Today’s feature article is from the fantastically creative Melissa at
Enjoy!
I’m happy to be guest posting here on one of my favorite blogs! It was difficult to decide on what to share, but Anna told me pretty much anything would do so…I decided to share some of our Blotto Creations. The whole last month of February we focused on Blotto Heart Creations and now we decided to take this process in another direction: using our imagination to create pictures with out painted blottos. It seems fitting to use our imagination on The Imagination Tree! Here are just a sampling of our creations.
To create Painted Blotto Creations, all you need is:
- Paint/Brushes (We used Paint Dabbers)
- Folded Paper
For later:
- markers/crayons
- scissors
- glue
To begin, lay out some newspaper and paint. I pre-folded a bunch of papers so they would be ready to go. The process goes quickly and you want to have paper at hand so you can do multiple paintings. No one can just do one! (I know I can’t!)
Then use a paint brush or dabber and place the paint on one side of the fold or directly on the fold like this. There is really no need to be precise in this part! Make sure the paint stays wet. You can paint in a few sections to create 3 small creations Like pictured here) or paint right down the center for one large creation.
Next simply fold your paper and press down and smooth the palm of your hand over the paper to transfer the image to both sides of the paper! This is always a great lesson in symmetry.
Now open up your paper and here you see the 3 separate creations. You can also see this would be a fabulous way to teach color mixing, since the yellow and blue created some green and the red and yellow made orange. We thought these creations kind of looked like insects or flowers. What do you think?
On some creations my daughter already began adding eyes and legs with the paint dabbers.
We made tons of creations and let them dry for a few hours.
With some of our creations we kept “as is”, but with others we cut them out and glued them on our paper and added detail with a black marker. Here you can see my daughter adding detail to her “blotto insects.”
Here is a close-up of some of her Insect blotto creations. Some happy and some sad! She loved this part of using her imagination!
The possibilities are endless of what can be created with paint blottos! Hope you find the time to try this activity out!
This is my creation of flower blottos!
Melissa Jordan blogs over at The Chocolate Muffin Tree http://www.thechocolatemuffintree.com/ She is the mother of a wonderful 5 year old daughter and is a former Elementary Art Teacher, She loves sharing her artsy ideas with others and inspiring her readers to make things!
If you haven’t checked out Melissa’s blog before, you will fall in love with it instantly! Check it out!
These are so stunning Melissa! Simple, achievable and creative- just perfect! Can’t wait to try them with the girls. Thanks so much for sharing your ideas here 🙂
Thank you so much Anna? It is a pleasure to post on your blog! So happy all is well with you and your new little one. You are an amazing Mother!
I love this — it’s simple yet so fun and you never get the same thing twice! (Also does it tell you about our personality if we see crazy images a la Rosarch Test – or whatever the name was.)
Thank you! Everyone has a different idea of what these paint blots can be and that is what makes it Awesome!
Love how you made the blots into personalities! Too cute!
Thank you Rachel. Hope you have fun with this idea!
These were my absolute favorite as a child . My mom’s fridge was packed with them constantly. I love how you turned them into bugs, I would have been all over that too.
Thanks Allie. I wish I would have done these as a child. You sound like you had a lot of fun with this idea as a child.
I could make them all day as an adult!
What a fun idea, Melissa! Going to pin this and try it soon with my kiddos. Thank you!
Thanks Jean. Can’t wait to see your spin on this idea. I’ m sure it will be fabulous!
Oooh how lovely! I love all the bugs – what a fun way to do a bit of symmetry painting. Gorgeous!
Maggy
Thanks Maggy. You are always so kind! This is definitely a great way to teach symmetry.
I love this blotto extension, Melissa. We always stop at the smoosh and reveal step, but I know my oldest would get so much more out of drawing on top of the dry creations. What a great imagination-builder!
Thanks Rachelle. Great to see you here. It is great to draw on top of the blottos and even add a background with older children. I know you and your daughters will have fun with this! Can’t wait to see your paintings too.
I love the “angry face” on the bug that looks like a fly. Seriously cracks me up. I also like that you can use the same concept for flowers. Fun, fun, fun.
Thanks Zina. I get a kick out of that little angry fly too. It is great to see what kids will come up with as compared to my flowers. Thanks for stopping by.
This is very cute! I love the bugs and flowers.
Thanks Kate. Hope you enjoy this idea.
I love the ones with the added details. I know ours wouldn’t make it through without the addition of some googly eyes! Thanks for the inspiration. My little ones are going to love this. 🙂
Thank you Krissy. Googly eyes would be a fab idea! We’ll have to try that next time. Thanks for the tip.
Great idea! I hope the angry bug has a better day 😉
Thanks. It is a little like Eric Carle’s book : The Grouchy Ladybug. So I’m sure the bug will have a better day,
Melissa,
These creations are wonderful!
I will definitely be making this extension of blotto painting apart of our art experience soon – I also like the idea of cutting out the creations, and love the vivid, almost neon colours you’ve used. They pop out so interestingly.
I’m absolutely sure that my children will enjoy this!
Thanks for the wonderful idea!
Brenda
Thanks Brenda! Glad to give you ideas and I know your children will enjoy! Blottos are addicting!
These are so much fun we always have fun with blotto painting but I love that little turtle you girls made – so cute!!!