Did you see the Sift and Spray Paint Art we did yesterday? The kids enjoyed it so much, we tried a different version of the same process art today: Powder Paint Press Art! We did this in the bath tub so the kids could have some messy, sensory play fun afterwards, but you can easily do this art project on a tray in your kitchen or classroom as well! This art exploration exercise will allow your child to play with new art materials while also benefiting from fine motor practice, and experiencing color mixing and various textures.
This post is part of the Wash & Learn series.
Powder Paint Press Art
1. Sprinkle powder paint into the bottom of the bath tub or onto a plastic tray.
Bust up any big chunks of powder with your fingers or the back of a spoon.
2. Spray the powdered paint with water using a squirt bottle,
…or carefully sprinkle some water from the tap onto it. You want it to be really damp but without being completely soupy.
3. Using thick paper (we used watercolor paper cut in half), gently press down the paper onto the wet paint.
Let it sit for a few seconds…
…before gently lifting it off.
Lay it on the side of the tub and repeat with remaining papers.
Wet the powdered paint more if necessary between presses. If lots of powder is sticking to your papers, add more water!
One of our papers came up with a lot of dry powdered paint stuck to it, so we simply gave it a good dousing with the squirt bottle! It was pretty to watch the colors spread and run.
We ended up with some pretty neat, textured and swirled art and the kids had a blast making it!
I just love how the colors mixed together and made patterns.
And how vibrant the colors are.
The kids had a lot of fun playing with the leftover paint, too, once we finished our press art.
They smeared it, drew lines in the paint with their fingers, and coated parts of their body…
…before we turned on the faucet and washed it all down the drain.
It may look messy, but my tub is always cleanest after one of these activities! The kids actually do a really good job of washing the tub out. And once the kids are dried off and out of the tub, I simply hop in and wipe it all down with a damp rag and it’s spotless…until the next time we come up with a messy project to try!
The kids always wear their “messy play” swimsuits or play clothes for these types of activities. We seldom experience staining, but it is always a possibility!
Here are a few more photos of our artwork just because it looks so cool:
For more art fun, be sure to hop over to see the other Wash & Learn posts this week! Bath Activities for Kids has another fun process art exploration for kids to try out, and Train Up a Child shares an ice art activity.
See More Wash and Learn Fun:
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