We noticed many of our trees have lost almost all of their leaves, so we were inspired to create something special. With very little help from me, Emily was able to paint this silhouette with beautiful results! To make your own, all you will need is a little masking tape, paper, and some watercolor paint!
Emily went out to the yard and gathered some branches for us to observe. We noted how thinner branches always grow from thicker branches and never the other way around. We made a shadow with the branch and noticed that we could still see the texture from the bark in the shadow.
Then we got to work ripping strips of masking tape to use as branches.
She arranged them on the paper so the thinner branches extended from thicker branches. We also noticed how trees have many, many branches!
Next, we made sure the masking tape was pressed down firmly with a popsicle stick to ensure the paint did not get under the masking tape.
Then it was time to paint! Emily went to town with the painting! A little blue here, some gray there… a tiny bit of brown in this spot.
Now, you need to put the project away for a bit. Go for a walk. Get yourself a cup of coffee. Go read the paper. Do a load of laundry. Make sure the painting is completely dry before attempting to take off the masking tape. This is important.
Now, carefully peel off the tape. I found it worked best to pull on an angle, as shown.
Ta-da!
My proud little artist went off to hang her painting in her room. We’re going to have to open a gallery soon!!
November 3rd, 2009 on 4:08 pm
Dear Valerie,
That was my favorite branch, and now it is broken.
Love,
Mark
November 3rd, 2009 on 4:30 pm
@ Mark — There seem to be no shortage of branches in the yard. Pick another favorite.
November 3rd, 2009 on 4:32 pm
@Valerie
But, it won't be the same!
*shuffles feet in the dirt*
November 3rd, 2009 on 6:07 pm
what a lovely idea.
November 3rd, 2009 on 6:19 pm
Cute project. How do you display all of that art work?
November 3rd, 2009 on 9:22 pm
I love it!
November 3rd, 2009 on 9:43 pm
I really loved this project. I linked it to my blog for others to see as well. Great job!
November 3rd, 2009 on 9:53 pm
I love this!!!
November 3rd, 2009 on 9:59 pm
absolutely STUNNING!!!
November 3rd, 2009 on 10:16 pm
Stunning is the right word for this painting. When the leaves finally fall off the trees around here, we are going to make this project.
November 3rd, 2009 on 11:09 pm
Oh how gorgeous! My kids have been painting watercolor pictures for two days straight and tomorrow I'll show them this to mix things up.
November 3rd, 2009 on 11:11 pm
@ Vicki and Noel — Thank you so much for the link! I love the name of your blog. So clever!
@ Denise — I would love for Clara to make one of these too. Of course, I would do all the masking tape ahead of time, since she's so young, but I think she would love to paint all over it.
November 4th, 2009 on 12:43 am
She did a amazing JOB. Its beautiful So creative too
November 4th, 2009 on 12:54 am
That turned out so great – love it!
November 4th, 2009 on 12:59 am
Another great craft idea!
One of the things I love about your ideas is that they often use everyday household items. We can do these activities without needing to make a special trip to the craft store!
Thanks for sharing!
November 4th, 2009 on 2:01 am
What a lovely idea. Can't wait to try this for our winter seasonal table!
November 4th, 2009 on 4:10 am
Oh, I love resist painting, and this is lovely.
November 4th, 2009 on 8:21 am
That is beautiful!
November 4th, 2009 on 8:40 am
very nice idea!
do you think it would be ok for a 2 yars old? or maybe it would be better to wait a couple of years?
November 4th, 2009 on 11:51 am
That is absolutely beautiful. Would make a great gift – matted and in a frame.
Mark & Valerie: LOL!!
November 4th, 2009 on 11:57 am
what a great idea!!! I am gonna try with robots.. my boys would love this!
November 4th, 2009 on 3:20 pm
What a cute project! I love it… I think that I am going to have to give this one a try.
November 4th, 2009 on 7:06 pm
This turned out great – such a cute idea!
November 4th, 2009 on 10:45 pm
beautiful!
With my daughter's current water painting obsession we'll be sure to try this!
November 5th, 2009 on 12:48 am
That is a beautiful project! I want to make one myself.
Holly
November 5th, 2009 on 8:54 am
That is just beautiful…
November 5th, 2009 on 4:50 pm
@ jugglingmotherhood — Thank you so much! We try to keep our crafts and activities very simple, so they use items most households would already have on hand. It saves money, and in most cases it's good for the environment too!
@ cipi — Hello, again! Great to see you back here. I think a 2 yr old could absolutely handle this one. Try setting up the masking tape yourself first, and then let your little one paint all over it. I plan to have Clara make one of these soon, and she is 1 1/2 yrs. old.
November 5th, 2009 on 4:51 pm
@ Cenzi — What a great idea to do this with robots! I love it!!
November 6th, 2009 on 12:50 am
That turned out beautiful!
November 6th, 2009 on 5:43 am
Thank you Val, I'll try this winter, after moving in our "new" house. I just needed lots of good ideas to entertain my little boy without a garden or a possibility to go out.
***
November 6th, 2009 on 2:29 pm
I bet my kids would love this!
November 8th, 2009 on 11:38 pm
Linked and love it! :>)
November 8th, 2009 on 11:44 pm
I have had a hard time keeping my kids out of the tape. Now I have a way to harness that tape interest into something more productive than big and tangly messes. Thanks. I look forward to doing this project soon. I hope it is okay to link to your blog when I write about the project on mine.
February 7th, 2010 on 4:26 pm
This is such a great art project! I'm going to try it with my kids. I just love the ideas you have. I look at your blog ALL the time. By the way I highly recommend trying the blue painters tape with these sort of projects(you should be able to find it in any hardware store)..it goes on and comes off so easily! Thanks again for your wonderful blog!
February 16th, 2010 on 3:31 pm
Very, very pretty.
February 17th, 2010 on 9:53 am
This was such a cute idea and my girls really enjoyed creating their trees.
I do have a request, I run a blog at
http://ickystickyfingers.blogspot.com/
where I post craft projects that the girls and I do. I'd like to post this with your premission of caourse and I'll mention your blog in the directions along with a link if that is OK with you.
February 21st, 2010 on 1:49 pm
Just wanted to let you know we used this idea & it was a success!
I posted about it & linked to your blog here:
http://heathernow.blogspot.com/2010/02/winter-tree-snow-scene.html