We all want to proudly display our children’s artwork…. buuuuut…. Let’s be honest, that artwork might not quite fit the aesthetic of our home. This is where I love a simple process artwork that both thrills my children as they walk past it every day... and which genuinely adds interest to the decor of our home.
We have used our Creative Kids Acrylic Paint Kit to create this simple paint scrape artwork which proudly hangs in our home.
You will need:
- Acrylic Paint: 4-6 colours; 3-4 for the base + 1-2 for the second layer
- Canvas or paper - We like to do this on a large size surface, but this process will work on a smaller panel or page too (You’ll just need to adjust the size of the tool you are scraping with)
- Wide paint brush(es)
- Scraping tool such as a
- window squeegee
- Piece of hard plastic or perspex
- Old store card
Process:
1. Take some time to consider the colours you are going to use. Lay them all out in their tubes, taking some time to add and remove different colour options after seeing how they interact together.
2. Prepare 3-4 colours to cover the canvas with. If you need to mix colours, prepare those before you start painting.
Ok, lets move fast now!
The process is easy, but to get the best result, you want all the paint to be wet when you scrape it.
3. Cover the entire canvas with paint; a thicker coat is best. The faster that you can cover the canvas, the better. So this is a great time to get all the whole family involved. Don't be scared to blend the colours where they meet because the process involved in this artwork involves mixing and smearing of the paint.
4. While the paint on the canvas is still wet, squeeze some paint along the top of the canvas - directly out of the tube if possible.
5. Pressing very lightly and angling the tool you are using as parallel as possible to the canvas, scrape your paint from one end of the canvas to the other. Side ways or lengthways - your choice!
Just remember, scrape gently. The goal is to smear the paint across the canvas, not remove it from the canvas… perhaps we should rename this process to smear painting 🤷🏻♀️
Once your artwork is dry, hang it on the wall and watch your children admire their amazing work.
Idea: This process also works well as a base for a collage, so feel free to build upon your work.