Here is a very easy watercolor lesson for any grade. Simply add puddles of liquid watercolor paint (or well-watered pan watercolors) onto watercolor paper. Before the puddles “dry” tap the paper onto the table surface to create streams of paint. These are the flower stems. After the paint dries, the artist can use chalk pastels to add details such as stamens, leaves, shadows, etc. Add a splatter of watercolor paint for a whimsical touch. Enjoy!
The technique is the same as this lesson: Watercolor Jellies.
Here’s the video! (click on the triangle)
Fourth Grade Poppies…
Inspired by Usborne 365′s Things to Draw & Paint
What do you recommend if you don’t have liquid watercolors in your art room? Thanks! Brenda
Hi Brenda,
Use regular pan watercolor paints or watered down tempera. Try it yourself to see what will work best for your class.
Unless you are specifically looking for an Egyptian themed art lesson, I would try the other art lessons that are more suited for 2nd and 3rd grade. Egyptian Faces is geared towards upper elementary. The drawings are more detailed than let’s say Watercolor Projects. Hope this helps.
I love these! Just did ‘em with my third graders this morning. They were so excited–not usually allowed to “splatter paint”!
Thanks for the video re: Watercolour Jellies, now I know what you mean by “tap” the paper on the desk. Relieved relief teacher Julie
These look like the perfect way to ring in spring time!
Do you have to use watercolour paper with the watercolour paints?
For this lesson, yes. Other papers would soak up the watercolors and you wouldn’t get the drips.
Hello from Slovenia,
I follow your blog constantly and have to thank you, because you have given me a lot of funny and fulfilling hours with my students. The last thing we did was your jellyfish watercolor project and the kids just loved it. We added our own touch by doing the tentacles using drinking straws. The children loved blowing the straws and they made simple but intricate shapes, which gave the pictures a nice realistic touch.
Thanks!