Saturday, March 23, 2013

"MAKING ART" WITH MY GRANDSON

Hi Everyone!  Happy Saturday!  
I hope you're having a wonderful Saturday and making some time to experiment and play!

You've heard the old saying, "that was so easy, even a child could do it!"  Well, here is proof that even a child can "make art" with Tim Holtz' new Distress Paints!

Last evening, my husband and I babysat for our son and his wife so they could have a much anticipated "date night". Our six year old grandson, Cooper, is quite the budding artist and always wants to come to "Mimi's house" to "make art" in the studio.  

Last night after dinner, Cooper and I made our way to the art studio while "Papa" entertained our two year old granddaughter, Katie by playing dolls and watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  (He's a good Papa).

Cooper had made some strips out of regular typing paper and markers a while back.  He said he made them for me and gave them to me.  I told him that the next time he came over, we would make something with them...so I kept them.


Here is what we ended up making....a 5x7 canvas using some of the strips that Cooper had made me.  I wish the lighting of this picture was better because the colors of the canvas are really quite stunning.

Cooper used Tim Holtz' new Distress Paints to make a background on a canvas that I had prepared with white gesso.  He watched me put the paints on a canvas and then he did his all by himself.  He liked watching the paints run as they interacted with the spritzed water.  Then he dried the paints with my Craft It Heat Tool.  Next he selected the strips he wanted to use on the canvas and glued the backs of them with a glue stick.  (I would have chosen Matte Multi Medium...but this was HIS project, not mine!)  I just made sure he had them glued really well on the back so they would stick.  

He glued the strips in place and then I just made sure that they were stuck! The only thing that I did on this canvas was to seal it with Matte Multi Medium when it was dry.  That was what we did next.  I brushed the Matte Multi Medium on and while it was drying, Cooper stamped away on some typing paper using all of my train stamps.  His favorite...Tim's On The Railroad stamp set.  

Finally, I told Cooper that it might be neat to add some paint circles or something to his canvas.  I used the lid of a stamp cleaner bottle and showed him how if you dip the edges in white paint, you can stamp them onto the canvas.  He liked that idea so he made his own design on the canvas using the lid.  Then finally, I added just some light brushes of white paint (using my finger) randomly on the edges of the canvas because Cooper didn't want to get his hands dirty!  haha  

I was so proud of his art piece!  So was Cooper!  My son and his wife absolutely love the canvas and say it will be hung in a prominent spot in their home.  I'm hoping maybe Cooper will make another one for me.  I love it and want to hang one in my art studio.

Have a great day and take some time for yourself to play!!!  Get your kids or grandkids in the craft room with you!  What a great way to spend some time together!    

14 comments:

  1. Wow Cooper is the budding artist, he is following in his grandma's footsteps. These are fabulous colours Cooper and you have used the paints to great effect. I love the highlights of white too. Fantastic, cannot wait to see your next piece. Well done grandma for supervising. A day well spent I would say. Tracy x x

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  2. Oh this is a fabulous canvas and Cooper is taking in the foot steps of his Grandma I think . He has a great teacher to show him the way too !!!

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  3. What a fantastic canvas Cooper.........I love your colourful paper strips and the addition of the paint on the bottle top. Looks like you have had a fun time with Mimi ! I look forward to seeing many more of your creations :-) happy crafting from Annie in Scotland :-)

    I can tell you are very proud of your grandchildren and what a treasure to keep x

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  4. Hi Candy, he must get his talent from his Mimi with the exception of not wanting to get his hands dirty - that bit is just too funny for words, that really did make me smile. Love Cooper's canvas (especially the circles) and hope that you can make another one soon for your studio. Grandchildren are such treasures..... Hugs, Anne x

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  5. Sharing art with your children and grandchildren is simply the best. Everyone gets the pleasure of creating. Am sure Cooper will make his Grandma a beautiful canvas. I have so much stuff that the children and the grandkids made, most of which I keep in a scrapbook apart from the Christmas decorations...........life is good. Hugs Annette x

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  6. WOW! he did such a good job! Well done Cooper! My nine yr old daughter loves Distress Inks and stains and always wants to borrow them and she has made some really good tags with them. Lots of love from Laura xxxxxx P.S if you want to take a peek at one of those tags take a look at http://anyaciaran.blogspot.co.uk/

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  7. There is nothing better than creating art with your grandkids. They will look back years later and remember the time together. I, for one, can attest to that time I spent with mine.

    Great job, Grandma,

    Linda

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  8. I think Art runs in the family. I know my grandkids love to come into my studio and make stuff with me.

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  9. Candy you are the Perfect Nanny! The art always attracts children and brings out the best out of them! Great work!Barbarayaya

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  10. how wonderful, a great make and lovely to have and bet you both had fun creating! hugs trace x

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  11. I just love what you did with your grandson and that you enabled him to complete his project himself, what a wonderful way to spend some time together with such an amazing outcome.
    Happy Sunday.
    hugs {brenda} xox

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  12. Aw bless him, what a clever little sausage... he obviously takes after his incredibly talented Mimi (love that name BTW)... not long til you have both of them making art in your Studio hunny... I can hear in your words you are busting with pride for your little fella... bless him! And bless you! Love you my friend... missing you! (get that Skype sorted!!) xx

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  13. Such fun to create with children, and Cooper's canvas is fantastic - so full of colour and life!
    Alison x

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  14. Way to go, Cooper! I love the fearlessness kids have and how you encouraged him to create. You're creating more than art with him; these are memories he'll always keep.

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