Are you looking for a way to combine your child’s creativity and love of nature? Creating nature paint brushes is the perfect process art activity for any child!
Today I want to share an activity that my daughter and I did together, using paint brushes made from natural materials. It’s a great process art activity that we both really enjoyed!
What is Process Art?
You may be wondering what exactly a process art activity is. Process art is focused on the process of making art, instead of the end result. Creativity is valued over conformity. The joy and learning comes from experimenting with different materials, rather than creating a finished art project.
A process art project is often abstract in nature. The focus is not on an end project, like a craft, but the value lies in the creation of the art.
Children love process act activities because it allows for exploration of new materials, something kids love! Children are often more engaged in process art activities than traditional crafts and this project was no exception.
How to Make Nature Paint Brushes
Making nature paint brushes is very easy! You’ll need to take a nature walk or explore your back yard from materials.
Some leaves and flowers have a strong stem and can simply be uses as is.
Other more delicate flowers and leaves can be tied to a short stick in order to create a paintbrush. You can use twine, or even a twist tie to secure the brushes.
After creating your brushes, you’ll need some paint. We found tempura paint worked well, but needed to be slightly watered down (approximately 1 tsp of paint mixed with a 1/4 tsp-1/8 tsp of water). Add a daub of paint on a plate/bowl and mix with a few drops of water until the consistency is just a tad runny.
I wouldn’t recommend water colour paint for this project, as the nature paint brushes are fairly delicate and could get soggy in water.
Nature Paint Brush Painting
After creating your nature paint brushes, the rest is easy. Simply provide your child a large canvass (we used kraft paper) and let them explore the different textures and materials until your heart’s content.
Remember that process art is not about the end product, but exploring the process of making art. Nature paint brushes are a great way to do this!
Well, I hope your kiddos enjoy this activity as much as mine did!
If you enjoyed this activity, be sure to check out my post on 5 learning activities using real flowers for more outdoor fun!
Like this post? Pin it for later!
