Sponge painting is a fun, easy craft to do with kids. You can cut the sponges into a variety of shapes to stimulate and encourage your child’s creativity. Once you have the basic technique down, use the sponges to decorate a number of surfaces, from posters to bedroom walls.
EditSteps
EditCutting the Sponges
- Get a plain kitchen sponge. Kitchen sponges come with tiny holes and larger holes, so you can pick the one that you like. Make sure that the sponge does not have a scratchy pad on 1 side. It will be difficult to cut.[1]
- Consider getting multiple sponges in different colors. This way, you can match the sponge to the paint color.
- Do not use sea sponges if you want to cut out specific shapes. They are too lumpy. They will make great clouds, however!
- Clean the sponge, if needed, then allow it to dry. Store bought sponges are already clean, but used kitchen sponges are dirty. If you are reusing an old sponge, clean it with soap and hot water. Rinse the sponge until all of the soap bubbles are gone, then set it out to dry.
- The sponge must be completely dry, otherwise the marker will bleed.
- Use a cookie cutter and a marker to trace a shape onto the sponge. Depending on the size of the cookie cutter, you may be able to fit 2 shapes onto 1 sponge. You can also draw the shapes by hand if you prefer.[2]
- Simple shapes, like hearts and stars, work better than more complex shapes, like snowflakes.
- For complex shapes, like a flower, draw the flower, stem, and leaves separately.
- Consider other learning shapes, such as letters, numbers, circles, or squares.
- Cut the sponge with scissors along the lines that you drew. Make short, little snips as you cut, otherwise the edges may come out jagged. You can discard the scraps, or you can save them to make geometric shapes![3]
- This step should be completed by an adult, even if the child helped you draw the shapes.
- If you drew separate shapes, like a flower, stem, and leaves, cut them out separately.
- Get additional sponges to paint with, if desired. Visit your local craft store, and see what types of sponges that you can find. Pick up a few and have them ready to paint with. Do not cut these sponges.
- Sponge brushes come with wedge-shaped tips, so they are perfect for creating lines and flower stems.
- Pouncers are round sponge brushes perfect for making polka dots.
- Sea sponges are very lumpy and ideal for clouds.
EditSetting up a Workspace
- Choose an easy-to-clean area. Sponge painting can get messy, so some place that is easy to clean would be the best. Painting outside on a warm, sunny day is a great idea because the paint will dry faster. Your child may also find inspiration in the world around them.
- Make sure that you have a table that you can work on, and that nothing that can get dirty or ruined is nearby.
- If you are painting outside, try a patio table. You can also have your child sit on the sidewalk.
- Cover your work surface with newspaper. Use 2 to 3 layers of newspaper in case your child spills some paint or water. Another option is to cut up a plastic or paper bag, and use that instead. You can also use a cheap, plastic tablecloth or butcher paper.
- You can find cheap, plastic tablecloths in the baking or party supply section of a craft store.
- Have your child put on some easy-to-clean clothing. Even though most children's paints are washable, there is still a chance that they might stain. If your child likes to get messy, it would be a good idea to have them wear an apron or an art smock as well.
- If you are using acrylic paint, then you should definitely have your child wear clothing that can get dirty.
- If your child is wearing a shirt with long sleeves, be sure to roll them up.
- If your child has long hair, pull it back into a braid or ponytail.
- Pour some water-based paint onto a palette. Tempera paint, poster paint, or acrylic craft paint all work great for this. Make a blob big enough to dip the sponge into. Use 1 color of paint per palette.[4]
- Paper plates and plastic lids make perfect palette.
- If the paint is thick like toothpaste, stir some water into it. This will make it more spreadable and easier to soak into the sponge.
- Look for paints that say things like "washable" or "kids' paint."
- Spread some paper onto a flat surface. If you want to, tape down the corners of the paper, or weigh them down with smooth stones. Poster paper, printer paper, or construction paper all work just fine for this. You can even use one of those giant sketch pads instead.[5]
- If you are using a sketch pad, tear the paper out first. Otherwise, the paint may accidentally bleed through the paper and stain the next page.
- Another option is to use fabric. Heavier fabric, such as canvas, will work better than thinner fabric, such as cotton.
