Unusual ways of drawing. What to draw when you're bored? What can you draw with paints on paper step by step?

If you want to try something new in painting, pay attention to the acrylic painting technique. Canvases created with plastic-based paints have an interesting three-dimensional structure. Painting with acrylic is no more difficult than painting with watercolors. At the same time, the finished painting does not need to be treated with fixing compounds - the paints are highly durable, do not fade and are not afraid of water.



What is acrylic for painting?

Acrylic paints appeared in mass production relatively recently - only 50 years ago. Pigmented acrylic resin quickly gained universal popularity, primarily due to its versatility and durability. It is used not only by canvas painters, but also by interior artists who create paintings on walls, builders and even manicurists.

Acrylic paints come in different varieties. So, to decorate walls or ceilings, it is better to choose special acrylic paint of dense consistency. Three-dimensional images in the interior look colorful, realistic and original. Less concentrated paints, usually sold in tubes, are suitable for creating paintings on canvas. The drawing process for beginners is fascinating; it allows you to fully reveal your artistic talent.




How to prepare the basis for a future painting

Before choosing acrylic paint, take care to prepare the base. You can draw on wooden boards or plywood. You can use a stretcher or regular canvas. The easiest way to paint with acrylic is on paper, so a beginner should first master this canvas.

Choose paper with a dense, rough surface. For you to be able to paint with acrylic properly, the base must be strong. If you choose textured paper, glue a wood backing onto it.


Remove any air bubbles that have formed using a book - the canvas is ready for painting. Canvas for painting with acrylic can be additionally sanded, since the material adheres best to a smooth surface. Beginning painters often wonder whether it is necessary to prime the canvas for acrylic?

If you are working on boards, you will need an acrylic primer, which is sold in art stores. It is a special emulsion with titanium dioxide, which gives whiteness. The primer is applied to the prepared board in several layers and dried for 24 hours.


How to learn to paint with acrylic from scratch

First of all, make sure that the paints are not dry. When applying the first strokes, be sure to moisten the acrylic paint palette with water - you will need a spray bottle for this. There is no need to pour out a lot of acrylic paint at one time. Use absorbent paper, you can put it under the palette.

Observe the transparency of the paint: the more water you add, the more transparent the strokes will be. Paint with large brushes first, starting with large areas. Then move smoothly to the main details. The technique of painting with acrylic on paper or a wooden board requires extreme care and precision. From time to time, look at the drawing in the mirror - this will help you understand whether its proportions are correct.

Many beginners find it difficult to mix acrylic paints with each other. You can use a thinner - it increases the “open” time of the paints, making them easier to compose. You only need to distribute the material with the edge of the brush, and to obtain clear contours of the sketch, you can use regular adhesive tape, which is sold at any hardware store.

Try lightening and darkening shades by adding white or black tones. To clean the palette from acrylic paints, use any product that dissolves plastic - a regular household solvent will do.


Painting with acrylic on paper or wood is a creative process that is a lot of fun. To make it even more enjoyable, follow these guidelines:

    Paints darken significantly when dry. Take this into account when choosing shades for the future canvas. Choose non-toxic materials for work, even if they cost more. Wear an apron while working to avoid getting your clothes dirty.

    In addition to professional brushes with long handles, paints and canvas base, stock up on decoupage glue, as well as a convenient spray bottle filled with water.

    It is better to use a plastic palette - it is practical and easy to clean. Don't forget to use clean water to rinse your brushes.

Having mastered the technique of painting with acrylic, you will be able to create real masterpieces. A little patience, diligence and the right materials for the job are the key to impressive results.



In this article you will find a lot interesting ideas How to diversify painting activities with your child and make them interesting and educational.

Eco-friendly paints for children

There are 3 types of safe paints for children, which parents prefer:

  • finger-shaped
  • gouache
  • watercolor

It’s better to start with finger paints; they are suitable for younger children. You can learn more about them from the article. Gouache and watercolor for older children.

A child is interested in exploring something new, but over time he may get tired of the monotonous procedure of coloring a sheet with paint. To prevent this from happening, parents need to show their child how to draw.

There are many ways to paint with the above paints. Various techniques will not let your child get bored and will show him a lot of new and interesting things that he has not seen before.


