Watercolor Painting Fun For Kids

Many parents buy their kids a simple watercolor set as young as six years old to make painting as easy learning experience for them. Aside from instilling the value of art appreciation, parents encourage their kids to paint using watercolors for many good reasons. Watercolor painting fun for kids can teach them the value of resourcefulness, creativity, patience, and perseverance.

Getting Started

Next to using crayons, kids are very fond of using watercolors when painting. Aside from being an enjoyable activity that kids can share with their parents, painting using watercolor can also be one of those activities they can share with their playmates and friends.

But, before you get too excited in teaching your kids the beauty of watercolor painting, there are some things you need to consider:

1. Interest. The first thing to consider when encouraging your kids to get into watercolor painting is their interest in the craft. If your child is one of those who are into art and into drawing or collecting pretty images, then she or he is the perfect candidate for the activity. This is because she/he already has the drive and the creativity to create another masterpiece. But if your child is not yet interested in crafts and arts, it doesn’t mean he/she cannot indulge into watercolor painting. You may just need to take a different approach with the thought that this is the perfect time to introduce him/her into a new world of exciting and enjoyable activity. The world of art that he or she may not have noticed before.

2. Space. Aside from the desire of your child to explore art, another thing you need to consider is the availability of space where your kids can do the activity. Since watercolor painting can require a lot of materials, you will need a space big enough for them to sprawl out and to scatter the materials they will use for watercolor painting. It is advisable that you provide a space where kids can do their watercolor painting and a place where they can leave their stuff.

3. Availability and cost of supplies. You also need to take into account the amount of materials and the cost of supplies your child will need. Since you are about to teach him or her basic watercolor painting, you will need a basic set of paints and pigments, brushes, papers, palette and water. These items are not too expensive, but knowing your budget will make shopping for these items easier.

Since you will be the one teaching your child about watercolor painting, it would be best if you are familiar with art at some level. This maybe a great opportunity for you to learn watercolor painting on your own. When your child sees you doing the activity, he or she will be influenced in engaging into the craft.

One way to learn the basics of watercolor painting is to take a crash course online. Aside from the basic techniques in watercolor painting, you can also learn painting tips and application methods. By enrolling to an online watercolor painting class, you can also be introduced to different styles and modern techniques.

The length of the various watercolor painting courses available depends on your knowledge about the craft and how much more would you want to learn. But, basic online courses for watercolor painting usually last from four days up to one week. Then, you will be asked to complete the rest of the exercises at home.

But no matter where you are at personally with watercoloring… Introducing your kids to the art of watercolor painting can be fun for you as well as for them.

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Starting Watercolors: Basic Principles In Painting

Watercolors as an art medium is probably one of the trickiest to master – because being basically colored water, makes it problematic. Water, unlike oils and acrylics, doesn’t stick to the canvas. It actually warps the canvas as it is applied. In a way, watercolors fight you the entire way through a painting.

So why use them? Because watercolors are non-toxic and easy-to-use. This is great for beginners as it gives them less things to worry about. It makes the medium an excellent starting place to introduce painting to children. Note that oil paints and acrylics need special care when used and can be dangerous for those using them.

What the artist need to be concerned with is how to paint properly using watercolors. For those people who’re still having trouble painting in this medium, here are a few tips to help you improve your technique:

a) Have A Good Set Of Supplies – One of the rules about getting anything done is to have a good foundation. In painting, this means you have to have a decent set of supplies and tools. Substandard equipment can make your attempt at watercolors a painful experience.

To get a proper set of supplies, here are the important ones you need: a proper brush, a good set of paints and the appropriate type of paper. There are a few more things that you should have, but these three are the most important.

First of all, if you can only have one brush, then purchase a #8 round red sable watercolor brush. Other brushes can be purchased later, but this particular brush is good for general use. Next, you can purchase a good set of “academic” watercolors as a starter set for your attempt at painting. These usually have a good selection of pigments for you.

Finally, always use watercolor paper, whether they be in a pad or a sheet – watercolor paper is thicker and heavier so you won’t have to deal much with the warping caused by the water being painted on the paper.

b) Learn To Hold Your Brush – Using your brush properly is another way to make sure your painting comes out right. There are several ways to hold your brush to maximize the effect of your painting.

The classic hold is used when you’re using the brush like a pen – this is why you hold it similar to the grip used when writing, although your hand is further back on the brush.

Another hold is the pinch, where you hold the brush as if you were picking it up from the table. This allows you to better paint downward strokes. There are several other holds that you will need to know, but these two are the most basic.

c) Learn How To Wash – “Washing” in watercolor terms is to build up layers of color with your brush to get a particular level of depth and detail. This is the most basic skill in watercolor painting so you will need to learn it.

It’s simple really – for a simple flat wash, just paint an initial stroke on the canvas, then follow it up with another stroke beneath it. The result should be like a stacking tower of color.

There you go! These tips should help you start on your way to proper watercolor painting.

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