My three-year-old daughter wants to paint. My gut reaction is no because I don’t want to get up from this couch and it is almost bedtime and how much of a mess will be made?! But. I know how good it feels to go with the flow of watercolors.
We spread out a giant paper pad, fill up a water cup, lay out the brushes, and get to work.
She’s not afraid of mixing colors. I am though. When her blues and blacks and my greens and browns mingle and splash, I have to take a dEeEep breath and remind myself it’s okay to lose control in the spirit of collaboration.
She asks for salt. You paint, I sprinkle, she says. Now we are in the zone together, mesmerized. The salt pulls the water (and us) closer to its center, as it dissolves into tiny stars in a night sky.
While I’m still being moved by the salt, she has moved on. She is painting the salt bowl, her hands, the floor, the paper towels. She puts her entire hand into the cup and watches her fingers swirl around in the murky water. I am becoming annoyed by the mess unraveling before my eyes. I run and grab paper towels and wipe, wipe, wipe. I scold her when she splashes red paint onto my socks. I am turning into a very frazzled studio companion.
I take another dEeEeEp breath. She plants her hand on the paper towels and we laugh at the perfect print it has left behind.
After the entire sheet is filled, the paper pad is soaked and the binding is peeling off. I dab off as much water as I can and we let the salted paint crust over for a few days.
She forgets about the papers. I squirrel them away for a collage day.
My tiny paper painter. Oh, how I hope to indulge in many more days of painting with you.
We use this giant paper pad and mixed media brushes from Mondo Llama.
I came across Malaysia-based Oblong House on Instagram and they have really cute kids craft ideas. Like this one, oh my gosh.
In addition to the salt, are there any other watercolor techniques we should try? We’re both new to this. ;)
Thanks for reading.
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.