Crazy Messy Fun: Color Mixing - Summer Art Activities

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Whether you are a child or just a child at heart, a fundamental understanding of color will empower you to make confident decisions in your artwork and help create an order within the chaos of your creativity.
So, how does one go about "understanding color"?  Its a process. And analyzing a color wheel only gets you so far.  Most of us need to learn by doing...by seeing...by making...

This awesome color mixing activity requires only a few recycled items and is entertaining AND educational! 

 

Here are the items needed:

1. A clear (or white) plastic (or Styrofoam) egg carton, cut in half.

2. An eye dropper (or medication dropper)

3. (3) applesauce containers (or small cups)

4. Liquid Watercolor (LOVE this stuff!)

5. Paper (optional)

6. Copy of Color wheel (optional)

You can dilute the colors (and extend the workability) by starting with a bit of water in each of the egg carton spaces.

Fill the three small cups with the primary colors (red, blue, and yellow)

Model the proper way to use the eye dropper...taking color from the primary cups and joining them in the egg carton to create new colors.

 Discuss the color combinations before you allow them to begin (older children) or as they are mixing (younger children).

 If all the color spaces have been filled and your child is still interested in mixing, offer a second or third egg carton (either wash that original one and use again, or use multiple empty ones) .

If you or your little artist would like to use their new unique mixtures to create artwork, provide white construction paper (on a mat, washable surface, or outside) and let them use the eye droppers to create a colorful masterpiece (you could also use a paintbrush, of course...but squirting is very fun!).

Here's to a colorful summer!!