Finger painting for kids

This is the most interesting activity for little ones, because you first need to feel the paint before learning how to paint with it. Dip your index finger into the paint and use it to make spots on the paper, using them to draw a flower or a caterpillar. Draw lines with your finger, make rays of the sun. Show your child that you can draw like this and let him create on his own, let him draw what he wants.


Painting with a brush for children

When the child can already hold a brush in his hands, show him how to paint with it. Explain to your child that it needs to be washed before taking on a new color. Take the paint with a brush and apply it to a piece of paper. Try painting with brushes of different sizes and shapes, see what kind of drawing you get.

You can paint with a brush in the following ways:


Dot painting for kids

Show how you can draw with dots; for this you can use a brush, a finger, or a cotton swab. Dip your tool into the paint and quickly touch it to the paper. You can color simple pictures using this technique; kids really like this activity, and it is also very useful for developing fine motor skills.


Drawing with stamps for children

Apply paint to the stamp and apply it to the paper, press down. An imprint of the picture will remain on the paper. Show your child how to work with it. The stamps can be painted in different colors; instead of ready-made stamps, you can use homemade ones. For example, to make circles with straws, you can use figures from sorters, parts from construction sets, and even cut vegetables and fruits.

A very interesting texture is obtained if, instead of a stamp, you use a regular napkin with pimples. Dip it into the paint and, as if blotting, walk it over a sheet of paper.

Drawing with foam rubber

Cut a piece of foam and dip it in paint, then press it onto the paper and remove it. You can draw lines and paint over some shapes. Show your child how to draw. Your child will also be interested if you make different geometric shapes from foam rubber. You can attach them to a pencil or stick and use them as stamps. This way, by playing, you can learn not only colors, but also shapes. Then complicate the task, try to draw ornaments, first from two shapes, then use more shapes.


Drawing on wet paper

Wet a piece of drawing paper with water. Now paint on it with paint. The contours of the lines blur, become fuzzy, smooth transitions and haze are excellent. Just don’t overdo it with water; it will be better if you wipe it with a damp cotton swab. This technique is good for paintings with rain, images of fog, flowers behind a curtain.


Blotography

Teach your child to make blots, because then it’s so interesting to guess what they look like.

Take a sheet of paper, fold it in half, unfold it and put a few blots on the fold; you can make them the same color or different ones. Fold the sheet along the fold line and run your fingers from the center of the design to its edge. You can say something like “sim-salabim”.

Unfold the sheet and show your child what you came up with. When the child grows up a little, you can ask him what he sees in the drawing, what it reminds him of. When the drawing is dry, you can add small details with a felt-tip pen or outline the outline. This develops imagination and abstract thinking very well.


Nitcography

To do this you will need a sheet of thick paper and a woolen thread. Bend the sheet in half and unfold it, lower the thread into a jar of paint, then place it on the paper and fold it. Move the thread, pressing the sheet with your palm. Unfold and see what happens. You will see chaotic strokes of paint, look at them with your child, maybe you will see some familiar objects in them, circle them and complete the details, say what they are called. The combination of creativity, mental and speech work will help your child develop intellectually.


Wax painting

This is a very common and interesting technique. Draw a picture on a piece of paper with a wax crayon or a piece of wax candle, and then with your child, paint over this sheet of paper with paint. Since the wax is greasy, the paint will not cover it and you will see your drawing. This method can also be used to make secret notes or write congratulations.


Waxing and waxing technique

Place something under a sheet of paper, such as a coin or other embossed object, rub the sheet with wax, paint on top and you will get an image of the object.

Drawings with salt

Sprinkle the finished drawing with salt. When the paint dries, the salt will remain on the sheet and give an interesting texture to the design. This way you can make a three-dimensional drawing, for example, highlighting stones or a path in the image. On blue paint, salt will look like snowflakes; if you sprinkle green leaves with salt, they will become like alive, translucent.



Drawings with masking tape

Molar tape sticks and peels off paper well, so it can be used in drawing and get interesting effects. For example, you can make a birch forest: cut out tree trunks from tape, you can glue twigs and branches from the leftovers, and glue the tape onto a sheet of paper. Paint everything on top with paint, when it dries, remove the tape, white stripes will remain under it. All you have to do is add details and the forest is ready!


You can cut out something more complex, such as houses and draw a whole city. The good thing about adhesive tape is that it can be used instead of a stencil, but paint drips are unlikely to get under it, and there is no need to fix it additionally.

