I’m sure I’ve mentioned that I love That Artist Woman. She has fabulous crafts that are made in such a way that young kids can make them & look amazing. When I saw her Steller’s Jay portrait I knew it was something we would try.
Well, we did try them & they are one of my favorite things the kids have made.
Supplies
• 12″ x 12″ Chipboard (cardboard or canvas would also work)
• Cardboard or Cardstock for the stencils
• Magazines
• Paint in various colors
• Paint Brushes
• Glue Stick
The Background
We subscribe to a couple nature magazines, so we cut pages from them & glued the pieces to the chipboard. This was the base of their artwork.
Using slightly watered down blue paint, they colored right over the magazine pieces.
Making Stencils
The kids began by picking a bird they wanted to paint. Then, we found an outline of the bird & a branch we liked online. Next, we traced them separately onto thin cardboard & cut them out.
Painting the Bird & Adding Text
The kids first used shades of brown paint to paint the branch.
After the branch dried, they moved on to paint their bird. I stressed that when they use the stencils they need to dab the paint on, not stroke back & forth. This prevents the paint (mostly) from sneaking under the stencil.
Painting the birds took several steps. They’d paint a bit, let it dry & paint again.
Lastly, they cut letters from magazines and glued those letters on their artwork to identify their bird type.
This artwork looks complicated, but even our 5 year old Farm Girl could do it with a little guidance from me. I usually held the stencil for her while she dabbed the paint.
Completed Masterpieces
This was a multi-step process & took a while to complete. But, it was worth it! They are beautiful.
