Postcards: Playing with Watercolours

This article was originally published for The Purple Fig a Canadian Blogazine which contributes to both The Huffington Post and Parent Dish.

http://thepurplefig.com/postcards-playing-with-watercolours/

It was also featured on The Crafty Crow- one of our favourite sites for kids, parents/caregivers and educators! Check them out:

http://www.thecraftycrow.net/2015/05/watercolor-resist-postcards.html

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Our children LOVE getting things in the mail. Who doesn’t? Why not send dad some love in the mail! Our son was learning about beginning colour theory in school so this was the perfect activity for teaching his sister about how to get secondary colours from the three primary colours we chose.

Materials

Watercolour paper postcard set or print our template on a sturdier paper such as cardstock postcard
Watercolour paints (we used diluted liquid watercolours)
Wax crayons or pastels
Salt
Straw
Rubber cement (to be used by an adult)
A variety of paintbrushes (we recommend one for each colour and used a variety of thicknesses)
Craft tray
Smock
Scissors

Directions

Print and cut out the postcard templates on a paper such as cardstock. Flip them over and place them on your craft tray with the side without the print up.

Please note: We showed some of the techniques suggested on larger pieces of paper so they could more clearly be seen in the photographs, but you could also do this too, cutting out the postcards after.

Draw designs on your card (our daughter decided to do circles) using wax crayons or pastels. Paint over them with the diluted watercolours.

Method #1

Add salt to your design while wet or damp (you can experiment with when to add it and see if there is a difference in effect). Let it dry overnight and then gently brush off the salt.

Method #2

Blow your paint around on your card using a straw. This is particularly fun when you use the 3 primary colours as you get to see colour mixing in action. Let dry overnight.

Method #3

In a well ventilated area (we did it outside), have an adult drizzle rubber cement on your postcards. Let dry. Paint over with watercolours. Let it dry and then gently rub off the cement, revealing the paper underneath.