You can also use the tape as a frame for the picture, when you remove it, the edges of the picture will be clear and it will be neat.


Drawing pictures using cling film

Yes, yes, you can also make interesting drawings using cling film. Lay it on a sheet of paper covered with wet paint and move it around a little. When you remove it, you will see interesting abstractions that resemble crystals.


Blowing paint through tubes

Thin the paint with water to make it thinner. Take one or two colors. Drop paint onto the sheet and blow into the tube, directing it in different directions onto the paint. What you draw will resemble the interweaving of tree branches, or you can add a face and it will be hair - let the child dream up.

Coloring drawings

Draw some animal on a piece of paper and ask the child to hide it, just show how first: paint it completely over. You can tell a fairy tale, for example, that there was a mouse, she went for delicious cheese, and a cat was waiting for her, who wanted to eat the mouse. And ask your child how you can help the mouse? Of course, it must be hidden. And ask him to do it.


Leaf drawing

A very interesting way of drawing. For this you will need leaves from trees. Apply paint to the leaves, you can paint them in different colors, attach the leaf with paint to the paper and press it, then carefully remove it. You can make such a beautiful forest.


If you turn on a little imagination, you will come up with a lot of new ideas with which drawing will not only be a fun activity, but also educational, educational and useful.

In addition to paints, there are other tools for drawing. Your baby will definitely like it wax crayons, markers, crayons. More details about fine art and other types of creativity are described in the article

VIDEO: Let's paint! Drawing games

WikiHow works like a wiki, which means that many of our articles are written by multiple authors. This article was produced by 13 people, including anonymously, to edit and improve it.

This article is intended for beginners, that is, for those who are about to start learning something new, since any road begins with the first step. Just get started and take your time and try to enjoy the process of learning how to draw! Watercolor painting is both enjoyable and a little challenging. It all depends on your approach. Watercolor is one of the most versatile genres of painting, in which you can paint almost anything: from realistic concrete images to abstraction and impressionism. Beginners are advised not to start with the idea of ​​​​creating a masterpiece, but with small steps, gradually and slowly.


Before you feel completely comfortable with watercolors, you will have to paint a lot. Don't give up if your first attempts are less successful than you would like. Mastering the watercolor technique requires a lot of effort and time, but it's worth it!


So, let's begin!

Steps

    Place a sheet of thick paper on the table. Draw something very primitive with a simple pencil. For example, square or circle

    Apply a small amount of watercolor of any color to the white surface of the palette.

    Wet the brush a little. If the brush absorbs too much water, remove it with a cloth or shake it lightly.

    Drip a little water from the brush onto the paint previously applied to the palette. One or two drops is enough, no more.

    Dip the brush into the paint and water that has formed on the palette and pick up a small amount of paint. Next, paint over what you drew on a piece of paper. geometric figure. If the paint is too thick and won't spread, dip your brush in water and try again. Continue experimenting with different amounts of water and paint in the mixture until you get the consistency you want. If you want light, dry shades with a dry brush effect, you will need less water. If you want juiciness and brightness, then, accordingly, more, etc. Completely paint over the geometric shape drawn on paper.

    Let the drawing dry.

    Take a piece of watercolor paper and secure it to the drawing board using special adhesive tape. Use a large brush or sponge to dampen the entire surface of the paper. After this, try applying several strokes of watercolor paint in different colors. See what results are obtained with different degrees of paper moisture when applying different colors of paint.

    If you use paper that is too wet, you can end up with a very smooth and light color. Paint of different colors is mixed on paper, allowing you to obtain new shades. Try putting a blue stripe on wet paper next to a yellow or gold stripe, and then a red stripe. You will see how the colors mix, creating uniform color transitions.

    Try letting the test design dry until the shine is gone and the paper is still damp. Now the applied stripes will still have soft edges, but will become a little more defined. Once the paint has completely dried, add details with a wet brush on dry paper.

    To begin with, try to depict a very simple object that can be multi-colored. Mix up some sky blue paint. Sketch the hills and tree. First paint them with a wet brush on wet paper. After that, start adding some larger details with a wet brush. Finally, when the paper is completely dry, add fine details with a wet brush on dry paper. That is, the larger the parts, the moister the paper should be.

    You can determine that the paper is completely dry by its temperature, which can be checked by holding the back of your hand over the paper, but without touching it.

