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Straw-Blown Fall Tree Art

Sep 16, 20147,058 views
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by TurkeyMom in Art Projects

Ages3–7 yrs
Prep10 min
Activity30 min
Leveleasy
MessMedium
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class

Kids paint a free-form background in red, orange and yellow liquid watercolors. Once it's dry, they blow drops of brown watercolor through a straw to grow a tree's trunk and branches.

⚠️ Safety first

  • Show kids how to blow OUT through the straw, not suck in, so they don't get a mouthful of paint. Practice blowing on a dry paper first.
  • Give each child their own straw. Don't share straws.
  • Lots of blowing can make little ones light-headed. Encourage short puffs and breaks.
  • Liquid watercolors can stain hands, clothes and tables. Cover the table and use smocks.
  • Adult supervises the pipettes and paint bottles with younger children.

Before the kids arrive

  • Cover the table and set out straws, pipettes, paint brushes, liquid watercolors and heavy paper.

Steps

  1. Talk about fall colors: red, orange and yellow.

  2. Paint a free-form background on thick paper with the fall-colored liquid watercolors. Mix them up and have fun.

  3. Let the background dry completely.

  4. Start the tree with a thick trunk of brown watercolor, using the straw itself.

  5. Adult: place a tiny drop of brown liquid watercolor on the paper.

  6. Blow through the straw to push the watercolor in the direction you want. Remember, you're making a tree.

  7. Keep adding drops and blowing to grow more branches until you're done.

  8. Let your fall tree dry and show it off.

Tips

  • There's no pattern or coloring inside the lines here. It's just good old free-form painting with liquid watercolors, and the kids loved that.from the author
  • If you are inclined, painting the background is a good chance to show kids brush strokes.from the author
  • The background shouldn't take that long to dry, but it must be completely dry before you start the tree.from the author
  • After a while the kids wanted to place the watercolor on the paper by themselves, so let them take over the drops.from the author
  • Younger siblings will want in too. Our 3.5-year-old's straw-blown tree came out wild and abstract, and that's part of the fun.from the author

Make it your own

  • Paint just the sky and the grass, then straw-blow the tree. Finally, add colorful fall leaves with a paint brush or a marker.

The story behind it

By TurkeyMom · September 2014
materials for fall art project
Set out straws, pipettes, paint brushes and liquid watercolors along with some heavy paper. We tried 2 techniques to create this fall art activity.
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Straw-Blown Fall Tree Art: the original post

{All our art activities can be accessed here}

Can’t wait for the cool and crisp weather! Fall is my favorite season- apples, pumpkins, the pies! More importantly the reassuring feeling that the Holiday season is not too far away! To celebrate fall, we tried a ever so popular art activity. Take a look at these kid created gorgeous fall trees in their red, orange, yellow glory!

We have already tried using straws for one of our art projects before- check out straw blown valentines day cards. They also make a great tool for practicing those fine motor skills. Try out matches and straws fine motor activity.

Materials ****

Set out straws, pipettes, paint brushes liquid watercolors along with some heavy paper.

We tried 2 techniques to create this fall art activity. The first one based on That Artist Woman’s fall tree art post on the same topic. {Thanks!}

First we talked about fall colors and the kids used them to paint a background on thick paper using liquid watercolors. This was such a fantastic experience for them since there was no t pattern or coloring inside the lines. Just good old free form painting with liquid watercolors.

materials for fall art project

The kids wanted to mix up all the fall colors and just have fun! If you are inclined this may be a good chance to show them brush strokes.

fall art activities for straws

The bright colors just shines through!

art projects for fall

Then let the colors dry which shouldn’t take that long. Once completely dry on the same paper we started off the tree with a thick trunk using the straw itself.

art for kids for the fall season

Then I’d place a tiny drop of brown liquid watercolor on the paper and the children would blow them in the direction they prefer keeping in mind that they are trying to create a tree. Of course after a while the kids wanted to place the watercolor by themselves on the paper.

kids art for fall

All that’s left to do is to blow air through the straws pushing the watercolor as we go. art for kids for fall At this point my 5 year old decided that she was done! Here is our super vibrant fall art project.

kids art for fall

Since all younger siblings by law are required to engage in the same art activity as their older siblings here is my 3.5 year old’s take on straw blown fall tree.

toddler fall art project

The other method is where the kid paints just the sky and the grass. Then we go over and straw blow the tree and finally add the colorful fall leaves details using a paint brush ( or a marker) if you prefer. kids fall art projects

Thanks for reading.

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