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Paint Splatter Art for Kids
Need a kind of messy but totally fun process art technique to try for your next art session? If so, the kids will have a blast with paint splatter! Bonus, they can create a masterpiece inspired by the art of famous artist, Jackson Pollock! Learn several paint splatter techniques too! If you haven’t tried splatter paint art, grab some paint and a blank canvas (paper), and we will show you how to get started with just a flick of the wrist.
What is Splatter Painting?
What is splatter paint art? It’s fun process art that is created by splashing, flicking, blowing, or dripping paint onto the canvas or paper instead of brushing it on with a paintbrush.
Learn about Jackson Pollock, a famous artist, whose most well-known paintings were made by dripping and splashing paint onto a canvas. His paintings come alive with motion, energy, and spontaneous fluidity, aided by conventional materials.
Paint splatter is messy and fun! Like our pinecone painting activity, it is a simple art activity that is child-directed, choice-driven, and celebrates the experience of discovery. Indulge in great process art for kids of all ages!
Use your fingers to sling or flick paint onto the paper for an awesome tactile sensory experience. Or try blowing the paint around the paper with a straw!
Why Do Art with Kids?
Children are naturally curious. They observe, explore, and imitate, trying to figure out how things work and how to control themselves and their environments. This freedom of exploration helps children form connections in their brain, it helps them learn—and it’s also fun!
Art is a natural activity to support this essential interaction with the world. Kids need the freedom to explore and experiment creatively.
Art allows children to practice a wide range of skills that are useful not only for life but also for learning. These include the aesthetic, scientific, interpersonal, and practical interactions that can be discovered through the senses, intellect, and emotions.
Making and appreciating art involves emotional and mental faculties!
Art, whether making it, learning about it, or simply looking at it – offers a wide range of important experiences. In other words, it’s good for them!
Check out process art activities, famous artist art projects, and painting ideas for tons more do-able art projects for kids!
Splatter Painting for Kids
- Small or big
- On paper, canvas, or cardboard
- With watercolors, tempera, or acrylics
- With toddlers, preschoolers, big kids, and even adults
Plus we’ll share some ideas for what to do with your finished splatter art.
MATERIALS
- Runny paint in cups*
- Paper (or a roll of easel paper, cardboard, poster board, or a bed sheet)
- Spoon or brush
*A somewhat liquid or runny paint is best. (All the better for splattering with, my dear) We’ve used all different kinds, including liquid watercolors, watered-down tempera paint, and watered down craft acrylics.
INSTRUCTIONS
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Set up for the mess If you’re doing your painting OUTSIDE, simply lay your paper on the ground and go at it. (We’ve used cardboard as a sturdy surface, but it isn’t necessary.)
If you’re brave enough to do splatter painting INSIDE, we recommend covering your work surface with a drop cloth and doing it on a smaller scale (think wrist flicks instead of whole arm flicks).
Encourage your child to experiment with a range of splatter motion: try brief wrist flicks or expansive wrist flicks. Splatter with your whole arm, upper body, or entire body. See what happens when you splatter close to the surface or far away. Try circular motions or up and down motions.
What to Do with Your Splatter Art
Now that you’ve had fun painting, what will you do with your splatter art? Here are some ideas…
- Display the artwork. Hang the painting on the wall, framed or unframed.
- Make your own greeting cards (cut out small squares or rectangles from the splatter art and glue to blank cards or cardstock folded over).
- Make book covers (Here’s a tutorial for DIY notebooks).
- If you splatter painted on fabric, use it as a fort or teepee cover.
- Use the art as a backdrop for a photo booth.
- Turn it into handmade wrapping paper.
- Cut triangles from the splatter art and sew, tape, or string them together into a colorful bunting.
More Art Ideas for Kids
- How to Do Splat Painting
- Action Art for Kids
- How to Do Spin Art with a Salad Spinner
- How to Do Marble Painting for Kids
- 21 Outdoor Art Ideas for Kids
- 7 Fun Painting Ideas for Kids
Want even more creative ideas?