    There should be no cold coming from the leaf. In order to acquire the skill of determining temperature in this way, you will need to practice a little. But this is necessary, since any touch can lead to damage to the design and the appearance of greasy stains from the skin of the palms on its surface. Do not remove the adhesive tape until the paper is completely dry. The tape helps the paper not curl, keeps it straight and flat, eliminating the formation of unevenness caused by changes in humidity and exposure to paint.

    You can use ready-made watercolor blocks in which all four sides of the paper are glued, like the top edge of a notebook. It's a little more expensive, but very convenient for a beginner.

    Try applying light paint to the surface of the paper, and while the paint is still wet, sprinkle salt on it.

    You'll get interesting effects that can be used to paint landscapes with snowflakes in the sky or lichen on the rocks.

    Try drawing on paper with a white or wax pencil, or the tip of a candle, to see how the lines appear when watercolor paint is applied to them. Try cutting out shapes from adhesive masking film and painting over the resulting stencil to get specific outlines.

    Anything covered with stencil film will remain unpainted. Always start your watercolor paintings by painting in the darker areas and outlining the lighter areas.

  1. Isolate or mask out anything that needs to remain white. Get used to the "negative image" as this will also help you get more accurate outlines of objects than if you draw them first and then outline the background. Try starting your image of the cup with its surroundings and the background behind the handle, leaving the details of the cup itself for last. You will feel a big difference in image accuracy! Watch videos on YouTube and other portals to learn more about the methods watercolor painting. After that, try to draw something you really like. An interesting type of painting is Sumi-E or Japanese painting ink, which perfectly transforms into watercolor drawings.

    • Many instructors begin their courses by teaching the wet-on-wet-paper technique, but it is preferable to begin by introducing the most common technique, wet-on-dry-paper.
    • If you use quality embossed watercolor paper (such as Arches), don't throw away any sketches or failed paintings you made on it. You can always paint over them again with acrylic or gouache or use it as a background for pastel painting. This paper will also look better no matter what you paint on it, and if you paint something beautiful, your painting will last longer without yellowing.
    • Watercolor paints are produced in various forms: in tubes, in pencil form or in pans. There are also watercolor crayons. This article used tube watercolors.
    • Try to find a type of paper that suits your painting style. Different types of paper have different characteristics. Arches paper does not have most of the disadvantages and is the most versatile, even allowing you to wash off a watercolor image, dry it and reuse it.
    • If you use paint in pans, do not throw them away after the paint runs out. You can always reuse the ditches by filling them with paint from tubes, after rinsing them thoroughly, and you will have the opportunity to fill the ditches with your favorite colors without relying on the standard sets in which the ditches are supplied.
    • Don't buy the most expensive paper or natural sable brushes. You can spend a large amount of money on the purchase, but this is not necessary! Quality synthetic brushes, a small palette of good paint (artist paint is better than student paint) and 300gsm cold pressed paper is most suitable for beginning artists. Buy a few supplies to start with and gradually add more as needed.
    • Watercolor pan sets are convenient for painting outdoors or while traveling. They are not as easy to mix in large quantities, but they are very useful for wet-brush-on-dry paper work. For travel, it is better to choose a brush with a medium or large tip with a pointed tip, included in the sets of paints in cuvettes. However, to draw fine details you will need a smaller brush. A pocket-sized block of watercolor paper is ideal for sketching during travel, class, or lunch breaks. Some sets (like Winsor & Newton) include a water bottle, collapsible palette lids, and so on.
    • One of the best manufacturers of watercolor paints is Winsor & Newton. The Cotman brand is designed specifically for use by beginners. It is cheaper and therefore you can experiment without worrying about high costs. Winsor & Newton Cotman accessories are of excellent quality and are suitable for students.
    • The wet-brush-on-wet-paper method also works well over the wet-on-dry-paper method within the same painting.

Watercolor paints are one of the most loved by artists. Firstly, watercolor has a lot of different techniques, and secondly, with its help you can create beautiful drawing, even if you don’t know how to draw at all.

These techniques will help beginners learn how to draw, and professionals will refresh their memory and find inspiration and ideas.

1. Painting with a flat brush

Step 1

Draw a square or rectangle to mark the start and end of the layer.

Choose more dark shade(it's easier to see) and starting from the top left corner, touch the brush to the paper and gently draw a straight line all the way to the top right corner.

But: Left-handers should draw from the right corner to the left.

Step 2

Fill your brush with paint again.

