Firework Printing

This week we are really looking forward to Bonfire Night!

To go alongside our Firework Pinwheels, we have made this printing activity for you to make your very own indoor fireworks display!

You will need:

Large black paper
Acrylic / poster paints
Cardboard tubes
Scissors
Glitter (optional)
A paintbrush
Paint tray

How to make your fireworks display:

Using your scissors, cut your cardboard tubes down from one end in narrow strips, between a 1/4 to a 1/3 the way down.
Fan your cut tube out.
Spread your paint evenly on a paint tray. Dip the tube into the paint and press onto your paper.
Sprinkle with glitter.
Repeat until you are happy.
Using your paintbrush, paint “trail” lines for the rockets shooting up into the sky.

Fire Breathing Dragons!

It’s been a while since a blog post. So I thought I would share this fun craft with you all, how to make fire breathing dragons!

You will need:

A toilet roll inner
Tissue paper in fiery colours
PVA
Paint, palette & brushes
Pompoms – x2 white and x2 mini ones to match your dragon
Scissors

How to make your dragon:

Begin by painting your toilet roll inner in whatever colour you would like it to be. We chose greens and reds for ours.
You can add texture for its scales by doting a different colour of paint on or, waiting for it to dry and drawing texture on with pens.
Cut your tissue paper into 10-15cm long strips with tapers at one end.
Paint a 2cm strip of PVA inside one end of your dragon tube and start sticking your fiery tissue paper in. Add more glue as you add layers.
Glue your two white pompoms at the other end of the tube for eyes and your mini pompoms above the fire for his nostrils.
Paint dots onto your dragon for pupils.
Allow to dry and blow through the tube to animate your fire!

Origami Zebra and Tiger

Here is another origami instruction from Monday Arts Live, this time a zebra and tiger!

You will need:

2 squares of paper and a surface to work on
Pritt Stick
Paint, palette & brushes if you are decorating your paper with paint, or you can use pencils, felt tips or ink.

How to make your lion:

For your zebra decorate two of your squares of paper with black wiggly stripes and the same on orange paper for your tiger.
Follow the instructions below for how to fold, or follow the link to our Facebook Art Live video for how to decorate your own paper.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=968214173923580&ref=watch_permalink

Mini Beast Masterpieces

Let’s Rock (paint)!

We’ve been spending lots of time outside recently and have been enjoying spotting some of the smaller wildlife around our site. Inspired by our mini-beast sightings we’ve created some painted version of our own and we thought we’d share how we made them so you can have a go too!

You will need:

Stones/Rocks
Paint (acrylic is ideal but any paint will do)
Varnish (if you want to put your rock creatures outside)
Googly eyes (optional)

Step 1.

Wash your stones or rocks and allow them to dry. While they’re drying you might want to plan what kind of mini beast to paint and what colours to use.

Step 2.

Paint your stone all one colour, choose the main colour of your mini beast. For example, red for a ladybird or yellow for a bumble bee. Allow this coat to dry.

Step 3.

Add some details to your painted rock so it looks like your mini beast; black spots for a ladybird and black stripes for a bee, for example. You can use our examples as a guide or make up your own!

Step 4.

If you have googly eyes, glue them on to add a bit of character. Alternatively paint some eyes on.

Step 5.

When all the paint and glue has dried you can varnish your mini beast masterpiece to finish it off.

Have fun and don‘t forget to share with us how you get on!

Magic Pictures!

How to make your own magically appearing pictures!

This week we’re going to show you how to make magic pictures, they’re great for experimenting with water-colour paints and they make lovely cards.

You will need:

Paper
Water based paints (poster paints or water colours are ideal)
Paint brush
Wax candle or white wax crayon
Water

Step 1.

Use the wax crayon or candle to doodle a design on your paper; I know you can’t see it but don’t worry!

Step 2.

Start painting over your doodle with very watery paint, the wax will resist the paint and your design will magically be revealed! You can use several colours on each piece if you want to.

Step 3.

Let your design dry and then, if you want to, you could make it into a card to send to someone you’re missing at the moment.

Have fun and try lots of different designs, don’t forget to let us know how you get on!