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This Kids Art Project Is Beautiful and Easy to Make

Season 6 Episode 2
Aired on 04/22/2017 | CC
Your friends and family will never believe these stunning watercolors were made by your kids.

Materials
  • Picture frame with matte, size of your choice
  • Cold press heavy weight watercolor paper, same size as picture frame
  • Watercolor paint, colors of your choice
  • Simple stencil of your choice made of cardboard (Can be found at craft store)
  • Paintbrush
  • Paint palette
  • Rubber cement
  • Ruler
  • Pencil
  • Rubber eraser
  • Craft knife
  • Sponge
  • Small bowl of water

    Directions

    Place the matte on the watercolor paper and trace around the inside edge of the matte using a pencil. Remove the matt and set to one side.

    Using a pencil, make small “x”s on the watercolor paper, centered between the paper edge and the matte line on all four sides.

    Use a ruler and pencil to draw lines through the x’s to make a rectangle between the edge of the paper and the matt edge. Use a ruler and a craft knife to score along the new rectangle lines but don’t cut all the way through. This new rectangle will be the tear lines in the next step.

    Dip the sponge in water and run it along the pencil lines from Step 3. Enough to make the paper soggy. Carefully tear away the paper along the soggy cut lines. This will create a rough, torn look to make the paper appear aged.

    Once the paper edges are torn off and the paper looks aged, turn it over so the pencil lines are on the back. Place your cardboard stencil on the paper wherever you like it and trace around it with a pencil. We used a simple flower stencil and traced around it in two places on the paper, but you can draw anything you want.

    Set the stencil to one side. Use a brush to apply rubber cement to the area inside the stencil/drawing. Keep in mind that anything you cover with rubber cement will be protectected from your watercolor paint.

    Allow the rubber cement to dry for about 30 mins or dry to the touch before moving on to the next step.

    Paint watercolor all over the paper. Use more water for a diluted pale look or less water for a stronger look. Be creative, you can use a variety of colors or just one color. Allow the watercolor paint to dry completely for about 30 mins or until dry to the touch before moving on to the next step.

    Use a finger to rub off the rubber cement from the paper. You will be left with white silhouettes of the stencil shapes.

    Place the finished picture in the frame and hang it on the wall.