Start the next stroke from the bottom edge of the first, trying to cover the accumulation of paint that has formed at the bottom of the first stroke.

Hint 1: If the buildup of paint in the first stroke does not flow completely into the second, then increase the angle of your easel to help the paint flow freely.

Hint 2: By increasing the angle of inclination, you also increase the chances of getting uncontrollable paint flows. So try to work faster or have something like a rag or sponge on hand to quickly clean up spills.

Step 3

Repeat the previous step, also trying to cover the accumulation of paint in the top stroke.

Hint 3: You can use the flat edge of the brush to “cut” the beginning of the layer and make it even.

Hint 4: If you want to smooth out the end edge of a layer, then at the end of the stroke, pause and move the brush up and then down as you would with the beginning edge.

Hint 5: If the stroke turns out to be intermittent, then immediately fill the brush with paint and re-stroke it.

Step 4

Repeat the previous steps until the very end. Try to stick to the same paint tone.

Hint 6: You won't believe how different the behavior of brushes, paints and paper can be between different brands. Typically, more expensive and popular brands make your job easier by providing high quality products.

Hint 7: If your strokes are choppy even though your brush is full of paint, you are using paper that is too thick or the paper is too rough in texture. If you come across such paper, spray it with water, blot it with a clean sponge and let it dry. This will make the surface more receptive to your paint.

Step 5

Rinse the brush and squeeze out all remaining water from it. Gently pick up any clumps of paint left from the bottom of the final stroke with your brush, but don't pick up too much paint or you will discolor your drawing.

To create more texture in your design, let it dry at an angle. This will give the paint a more interesting look.

Gradient

Step 1

Draw a square or rectangle. Then dip your brush into a darker shade of paint (mix on your palette) and carefully brush over the stroke.

Step 2

Dry your brush with a sponge or paper towel and dip it again in a lighter shade.

Then draw a new stroke, overlapping the bottom of the previous one. Notice that the left side of the layer has already merged with the previous stroke. Let gravity do its thing.

Step 3

Rinse the brush again and dry it. And then refill the brush with paint and make another stroke. Repeat this process until the very end.

Hint 1: If your stroke breaks or doesn't go on as smoothly as you'd like, quickly refill your brush with paint and repeat the coat.

Step 4

Rinse the brush with clean water, dry it and pick up any remaining paint.

Hint 2: Try this technique by working with different colors and creating interesting transitions.

Watercolor glaze

Step 1

This technique requires improvisation and imagination. Using the example, we will draw an improvised landscape.

First we paint the sky and river with blue paint. We will separate the paint with a small amount of water, this will be a waterfall.

Step 2

Draw the clouds in dark pink color and start drawing the mountain yellow. We will also mark the bottom part of the picture in yellow.

The example uses light and transparent tones so you can see how the layers interact.

Step 3

By mixing cobalt blue and ultramarine blue, we will paint the horizon of the mountain and shade the small yellow slope.

Hint 1: allow each layer to dry. You can use a hair dryer to speed up this process. Keep it at least 25-30 cm away, turn on the cool setting and set the hair dryer to the lightest air flow. No steam or hot air!

Step 4

To shade and add interesting colors, we use orange. With its help we will create the shores in the foreground and shade the sky.

Hint 2: If you get droplets of excess paint, rinse and dry your brush as you did in the previous techniques, and pick up the droplets with it.

Step 5

Please note that the images show different paint brushes. You can use the ones you have on hand.

Let's take dark Blue colour and use it to shade the top of the mountain, changing the pressure on the brush and turning it to create an interesting texture.

Step 6

Using the same blue color, let's play with the waterfall by drawing some circles. Sometimes visual clichés become your friends.

Let's rinse the brush and pick up the yellow color, we will use it to add visual details to our shores.

Step 7

After the paint has dried, shade the bubbles in the waterfall with a shade of purple. This way we will make them more interesting.

Step 8

We need to link some elements and add trees. In the example, we used round templates for the crowns, but you can draw as you like.

Step 9

We will use brown color to depict tree trunks. We will also use blue to shade the water and sky a little more. Then, using pink, blue and green, we will paint the grass in the foreground.

Step 10

Use a mixture of pink and red to add the final details. Our trees are now bearing fruit, and several fruits lie under them.

If you look closely, you can see how each layer interacts with each other. A darker shade has more power, but when the colors overlap each other, they create an interesting and beautiful combination.

