| November 15th is “America Recycles Day,” and | | | | material, and see where your child’s artist inspiration |
| what could be a more inspiring way to reduce waste | | | | takes him? |
| in your household than to encourage your children to | | | | |
| recycle trash materials and objects into art? | | | | Make Your Own Art Prints |
| Plenty of modern and contemporary artists use | | | | Polystyrene is used as packaging for all kinds of |
| unusual materials and objects in their art creations. | | | | products, particularly foodstuffs, and can be used in art |
| You’ll find all kinds of scrap materials and useful | | | | projects to make prints – a much more creative |
| objects that can be reused in art projects, if you look | | | | and positive use than sending it straight to the landfill |
| around your house. Junk mail, kitchen containers, | | | | site. |
| scraps of gift-wrap or wallpaper, old magazines, and all | | | | A really simple way to start out printing with kids is to |
| kinds of other objects will come in useful. | | | | make art stamps using old Styrofoam trays. You’ll |
| | | | need: |
| Artist’s Principles | | | | • Old Styrofoam trays (if you use ones that were |
| As an artist, your materials should be treated with | | | | used in raw meat packaging, be sure to wash them |
| respect. Save scrap materials in large boxes, making | | | | carefully with soap and hot water) |
| sure they are clean and dry before storing. In the | | | | • Large plastic bottle caps – the bigger the |
| same way that you would respect and value materials | | | | better |
| that you bought from an art store, you should value | | | | • Glue |
| the scrap materials and trash objects that you are | | | | • Paintbrush or roller |
| going to incorporate into your art. | | | | • Sharp scissors |
| When you work with any materials, including trash, | | | | • Water-based inks or thick poster paints |
| keep your art creativity environment clean and tidy. | | | | • Pencil |
| Wash your tools when needed, and have a good | | | | • Paper |
| supply of paper towels for cleaning up as you work. | | | | Cut circles out of Styrofoam to fit onto the tops of the |
| Creativity can be just as much about discovering new | | | | bottle caps, then stick the circles onto the caps and |
| and different ways to use and incorporate novel | | | | allow to dry. |
| materials into your art as about the end result. | | | | Use the pencil to create a drawing or pattern on the |
| Encourage your child to enjoy the process of making | | | | Styrofoam. Press firmly, as you need to make the |
| his or her artistic creations. There is no “right” or | | | | grooves quite deep. |
| “wrong” way to make art, and while your child | | | | Carefully coat the stamp sparingly with your chosen |
| may enjoy following instructions in order to create | | | | ink or paint, using a brush or roller. The idea is for the |
| something designed by someone else, encourage | | | | ink to cover the flat part of the stamp without going |
| out-of-the-box thinking and teach your child to value his | | | | into the grooves that make up your pattern. |
| own ideas as much as any ideas he finds in a book or | | | | Press the stamp firmly onto the paper and see your |
| on a website. | | | | printed art pattern! |
| | | | |
| Creating Art Collages | | | | An Art Hobby for Your Child? |
| Incorporating collage techniques into art paintings is a | | | | Once you have introduced your children to the idea of |
| great introduction for young children to the idea of | | | | using trash for art, you may well find that they are |
| using different materials. Most children are familiar with | | | | inspired to continue with new and more ambitious art |
| drawing using crayons, and painting with poster paints, | | | | projects. To help them on their artistic road, here are |
| and creating art collages is a wonderful new approach | | | | some final tips: |
| that can build on your child’s existing experience. | | | | • Provide your child with a space to work. A large |
| Your child will be in good company when using art | | | | desk in a quiet part of the house is ideal. The kitchen |
| collage techniques! Early users of modern art collage in | | | | table may be your only option, but if at all possible, a |
| paintings included Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. | | | | dedicated place where your child can leave his tools |
| Braque started by pasting pieces of rough wallpaper | | | | and materials easily accessible is the best option. |
| onto his charcoal drawings, and Picasso incorporated | | | | • Save plenty of boxes and other containers for |
| oilcloth and other fabrics into his paintings. Picasso also | | | | storing art materials and scraps. |
| produced a series of musical artworks using music | | | | • Encourage your child to think of new and |
| sheet paper, cloth, newspaper, and other scraps, often | | | | interesting ways to incorporate trash and scraps into |
| cut into the shapes of musical instruments. | | | | his art, paintings, collages, and craft projects. |
| Why not introduce your child to Picasso’s art in the | | | | • Always praise your child’s efforts and |
| form of his music collage art paintings, provide some | | | | remember that it is the enjoyment of the process that |
| large pieces of cardboard, glue, paints, and scraps of | | | | is the most important part of art! |