Perfect Little Child's Painting

My friend, Alice Grey wanted to create something FAB for a baby shower she was hosting.  She brought me the invitation, napkins, plates, and other inspiration she had amassed for the shower and we created a fun little canvas motif inspired from the decor.

You can totally make this canvas at home-- the colors could be switched up from primaries to softer pastel- baby colors.  I think it will end up being the perfect little creation to last a child in their room for a number of years...

First, go to your nearest craft store and grab a canvas based off of your specific dimensions.  This painting is great because it will look good small (probably no smaller than 16 x 20 inches) or on a large scale.   While you're there, grab your color choices in craft paint (go for the cheap 99 cent bottles of paint, not the more $$$ acrylic paint.)  If you need brushes, pick them up too.

Once home, spread out some newspaper, put your unwrapped canvas down, and start making little circles with your brush and the paint.  I like to make my circles by swirling the brush from the center outwards-- that way you can 'grow' them or leave them smaller.  Remember: for this painting, circle size variation is key.

Materials Needed:
Canvas (you choose size according to the space)

Paint (whatever color palette your little heart desires)

Paint Brushes

Twine/String/Yarn

Duct Tape

Canvas/Paper/Fabric

Hot Glue Sticks

Hot Glue Gun

Check out Alice Grey working away.  Use one color at a time so you don't have to keep washing your brush.  Instead of craft store paint, I used Sherwin Williams Sample paints because they offer TONS of color choices (and they are wonderful too!)
Once your canvas is dry and covered in circles (she popped in some rectangular shapes too--reminiscent of confetti) you can get out your twine and drape it.  Have FUN draping the twine-- play with the curve of the lines!
Want to speed up drying time?  Get out your trusty hair dryer and zap that canvas till its dry (just run your hand gently over it.)
I taped the twine to the back of the canvas with duct tape.   We went for two drapes with the twine (so I taped the twine to the top of the canvas in the center-- see bottom picture) to make two different sized curves.

After we were done draping our twine, I grabbed a painted 'junk' canvas (we have a lot of these at the studio...) and cut out triangular pizza shaped flags.   Once you're happy with the size, just put down the original flag on top of your canvas/fiber/funky paper to use as a template to re-created the same size flag.  Make enough of these triangles to fit on your twine/string/cord.
See the old junk canvas I cut the flags from... feel free to cut flags from scrap fabric, newspaper, fun paper you find at the hobby store, origami paper, marbled paper, craft paper, canvas, etc...
Last step: super glue the flags to the twine while placing about a thumbs width of space between each.
And... ta-da!  You are finished... I am so serious: ANYONE can do this and have fun with it.
Put your own unique variation on it by changing up colors, switching up the type of string you use, and changing up the flag material.
I can't wait to see what you create... Please email them my way (and, if you need a little help, email me your ???s)
and... so you can see how it looked at the shower (with onsies to match!)
 
 
xx M
We are a BYOW art studio based in Greenville, SC. We offer art instruction - primarily painting lessons - to children and adults.
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