We made some mirror-image string prints with the toddler art group yesterday.
It’s actually a variation of making ink blots or blottos, but using paint-covered string instead. The process is fun and the result is pretty cool!
Mirror Image String Prints
MATERIALS
INSTRUCTIONS
To make these string prints, fold a sheet of paper in half then open back up. Dip a length of string or yarn in a bowl of tempera paint, then arrange on half of the paper. Fold over the other half of the paper and press. Open, remove the string, and admire your print! Easy peasy.
(Note :: We did mirror image string prints like this with art group #1 a few years ago.)
The kids had fun with this (as did some of the mamas).
And, as often happens, a couple of the toddlers were more interested in fingerpainting…
…and body painting than in doing the planned string print art activity.
As I have a six-year-old who still likes to fingerpaint and body paint on occasion, I know how popular both are!
I really love how these string prints look, though. I want to say elegant and ethereal, but perhaps that’s going overboard.
I’d like to play around with this string printing process myself and I bet Maia would enjoy it as well. Perhaps we’ll give this activity a try as a family soon…
Here are some more string art activities we’ve done ::
- Yarn painting and printing with liquid watercolors
- Action painting with string
- Painting over yarn and glue pictures
- String suncatchers
Any others you can think of?
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9 Comments
Scott
October 6, 2011 at 8:40 amWe did this on butterfly-shaped paper once. Created some really cool looking butterflies.
It’s been a while since we did string painting. I think it’s time to break out the string again.
Yvonne
October 6, 2011 at 9:23 amThis is such a simple idea that gets beautiful results! I have to try it.
Carla
October 6, 2011 at 1:46 pmI love this!!! I must admit, I really want to try it. It seems like a perfect family project.
Lindsey
October 6, 2011 at 3:00 pmThis looks awesome! Thanks to your blog, we started a preschool art group and I think this will be our next activity. Thanks for all your hard work, this blog has really helped me be more like the mother I want to be.
Kiasa
October 6, 2011 at 7:11 pmJust like Scott I’ve cut out butterfly shaped paper and done this with just paint and fingers. Then we talk about symmetry. science + art = pure awesomeness
The Artful Parent
October 8, 2011 at 9:09 amI like the idea of doing this with butterfly-shaped paper!
The Artful Parent
October 8, 2011 at 9:10 amGreat! It helps me be more like the mother I want to be, too. :)
The Artful Parent
October 8, 2011 at 9:11 amFingerpainting would be a neat way to do this. Perhaps we’ll try that next time…
Mel Brammer
October 8, 2011 at 2:25 pmGreat. I’ll definitely try this one. And to follow up on the butterfly theme – we got some different coloured glitter glues and made patterns on one half of a butterfly shape, folded over, pressed, opened and allowed to dry – a beautiful colourful sparkly glittery butterfly!