- For a wearable project, use an apron, tote bag, or T-shirt. Acrylic paint or fabric paint will work the best.[6]
EditCreating Your Painting
- Dip your sponge into the paint. Hold the sponge by the edges in 1 hand, then lower it into the paint. Press it into the paint firmly enough to soak some paint up, but not so firmly that it soaks through to the top of the sponge.[7]
- Make sure that the entire bottom of the sponge is touching the paint.
- Lift the sponge out, then press it against your paper. Again, press the sponge firmly enough to make an imprint, but not so firmly that all of the paint leaks out against the paper.[8]
- Simply patting it against the paper should be enough; you shouldn't have to squish down on it.
- Pull the sponge away to reveal your shape. There will be a slight, bumpy texture left in the paint, which is the whole point of sponge painting. Depending on how big the holes were in your sponge, you may also see white speckles in your shape!
- Sprinkle some glitter onto the wet paint before it dries for a sparkly effect!
- Repeat the process to stamp more shapes against the paper. There should be enough paint left on your sponge to stamp it 1 or 2 more times. Each time you stamp with the sponge, your image will be fainter and fainter. Eventually, you will need to reload it with more paint.
- Use a regular sponge and a lighter color to create a background first if desired. Let the paint dry before moving on.
- Use different shapes and colors to create a more detailed design. Clean the sponge with water before switching to a new color. You don't have to dry the sponge out completely, but you should squeeze the excess water out from it.[9]
- If you want to overlap shapes, let the first layer of paint dry.
- For example, use a round yellow shape for a flower's center, round red shapes for the petals, and a skinny, green rectangle for the stem.
- Let the paint dry. How long this takes depends on the weather and how much paint your child used. In most cases, this should only take 10 to 15 minutes. If the paint is not drying fast enough, set it out in the warm sunshine or dry it with a hairdryer.
- If you used fabric paint, you may have to heat set it. Cover the painting with a tea towel, then press it with a warm iron. Read the instructions on the paint bottle for more detail.
EditGetting Creative
- Apply the paint to the sponge, then drag the sponge across the paper. This is a great alternative to the traditional way of sponge painting. Flip your sponge over, and make a few drops of different colors of paint across the middle of the sponge. Turn the sponge back over and press it against the paper. Drag the sponge across the paper to reveal your design![10]
- The drops of paint should all be right next to each other, touching.
- Add some finger painting if your child likes to get messy. If your child wants a more hands-on activity, let them! Have them dip their fingers into the paint, then add some dots and stripes to their composition.[11]
- Make sure that the paint is non-toxic first. Most children's paint is non-toxic, but read the label to be sure.
- Paint over stencils for a unique effect. Place a stencil over your paper, or create an image using masking tape. Stamp away on the paper with a sponge and paint, then let the paint dry. Once the paint has dried, pull the stencil away, or peel the tape off.[12]
- A neat alternative to this is to create an image using a white crayon, then sponge paint over it with watercolor paint.
- Use a paper plate as your canvas to create an apple. Use sponge and red paint to cover a plain, white paper plate. Let the paint dry, then cut a stem out of brown paper and a leaf out of green paper. Staple or glue the stem and leaf to the top of the apple.[13]
- You can use this technique and different colors to create other fun shapes, such as oranges, suns, or turkeys.
- Use sponge paint instead of dye to color Easter eggs. Instead of working with messy liquid dyes, sponge paint pictures and designs onto the eggs. You may need to craft stands or hold the egg for your kids as they paint, since holding and painting might be difficult for younger ages.
- Blow the yolks and whites out of the eggs first. This way, you can still eat the eggs.
- If you want to paint whole eggs, hard boil them first, and be sure to use non-toxic paint.
- Decorate a wooden toy chest with your kids. Paper and fabric aren't the only options for painting! Get a wooden toy chest or crate, and paint it using larger sponge shapes. Acrylic craft paint will work the best for this, but you can use non-washable tempera paint too.
- Make sure that the tempera paint is labeled "non-washable," otherwise it will come off if it gets wet.
EditVideo
EditTips
- Use the sponge painting activity for educational purposes. Cut out letters of the alphabet or numbers to help young children learn the alphabet or count to 10.
- Help young children learn color and shape with the sponges![14]
- Use clothespins to hold uncut sponges for a mess-free project.[15]
EditThings You'll Need
- Sponge
- Cookie cutter
- Marker
- Scissors
- Styrofoam trays or paper plates
- Water
- Paper or poster board
- Non-toxic paint
EditSources and Citations
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from How to of the Day https://ift.tt/2s4ncRX
