Maker Monday: 3 Playful Painting Projects

Sometimes the method is as creative as the finished product. These three popular Maker Monday activities take painting to a new level with fun, new ways to apply paint.

Shoe Box Marble Painting

This fun Maker Monday activity — Shoe Box Marble Painting — gives kids a new way to make art, allowing marbles to work their magic as they roll through paint. The finished effect resembles tie-dyed fabric.

Kids can experiment with different shapes and color combinations to create more personalized paintings. Or begin with colored paper instead of white for a different background.

Cardboard Tube Paintbrush

Finding new uses for recycled materials adds a fun element to craft projects. With this week’s Maker Monday activity, kids can make delicate, Impressionist-style paintings with a Cardboard Tube Paintbrush.

Three colors work well to develop a depth of color and richness for your flowers. You can coordinate several shades from a particular hue, or go wild with complementary colors.

Straw Painting

This Maker Monday activity looks at a new outlet for artistic imagination with Straw Painting. It’s a lot of fun to “chase” paint across a page with a straw. It’s no more difficult than blowing out a birthday cake. Smaller makers can create colorful abstract paintings, while older kids can use the process as the basis for more creative illustrations.