Paint and Design a Giant Egg With Watercolors

         This giant, bright colored Easter egg was painted using a soft camel hair brush dipped in watercolor paint. First the student used a black marker to draw her whimsical butterfly, fish and flowers. Then she painted in her picture with bright, festive colors. I have discovered that very young students produce marvelous watercolor paintings but grow apprehensive about the resulting finished product as they age. This is because the younger an art student is, the less inhibited they are about "how" their artwork looks. Their inhibitions are the unfortunate result of growing old, I'm afraid...

watercolor painted egg

Supply List:

• giant sheet of white construction paper
• watercolor set
• a soft camel hair brush among several other sizes to try
• one black permanent ink marker
• pictures of fish, birds and flowers to work from

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut white butcher paper or construction paper into large egg shapes. The teacher may wish to do this step in advance or not depending upon the age of the students.
2. Give the student black permanent ink markers to draw with. You may want to cover their tables with newsprint for this step and also give them aprons. Some young students get a little enthusiastic about using these markers where they shouldn't so keep an eye on the process to avoid disasters!
3. Teachers can hand pictures of what students can draw on their eggs around the room too. Things like insects, birds, symbols of Easter etc...
4. After drawing with permanent pens, collect these.
5. Now give each student a watercolor set and a small jar of water plus several kinds of paint brushes to fill in all of the white areas.

Sponge Paint a Giant Easter Egg!

This egg painted with sponges.

     This giant Easter Egg sponge painting requires young students to use unconventional tools in the act of painting. Sponges are easy for little hands to manipulate and these hold all kinds of sticky, messy paints made from inexpensive mixtures that kindergarten teachers can quickly shake together without investing large sums of cash in a art project. Small children do not generally produce art that will be kept forever by anyone other than their parents so, it is important to use materials that may be expendable but also fun to work with. The key to developing student performance in art is repetition and inexpensive materials ensure that the activity is repeated frequently.

Supply List:

• one large sheet of pastel colored construction paper
• tempera paints mixed in pastel colors 
• simple sponges cut into geometric shapes
• cover tables with paper wherever this activity takes place
• give young students aprons to where
• each student should have at least several trays of paint to dip sponges in while they work

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Precut large egg shapes from pastel shades of construction paper.
2. Mix tempera paints for students in advance
3. Set up large tables for young ones to work at. Cover the surfaces with newsprint; perhaps, even the floors. Put paint trays within reach of painting activity.
4. Children my dip sponges into the paints and print the shapes on their paper Easter eggs. 
5. Encourage them to fill the areas, make patterns, and try different paint colors!

This video, from Nuttin' but preschool, demonstrates an excellent step-by-step process for making homemade "tempera" paints. However, if you are an artist, you know that actual tempera paints used by professionals include an egg binder. So here is an old recipe for high school students.

Crayon Resist Egg Painting

      This giant Easter Egg was crafted using a popular wax resist method. Young students learn to color with firm pressure onto drawing paper before painting a watery solution of colored paint over the surface of their wax colors. The paint will then leave traces of painted paper wherever the crayons have not been applied. The use of this method is very popular in grade school because it shows students how they can use several art materials in one lesson and also develops their eye-hand coordination.

Supply List:

• one large sheet of white construction paper
• bold crayon colors
• a water color tray
• scissors to cut out the egg with

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. On a large sheet of white construction paper, scribble with brilliant colored crayons. Encourage young students to press firmly on the paper as they work. 
2. Once the paper has been worked on thoroughly, show them how to dip a brush into darker versions of those same crayon colors. Wash the surfaces with watercolor and see their crayon scribbles turn into gems!
3. Cut out the nicest areas into large Easter egg shapes.

"Handy" Little Butterflies

A finished handy butterfly stapled to the 
bulletin board in my classroom.

       These little butterflies made with magic markers and construction paper sure come in handy when you need a quick way to decorate your classroom for spring! Little ones can also learn the parts of a butterfly while crafting their butterflies. 

       Students can learn about patterns and colors with this assignment. First they will need to fold a white sheet of paper in half twice and fill in each of the four spaces with patterns of shapes and colors of particular selection. After they have completed this step, students will then need to trace around their hands four times within each square of their designed paper. Cut these hands out to form the wings of your butterflies. I stapled their wings to some simple shapes of a butterfly's thorax cut from black construction paper. You can also add a few chenille stems for antennae. 

       My kindergarteners were so proud of their creations. What seems to be old-fashioned to us is  always entertaining to five year olds. It is one of the many blessings of being new to the world. Every little innocent thing holds some fascination for the very young. 

       Many of these butterflies did not make it to the bulletin board. My kindergarteners loved this butterfly craft so much, they tried to sneak their paper butterflies home! I saw them, however, stuffing their new friends into their backpacks before I could collect all of my bulletin board trim! I stapled the butterflies all over my display areas after students finished this art project. What an easy fun way to fill up bulletin boards!

Supply List:

• white drawing paper
• magic markers
• black construction paper
• white school glue or stapler
• one black chenille stem per butterfly

Left, color patterns on drawing paper. Center, trace around child hands for the wings. Right,
glue or staple on black butterfly body and black chenille stems for antenna.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Fold a sheet of white drawing paper in half and then in half again. Unfold it; now your student will have four spaces to draw four different patterns with a set of magic markers.
2. Once students have completed their patterns, have them trace around their hands four times and cut out the four hand tracings to attach to their butterfly bodies.
3. Fold a small, narrow length of black construction paper in half and cut out a simple butterfly shaped body for it.
4. Glue or staple the handy wings to it. 
5. Cut one black chenille stem in half.
6. Twist one end on each half into a little ''c'' shaped loop.
7. Glue the opposite ends to the top of the handy butterfly to make antenna.

Make a Lenten Card Featuring Palms

Lenten cards in the traditional season's colors: purple and green.

       These cards for Lent feature simple, palm leaf motifs cut from green papers layered on top of both purple and beige patterned, acid free papers. The scripture and palm leaf graphic may be downloaded and printed from The Christian Clip Art Review for this card. Use the illustrations at this blog for non-profit, personal crafts only, if you are not fund raising for your church.

       The scripture reference reads, "And all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished. ....And they understood none of these things." Luke 18: 31-34

The following poem may be included with the card, it is in the public domain:

by S. D. Gardner

And this is life -- to-day we here abide,

Perchance to-morrow we must step aside,

We master not our own; no vain regret

Can change the path for us which God has 

set.

Then let our footsteps be toward the light,

With loving words and deeds make each day

bright.

Let charity progress to wider plan,

Lend gracious ear to creed of every man. 

A close-up look at the Palm Sunday themed card.