# Heart Stencils Valentine Art
> Fold and cut card stock to make heart stencils and heart cut-outs, then paint around them on thick paper in two ways: from the outside in with the stencils, and from the center out with the cut-outs. Combine them into a layered Valentine collage.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/valentine-art-heart-stencils/
- Ages: 4–8 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: medium
- Time: prep 20 min, activity 30 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class
- Skills: fine-motor, art-technique, positive-negative-space, planning, creativity

## Materials (one batch)
- 1 sheet Card stock (for heart stencils)
- 1 sheet Thick or heavy paper (to paint on)
- Washable paint
- 1 piece Paint brushes
- 1 piece Paint palette or tray (optional)
- 1 piece Scissors (household)
- 1 piece Pencil (household)

## Safety
- An adult or older child cuts the stencils. Younger kids should use child-safe scissors with supervision.
- Use washable paint, cover the table and supervise painting.

## Before you start
- Fold a sheet of card stock in half and draw half hearts along the fold.
- Cut along the half hearts and open the card. You get heart cut-outs (positives) and a heart stencil (negatives). Make one set per child.

## Steps
1. Place a heart stencil on top of a sheet of thick paper.
2. Paint strokes from the outside of the stencil toward the center of each heart.
3. Lift the stencil to see your painted hearts.
4. Now place a heart cut-out on the thick paper.
5. Paint from the center of the cut-out toward the outside. Make sure the strokes cross the edge of the heart and land on the paper.
6. Lift the cut-out and set it aside. It looks just as beautiful as the art.
7. Make a collage using several stencils and cut-outs on the same sheet.
8. Mix it up by making a few concentric hearts.
9. Let the artwork and the painted cut-outs dry.

## Tips
- This is a 2 part Valentine art project, which makes it even more fun and exciting for the children.
- If you prefer to start from the edges and not the center on the cut-outs, that's fine too. Just make sure the strokes cross the heart and hit the paper.
- The used heart cut-outs look so beautiful, just as beautiful as the Valentine art itself, so save them.
- This activity gave her an opportunity to really plan her art and collage, which is great for kids ready for more advanced art techniques.

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2014)

Make Valentine Art by simply cutting out hearts stencils. We are officially in the mood for some Valentine Art and other V[**alentine's day arts and crafts activities**](https://www.funlittles.com/10-valentines-day-crafts-and-art-activities-for-kids/). Check out our short round up of all the Valentine's day art and crafts we did last year. Oooh yesterday's [**Rose Goop**](https://www.funlittles.com/valentines-day-activities-sensory-activities-with-rose-goop/) was a fun sensory activity. On to today's post. This activity is suitable for kids who are 4 and up. **Materials**

- Heart Stencils made from card stock paper
- Washable Paint
- Brushes

*Heart stencils are made by folding a thick paper and drawing half a heart. You cut along the heart and then open the card. Tada! you have 3 heart cut outs (positives) and a heart stencil ( negatives)*



This is a 2 part Valentine art project which makes it even more fun and exciting for the children. First my 5 year old choose to create with the stencils. We started by placing the stencils on top a thick paper. Shen then proceeded to create strokes from the *outside of the stencils towards the center.*



The second part of is to use the positives ( heart cut outs themselves) Place the cut out on a thick paper and start painting *from the center towards the outside*. If you prefer to start from the edges and not the center that's fine too. Make sure the strokes cross the hearts cut out and hit the actual paper you are working on.



The used heart cut outs looks so beautiful - just as beautiful as the Valentine art itself.



We did a collage of sort by using multiple stencils and heart cut outs on the same sheet of heavy paper



My 5 year old mixed it up by making a few concentric hearts as well.



This activity gave her a opportunity to really plan her art/collage. Since she has shown tremendous in art activities we are slowly exploring more advanced art techniques to keep her interest. All our art **activities for kids** can be accessed here



Check back tomorrow to see what we did with the positive heart cut outs



Thanks for reading



Stop by our Valentine's day activities round up

[](https://www.funlittles.com/10-valentines-day-crafts-and-art-activities-for-kids/)