Leaf Silhouettes: Painting with Watercolors

A great nature-art project with also provides practice in visual discrimination.

Objectives

Children ages 4-5 can name or match three colors Lang. IB
see differences in pictures Lang. IB
recognize identical pictures Lang. IB
and recognize objects in silhouette Lang. IIC
All children participating will be able print with a sponge

 
 
 

Materials

Sponges (3 x 5); shallow containers of thin, well mixed poster paint of different colors; large white paper; a collection of leaves which are flat and in good condition (4 of each).

Procedures

l. Give each child a piece of paper. Have the plates of paint, sponges, and leaves in the middle of the table.

2. Have them hold down a leaf with their fingers and press a paint sponge over it for a second. When they lift the sponge, there is a silhouette of the leaf.

3. Have them continue in this fashion, filling their paper with leaf prints. See if they can recognize which leaves are the same and which leaf made which silhouette.

4. Children can count the number of prints they have made and name the colors used.



Extension:
Children with good hand-eye coordination can get dramatic effects by taking the leaf which has been pressed under the sponge (and thus covered with paint), turning it over onto the paper, and pressing it again under a sponge with a different color paint.
 
 
Variations:

1. 1) Use the same process on white tissue paper or shelf paper to make beautiful wrapping paper.

2.  2) Nature materials are excellent for splatter painting if you have the framed screens and toothbrushes.

 
 
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