Art Project #12; Color Mixing Butterflies

We wanted an art project to go along with our butterflies yesterday.  I knew it had been awhile since we had worked on our 100 days of art challenge and I figured the boys would enjoy making something to remember our butterflies by.

I didn't have anything in mind and pulled up Pinterest.  I looked up "Butterfly Crafts for Kids" and got so many responses.  I turned the computer over to the boys and told them to pick something.

They all chose a the same craft!  I never in a million years thought that would happen.

We decided to make symmetrical butterflies using paint and folded paper.

We took large sheets of paper and folded them in half then opened them back up so we had a nice long crease to work with.

We talked about color mixing and I reminded the boys to think about how colors combine when picking two or three colors to use.  But I left all color choices up to them.

They poured paint in a v shape; overlapping colors until they decided they had enough.

We then folded the paper back over at the seam we had made and gently pushed the paint around in a small circular motion.  This mixes the paint and forms the wings of our butterflies.  Our paper was thin enough that we could see the shapes taking place.

The boys were able to decide when it was time to open it back up and see the colorful wings of their butterfly.

Some butterflies had less mixing and skinny wings 

Others were big and colorful 

And others mixed like crazy!

We had worked outside so we put some rocks down on the paper to prevent them from blowing away in the breeze and set them aside to dry.  We just loved the color combinations we came up with!

We talked about the different ways we could handle the body of the butterfly; we could use blank paint, we could cut them out of black paper and paste them on, or we could draw them on with black marker.

All three of my boys chose to use black marker and we waited until the paint was completely dry before tackling it.  All three approached the drawing of their butterfly body differently.

Evan added a big fat body and two tiny antennas 

Ian just outlined and colored in the head and tale of his butterfly

Alec drew lines for his body, outlined the wings and added eye spots to his

All three came out beautifully!

Others in this series: 

Project 1: Painting with Hexbugs

Project 2: Tissue paper flowers

Project 3: Star Wars Crafts

Project 4: Watercolor compass circles

Project 5: Floral pens

Project 6: Watercolor outlines

Project 7: Scratch art jellyfish

Project 8: Oil pastel flowers
Project 9: Fingerprint dandelions 
Project 10: Beaded Sun Catchers
Project 11: Bird crafts and snacks
Project 12: Symmetrical, color mixing, butterflies

Project 13: Water gun art

Project 14: Watercolor Kits

Project 15: Dragonfly Silhouettes 

Project 16: Painting pet rocks 

Project 17: Spray Paint Resist

Project 18: Water bottle windsock

Project 19: Stained glass made easy crafting kit 

Project 20: Tin can windsock 

Project 21: Firework glue art
Project 22: Qixel art kit

Project 23: Makit Bakit Kits 
Project 24: Wood burning cutting board

Project 25: Making our own rafts 

Project 26: Spray Painted Canvas

Project 27: Paper bowl jellyfish 

Project 28: Tin Foil Art

Project 29: Oil Pastel Bubbles 

Project 30: Chalk Pastel painting 

Project 31: Washi Tape Votive holders 

Project 32: Drip Painted Pots

Project 33: Sun Art 

Project 34: Tissue paper transfer 

Project 35: Stained Glass dragonfly

Project 36: Art Museum field trip. 

Project 37: Taking a Family Art Class

Project 38: Painting Minecraft T-Shirts

Project 39: Painting Pikachu 

Project 40: How to Draw Books

Project 41: Wax resist Watercolors

Project 42: Splatter Paint Canvas

Project 43: Fine line fall leaves 

Project 44: Fairy Village field trip

Project 45: Oil Pastel Resist Leaves

Project 46: Tissue Paper Leaf Art

Project 47: Bat Silhouette Painting 

Project 48: Beginner Photography

Project 49: Making Harry Potter Wands

Project 50: Drawing Cat Faces 

Project 51: Making Homemade cards

Project 52:  Learning the Art of Zentangle

Project 53: 3-D printing 

Project 54: Gingerbread Train

Project 55: Paint Swirled Ornaments 

Project 56: Loom band ornaments and bracelets 

Project 57: Candy trees 

Project 58: Strand of light chalk drawings

Projects 59-64: Christmas Crafting Kits from Oriental Trading

Project 65: Painting Ceramic Village Pieces 

Project 66: Washi Tape Cookie Cutter Ornaments
Project 67: Learning Origami 
Project 68: Art Books and Artist Study
Project 69: Playing Go Fish Art
Project 70: Edible Chocolate Art
Project 71: Geometric Hearts 
Project 72: Marble Swirled Hearts
Project 73: Solid Tempera Paint Drawings
Project 74: Qixels 3-D Maker
Project 75: Making Cupcakes
Project 76: Window Marker Art
Project 77: Shamrock Zentangles on Scratch Paper
Project 78: Painted Pandas 
Project 79: Minecraft Digital Art
Project 80: Charcoal Drawings
Project 81: Chalk Pastel Lighthouse Drawings
Project 82: Dying Easter Eggs With Bleeding Tissue Paper
Project 83: Painting Pottery
Project 84: Drawing En Plein Air
Project 85: African Savannah Paintings
Project 86: Woven CD Garden Decoration
Project 87: Working with Clay
Project 88: Art Lessons with Art Academy
Project 89: Melted Bead Wind Chimes
Project 90: Perler Bead Projects
Project 91: Ivory Soap Carvings
Project 92: Ice Cube Tie Dye
Project 93: String Art
Project 94: Multimedia Ocean Paintings 
Project 95: Balloon Splatter Painting
Project 96: Making Mosaic Stepping Stones
Project 97: Glass Bead and Glue Sun Catchers 
Project 98: Coloring Book Art
Project 99: Metal Stamped Bookmarks

Project 100: Water Balloon Art