by step instructions to make your press painted snowflake decorations.  Then see it all in action in the video below.

We modify our paints a bit before we get started. I make a mixture 2 parts white glue 1 part water. Then mix equal parts glue mixture with my acrylic paint. This step might not be completely necessary, but it saves a bit of paint, it makes the paint looser and helps the colors from mixing up too quick. Once the colors are ready to go use your craft sticks to drip, drizzle, and swirl your paints on a piece of cardboard. A little goes long ways here! Then press you wooden snowflake down. Lift and press again and again. Peek and see if you like how it looks! You can always add more color… I wanted more blue on mine.

Related Art Project: Pour Painted Snowflake Decorations

Then press it a few more times! Keep adding paint and pressing until you like your snowflake.Lay them on a piece of parchment paper to dry. Do not leave them on your cardboard to dry. They will stick! When they are dry you can hang them in the windows, around the house, or connect a few together for your front door!

Pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:

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Colorful Christmas Ornaments

String painting has been around for years! It is a classic craft that always creates beautiful pieces of art, no matter what the age of the artist is. Our rainbow string art was a fun twist we did a while back and today we are showing another new way to mix it up as we create colorful Christmas ornaments! This is more a fluid style of string painting and is sure to be a memorable art project!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, we will receive an affiliate commission.  Thank you for supporting Twitchetts!

Supplies for your string painting project:

• Wooden Ornament.
• Acrylic Paint.
• Water.
• Craft Sticks.
• Toothpicks.
• String.
• Parchment Paper.
• Cardboard.

How to paint with string:

Here are the step by step instructions to create these colorful Christmas ornaments. Once you’ve read these, see it all in action in the video below!

Prep your area by placing down a piece of cardboard and then parchment paper. Use toothpicks to hold the paper in place. Tape doesn’t stick well to the parchment paper. Next, remove the strings from the ornaments and spread them out on your workspace. Secure each ornament in place by adding a toothpick into the string hole. Now it’s time to paint! Cover each ornament in a watered down white acrylic paint. I used an old paint bottle to mix mine. Spread it to the edges using a craft stick. Cover your string in paint, place on your ornament, and pull the string back off.

Related art project: Pour Painted Ornaments

Pulling in different ways creates different effects. Add more paint to your string and repeat! If you end up with a lot of white paint on your string than remove it before adding more color. Dunk and pull the paint around until you are happy with your piece. Move the ornaments to a fresh piece of parchment and allow to dry. Once they are dry, add a string and you’re done with your colorful Christmas ornaments!

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Pour Painted Snowflake Decorations

We are having so much fun with our pour painting projects! Every single time we try this fun art project the kids get so excited, and the results are always beautiful!  These pour painted snowflake decorations can be hung around your house, made into ornaments, or used as gift tags!  Our process is simple and inexpensive, so you can make them for any reason!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, we will receive an affiliate commission.  Thank you for supporting Twitchetts!

Pour painting supplies:

• Acrylic Paints.
• Wooden Snowflakes. Make sure they do not have a glossy surface on them.
• Thickening Agent. We make our own using white glue and water, or you can buy some.
• Pouring Cups.
• Crafts Sticks.
• Cheap Cooling Rack.
• Parchment Paper.

How to create snowflake art

These step by step instructions will help you create your pour painted snowflake decorations.  Then you can watch the whole process in the video below.

Start by prepping your paints. Like I said above they make a lot of thickening agents for pour painting, but since our projects are for the kids, and on a smaller scale the “cells” that you see in a lot of YouTube videos aren’t really the goal so our DIY thickening agent works. Just mix 2 parts white glue to 1 part water to create the thickening agent. Then mix 1 part paint with 1 part thickening agent. This helps the paints flow and keeps them from blending together right away! Once all of your colors are prepared, start layering the paint in a cup. Pour a small amount of each of your colors into the cup.  Repeat the process as many times as you want until you have a cup full of colorful paint layers.

Related project: Pour Painted Christmas Ornaments

Then pour the paint all over the wooden snowflakes.  To catch some of the leftover paint, we like to slide something under the cooling rack.  In these pictures, we just added more snowflakes.  Check back soon to see what we created with these pour paint drippings.To get the paint to flow over all the edges you will need to tip the snowflake in all different directions. You can encourage it with a craft stick too. When the paint has spread to each edge, you can place the snowflake on parchment paper to dry.

When you look up close, the details in these pour painted snowflake decorations is quite amazing!

Pin these snowflake ornaments to your favorite Pinterest board.

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