“Wet” technique

Step 1

Wet the paper with water

Step 2

Blot the paper with a clean sponge, removing excess water. Try to achieve an even distribution of moisture throughout the paper, you should get a satin effect.

If the paper is shiny, it means it is too wet, blot it again.

Step 3

We will draw the landscape again. Let's start, of course, from the sky. Using this technique, it is easier to draw the background first, then moving on to the foreground objects.

Step 4

We continue to draw the sky until we start to like it. The strokes will blur, creating an interesting effect.

Step 5

Now let's move on to the grass in the foreground. Using green, we will make several broad strokes, leaving space for the stones.

As the paper dries, the strokes blur less and less.

Step 6

Let's add forms. To do this, we use different shades of green and draw trees on the horizon.

Step 7

Having added the trees, let's try to add texture to them. To do this, use a darker shade of green to create accents.

Step 8

Add stones using gray color. We filled in the gaps in the foreground with this color, leaving some gaps.

Try to use either dark or cool shades. Using both dark and cool shades will create visual dissonance.

Step 9

Let's place accents to diversify the design. Using a crimson tint, we will depict several floral elements in the foreground. Let the crimson flow as it pleases. Then, using a dry brush, remove the color from the middle of the spots.

Step 10

Then drop clean water into the center of these spots to allow them to blend into the grass.

The hardest part about this technique is knowing when to stop. Overdoing it with blurs and colors will result in a messy drawing.

This technique gives a slightly strange but interesting result. A drawing made using this technique has a hypnotizing effect.

Dry brush painting

Step 1

We think the name of the technique speaks for itself. We will need to put paint on the brush, blot it from excess liquid with a paper towel or sponge, and then paint.

First, let's make a pencil sketch. After this, we roughly outline the sky by moving the brush over the surface of the paper.

Step 2

Let's draw green trees on the horizon, outlining what would later become our lake.

Then, mixing purple and blue, we will draw the first layer of the tree trunk.

Step 3

Let the drawing dry and add some elements: the reflection of a tree in the lake and the flow of water.

Mixing green and blue, shade the shore in the background of the image and let the drawing dry again.

Step 4

Mix an intense blue with ultramarine and paint a layer on the tree trunk to create shadows and bark texture.

Step 5

Then, using shades of orange, we will depict an autumn landscape by painting over the background trees.

Step 6

Having finished with the previous step, use a light orange tint to depict the reflection of the trees in the water.

Also, mixing gray with blue, we will place dark accents on the trees.

We will also add trees on the other side of the horizon. Let's denote the tree shapes in orange.

Step 7

Let's take care of the water. Use dark green and brown to achieve the desired color. And with wave-like movements we will draw the water in the lake.

Step 8

When painting a lake, change the pressure on your brush to add texture.

Clue: if the brush is too wet, the paint will look flat. Dry the brush to intensify the colors.

Step 9

Let's add some grass under the tree, using the same color as for the grass in the background.

Step 10

Let's add some details to the foreground.

We will also darken the lake a little by adding a blue tint. We’ll also shade the sky with the same color.

Removing moisture

This technique will require several sponges. It is suitable for depicting clouds and soft light. It can also control the behavior of paints.

Sponges

Makeup sponges are best. They absorb well and give an interesting effect.

Try not to rub the sponge on the paper, and if you do, do it very carefully so as not to damage the paper.

Paper towels

With their help you can create sharper highlights. But paper towels absorb huge amounts of paint very quickly. Therefore, they can completely absorb fresh paint.

Paper towels can come in handy if you make a mistake. Then you can quickly remove the paint.

Dry brush

You can use a dry brush to create a design using this technique. To do this, rinse thoroughly and squeeze out the brush. With its help you can create clear lines.

Other methods:

  • You can spray water where you want to remove the paint and then soak it up with a sponge.
  • Use different fabrics to add texture
  • You can use your fingers or other body parts. Skin can also absorb moisture.

Discoloration of dried paint

Watercolor brushes

Use clean water and a cloth, wet the desired areas, gently rub the drawing and remove the moisture with a dry brush. This method allows you to control the areas you lighten.

Brushes for oil or acrylic paint

Stiff bristles allow you to quickly scrape paint off the desired area. But it is worth noting that this method can damage the paper, so control yourself.

Here, just like in the first method, you first need to wet the area and then brush it on.

