Here’s a super easy Easter art idea with a “big reveal” at the end that the kids LOVE. In the end, you will have an art piece that reflects the sacrifice God made for us.
Who can do this?
Any age can do this art project! My girls, 18 months and 4 Years did this with a friend (3 years) and they all had a fantastic time. But anyone from age 0 to 100 would have fun with this and you don’t need any special painting skills at all.
To accommodate very young babies you can put the canvas in a ziplock bag and present it as a tummy time activity in the same way that I did “Baby’s First Art Project” for W when she was just a few months old.
Tape resist painting
This art project is as easy as they come, and there’s no pressure on the child (or yourself) to paint in any specific way. The technique used is a form of process art called tape resist painting. Tape resist is when you place tape onto your surface BEFORE painting. The final step is to remove the tape to reveal a blank space, untouched by the paint.
Easter Art
Tape resist can be done on many surfaces with various art mediums. The possibilities are endless. But today we are using painter’s tape to create simple Easter Crosses.
We used:
- Painter’s (or masking) tape
- Canvas panels
- Kids Watercolor paints
I love to use canvas panels for kids’ projects instead of stretched canvas. Because they lay flat, it is easier for kids to work with. They don’t have to worry about pressing too hard or over-stretching the canvas. Plus, they are slimmer and easier to store.
Watercolors work wonderfully for this, but you can use any kind of paint. Tempera paint is another favorite for little kids.
Food for thought: Another thing that I often do when we are painting, is to limit the amount of color options the kids have access to. I did not do that here this time… but if I want to go with a certain color scheme or you don’t want it to all turn brown and dark (we all know kids will mix every color at once), I do sometimes provide only colors that mix well together. For example: Green, Yellow, Blue, light pink, and a glittery white will look like a lot of options when presented to a child, but they all blend together well if mixed on the canvas. If taking this route, let your kid choose one or two colors and go off of those. That way, they have some sense of control over the color choices.
Get started
A grownup or older child will start by making a cross with 2 pieces of tape in the center of the canvas.
Set up the workspace with a selection of brushes, whatever paints you’re using, a surface cover if you want, and the pre-taped canvases. (see below for my note on rinsing water)
Then get to painting!
There is no correct technique to this. Just make sure to get all the white canvas around the cross covered in paint. Be as messy or orderly as you want.
A gradient of color would be pretty. Or you could attempt a sunset color theme with a brown hill at the bottom.
For kids, don’t micromanage them, let their own creativity shine, but do encourage them to add more paint along the edges of the tape if they have not already. I have found that kids tend to avoid the tape. Let them know that they can paint directly on and along it.
The tape needs to be completely surrounded by paint in order for the cross to show at the end.
A note on rinsing water!
With little kids, I personally do not ever provide cups of water at the table for brush rinsing. It never fails to get knocked over or the kids over-soak everything.
To keep the watercolor pallets wet, I always have a misting spray bottle on hand and add water to them as needed.
For brushes, I have found that having a large selection of them available at the table keeps them from needing to be rinsed. And if someone asks, I will take the brush in question to the sink for a quick rinse. But typically, at this age, they do not care if colors mix on the brush… and neither do I.
Finishing Your Easter Art
Once you or your child are done painting, set it somewhere to dry. After the paint is all dry, peel the tape off (kids have fun with this) and see the magic happen! A cross is revealed beneath the paint and your Easter art is done!
IT’S BEAUTIFUL
Psssst! In the excitement of an art project, don’t forget to talk to your kids about WHY they are painting crosses 😉
He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
1 Peter 2:24
For more Eastery fun be sure to try out the Egg Basket Game we came up with last year!
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