Halloween: Friendly Textured Monster

Eric Carle is a favourite author/illustrator of children and serves as the inspiration for this activity.

Materials

• Cardstock
• Various items to make a textured appearance on paper (this could include scrappers, sponges, utensils, popsicle sticks, a bath poof etc.)
• Paint
• Smocks
• Scissors
• Craft tray or washable tablecloth
• Cloth
• Glue
• Glue gun
• Construction paper
• Cardboard box (for the frame)
• Embellishments (craft jewels, buttons, ribbon etc.) *Optional

Directions

• Have an adult cut the bottom off of a cardboard box and cut out the centre to form a frame (as shown in the photo) OR ave an adult cut out four strips of cardboard (two longer and two shorter to form a rectangle) to make a frame.  Glue it together with craft glue (and allow it to dry overnight) or have an adult glue gun the corners.

• Don your smock and lay your frame out on a craft tray or tablecloth and paint it.

• Sketch and cut out the monster you would like to make.  That way you can visualize what colours you might want to use and how much of each.

• Put the colours of paint you want to use for your project into shallow trays.  On cardstock or another type of thicker paper create create various textures, using different kinds of tools such as scrappers, spools, sponges etc.   When I was a teacher and we did a similar activity I would give each student a large piece of paper that they would divide into sections using different colours and tools for each area.  We had a tray where they put extra pieces after cutting out what they needed to share with others in the class.

• Here are a few sample textures:

Scraper

Foam Roller

Bath Poof

Spool

Toothbrush

Scraper

Foam Dabber

• Trace the pieces of your monster onto the back of your textured pieces flipping over your tracers.  Cut out your pieces of texture paper.

• Glue them onto your large construction paper, forming your monster.

• Add any embellishments you might like.  Allow to dry overnight.

• Glue your construction paper to the back edge of your frame.  Allow to dry overnight.

• Display your monster portrait.

Purpose

• Learning various techniques to create textured appearances

Safety Notes

• Exercise caution when using scissors
• Have an adult carefully cut the cardboard for you