Spray and towel

Take a spray bottle and spray the desired area, and then apply a paper towel to it. This method leaves large light spots and gives an interesting effect.

Sandpaper

It is very rarely used, as it can damage the paper. It's best used at the end to add texture. You don't need water for this method, just rub the design where you want it.

Blades and knives

Can be used to highlight small areas and create crisp lines. This method is also very risky as it can damage the paper.

Sponges

You can also use sponges. Wet the desired area and dry it with a sponge.

10 simple magic techniques for children's creativity

1. Monotype

Essence: imprint of paint on paper from a smooth surface. What do you need: a piece of glass or tile, paper, watercolor, soft brushes, water. Process: We wet the glass, apply spots of paint on it, put a sheet on top, carefully turn it over and remove the glass. What happens: very picturesque patterns that give room for imagination: “Look, mom, these are clouds! And here is the forest... And here are the waves!”

Of course, God himself then ordered that what he saw among the spots be supplemented with details. Using this technique, you can make a background, and draw a graphic image on it, using a thin gel pen - when it dries.

You can create targeted prints, including symmetrical ones: paint is applied to one half of the sheet, then we fold it and get the other half of the picture!

You can “print” with paint from different forms - for example, from leaves or templates cut out of cardboard. Then it is better to take thicker paints - gouache or acrylic.

Or pre-apply cut-out simple stencils to the sheet - then the background will be colorful and the images will be white.

2. Blotography

Essence: You can “inflate” original figures from colorful blots. What do you need: thick paper, thick brush, gouache, drinking straws. What happens: we drip paint onto the sheet, then we blow on it through a straw, making lines. Then, depending on what we see, we complement the image with a drawing or appliqué.

This technique is especially great for drawing trees - the branches come out very naturally curved.

3. Fun dots

Essence: For professional artists this is a separate style, called “pointillism”. What do you need: paper, gouache, palette, cotton swabs. What happens: We apply paint of different colors to the palette, dip the sticks - and tightly cover the space with colored dots. For convenience, we’ll first make a light pencil sketch.

You can draw with dots using brushes, but, unlike sticks, you will need to be careful about washing them. Another cool dots are fabric outlines, but you should work with them carefully so as not to squeeze out too much and make puddles.

4. Spray

Essence: What children love is to splash. And doing it with paint is much more fun, and even meaningful! What do you need: paper, liquid paint, stencils (silhouettes cut out of cardboard), old toothbrushes. What happens: We put our stencils on the leaf - and with the help of a brush we “spray” the paint on the surface, then we remove the cardboards and see the pictures. You can apply several layers - both contour images and paints.

5. Scratches

Essence: This technique goes by the elegant French name “grattage”. What do you need: wax pencils, gouache, paper, liquid soap, a candle and a thin stick (for example, a knitting needle or a used rod). What happens: We color the sheet with pencils, then rub it with a candle, and cover it with a layer of dark gouache mixed with soap (so that it lies evenly). When the paint dries a little, scratch the design on it. It turns out very unusual and mysterious, especially the night and space scenes.

6. Candle arts

Essence: the drawing magically appears - white lines on a colored background. What do you need: paper, candle, watercolor paints and a wide tassel. What happens: We draw the outlines of some objects or creatures on paper with a candle, like a felt-tip pen. Then we cover the sheet with watercolors. As the paint flows off the paraffin or wax, the outlines they draw remain white or dotted.

7. Paper mosaic

Essence: Ancient artists decorated temples and palaces this way, and we can do the same at home. What do you need: a sheet of thick paper, a glue stick, colored paper, scissors. What happens: colored paper cut into strips and then into small squares. We draw the outline of the drawing with a simple pencil, carefully cover the sheet with glue and sculpt a mosaic on it. It turns out beautifully when the slightly visible background is dark.

8. Both drawing and applique

Essence: a great idea for a joint family project: the mother draws smoothly, the child enjoys coloring and gluing. What do you need: base sheet, paper for details, paints or felt-tip pens, carbon paper (you can make it yourself by thickly coloring the paper soft pencil or charcoal), scissors and glue. What happens: The senior artist draws a general drawing on the base “in a conventional style”, and onto another sheet we transfer its individual details - simple and geometric, like circles and semicircles. The child paints the parts in the desired colors, cuts them out and glues them onto the template, putting together a puzzle picture.