Kids Art: Textured Paper

One of my favorites for art inspiration is Usborne Book of Art Ideas. It is brimming with ideas to try out for myself... and watching me do something new sparks Ana's interest and she usually follows the inevitable, "♫What are you doing?" with a tinkling "Can I help you do that?♫", and thus we end up doing a few new things on and off.

Anyway, one of the ideas from this book that I use frequently is to create textured paper - i.e., just paper with various textured patterns. The textured papers can then be used to create other art by cutting and layering.

I like this as it helps me use up the paints I dole out for the kids during art sessions - it feels criminal to waste paints. So, when they are done and have gone to wash their hands, I stash away the remaining paints to create textured paper, using more fresh paint as the mood calls for.

Every once in a while, Ana would join me to play around with creating textured paper. Her favorite is to use fork and child-size whisk to create patterns and textures. We use all kinds of paper from heavy-weight watercolor or bristol paper to card stock to butcher paper.



We can either dry brush on several layers with directional brush strokes that show through, or use aids like corrugated edges of cardboards, natural sponge, cling wrap, or even fork or whisk for that matter, to create textures and patterns... swirls, stripes, blobs anything - Explore and Express is the mantra...

When the paper is dry, I save them for later use in other paper craft and art projects.

After the recent roll printing, we had quite a bit of red paint leftover. So, Ana used her hands, large brush, even a cotton textured washrag to spread the paint all over some white cardstock paper, and then cut out hearts to use for Valentine's Day cards for her friends. I love the textures and patterns she created - makes unique cards, even if they are all red and heart-shaped.



Sometimes, she likes to just play with different tools to see what patterns she can create and how she can repeat/reproduce it.



Anyway, maybe soon, I can share the few uses these textured paper have been put to... it seems like life is just boxed into some hectic rushed routine with just a small window for the cultivation of human spirit... and if I can inspire Ana and Og to recognize and nurture that part of their spirit by just fostering mine, I should consider it a blessing...