This 2nd part of Inspiration Station has more accessible activities as well as some ideas on how you can help your budding artists find their own inspiration.

Marbling

This is an easy way to create beautiful and unique designs and it can be used on different surfaces and even clothes if you’re feeling really adventurous.

For marbling on paper, you just need a large baking tray half full of cold water and some marbling inks. Add drops of ink to the water from above in different places. You can use one colour or more if you like but too many might lose the marble effect. When you have enough drops in, use a paintbrush or something similar to swirl the ink into patterns. Once the mixture is still in the tray, place your paper flat on the water and remove after a few seconds. Once this has dried, your marbling is done.

For smaller hands, marbling with shaving foam and watercolour paints gives a little more control and might be a bit less messy as the mixture is more foam than liquid. Simply fill the bottom of a baking tray with shaving foam, add drops of watercolour paint from above, swirl into patterns and place your paper onto the mixture before removing and drying.

Other types of paint can be used to create different effects and to marble different surface, too.

Collage

Collages are easy and effective projects that can give even younger children a lot more input in the work. Collage is simply sticking other things to a backing to create a new image. You can use paper or magazine cuttings, sand, stones, leaves, glitter – anything you like and it is this freedom that makes this such an accessible project. As long as you have paper and glue or paste for sticking, you can forage the rest from outside or around the home if you are stuck for materials.

Stencilling

Cutting paper or card to create shapes which can be coloured over or around to make new images. This can be done in different ways for kids of different ages. Older children will usually want to create their own shapes and stencils, while younger ones will be much better of using pre-cut stencils in simple shapes to make their images with.

Creating Inspiration

Before any projects begin, your kids need to be prepared and inspired to work. Artwork around the home is a good way to get kids to examine pictures and we have a great range of wall art suitable for kid’s spaces. Sometimes seasonal events might inspire creativity but if you find yourself stuck, this is an easy way to pick a topic or theme:

The Ball – Get a football made of soft material and write different random words on every patch – you might include the kids in choosing some of the topics, too. Throw the ball to each child and the topic facing them as they catch it is their project for the day. You can also expand this and have different balls for emotions, objects and places to combine as your kids get older.Click here for more ideas!
So get inspired and get your kids creating – and out of your hair.