Summertime Boredom Buster: Easy Monoprint
Every summer, I try to put together a Summer Bucket List of fun family activities to ensure a season filled with milestones and memories. But, while a well-planned list of outdoor adventures is perfect for summer, I also like to toss in a few easy indoor pursuits for those extra hot or rainy days when venturing outside is not an option.
One particular rainy day found my kids and I gathered around the table for a spontaneous summer art project. Although it was not on our original bucket list, this easy monoprint was the perfect summertime boredom buster. It only required a few basic supplies, was simple enough for even my preschooler to enjoy, and required very little clean-up.
“And just what is a MONOPRINT?” you ask.
A monoprint is a singular piece of painted or inked art that can only be reproduced ONCE. Creating a monoprint is similar to the way printers of yesteryear created newspapers…one copy at a time.
To create your own summertime monoprint, you will need:
- a piece of cardboard
- a bottle of glue
- 1-3 poster paints
- a piece of white art paper
Directions:
- Sketch a simple line drawing onto the cardboard. It should be no larger than the piece of white art paper. Keep your drawing SIMPLE. Too much detail will not reproduce well.
- Using a continuous flow of glue, trace your original sketch. Allow the glue to dry completely. (This might take a few hours or even a day depending upon how thick you have applied the glue.)
- When the glue is COMPLETELY dry, apply a generous layer of paint over the entire picture. Try to limit your color selection to only three different colors. Too many colors will make the print look muddled and messy.
- While the paint is still very wet, place the art paper on top of it and press down. Rub your hands over the entire page to ensure a complete transfer of the paint.
- Peel back the art paper to reveal your finished monoprint.
Even a preschooler can get involved in a monoprint art project. Just skip step 1, hand him/her a bottle of glue, and allow your little artist to create a custom design of lines and abstract swirls.
So, this summer when the weatherman assures you that rain is on the way, sit the kids down at the table for an easy summertime art project guaranteed to bust the boredom.
Need more summertime project suggestions? Here are a few ideas worth checking out!
Thank you for this idea. Each summer I set up an art station in our covered gate area and this idea will delight my youngest, who is mostly likely to be found out there painting and creating.
This is so Creative! Never would have thought to do it. Then again I have never been real Artsy.
I am new to Homeschooling. I am trying it out over the Summer. Luckily, I found an AIO Online program. It has really helped me with this “learning curve”, it is called Time4Learning for anyone wondering 😉 Anyways, I have been taking advantage of my library’s local programs for Art, but I think I can do this craft at home pretty easily. So, Thank you! I Love your Blog, looking forward to learning more 🙂