July 21, 2023

Ooey, Gluey, Sticky, Fishy Window Art {Tutorial}

More crafting???? Yeah, I'm wondering how I pulled this all off in one week too. Well, for one, it's been quite sweltering around Pennsylvania, so we've been inside during the day, and two, I had another art workshop at the library this morning and needed to come up with a project that is do-able in an hour, appropriate for all ages, cheap, and fits the library's summer theme--water. Hence I decided onwith a fun and kinda messy project.
I love the way that tissue paper looks in a window, like a poor girl's stained glass, so I thought it would be nice to make some sun catcher-type art with a fish theme.
The kids loved it, especially the glitter and sand that we added at the end. What is it about glitter (I hate it, since I'm afraid I'm going to contract art teacher's glitter lung one of these days) that gets the kids so hyped up? One mom said to me that her son came in all sour-pussed but after using the glitter and sand he was in a great mood. That made me smile.

But I digress. Here's what you'll need (and pardon the bad flash photography. This was done at night in the kitchen.)
Materials:
  • Tissue paper (cut into 9"x12" pieces, and also some scraps for ripping if you have some)
  • Elmers' Glue
  • Foam brushes or paint brushes
  • wax paper
  • 9"x 12" construction paper
  • scissors
  • pencils
  • colored pencils or crayons
  • sand and glitter (optional but SO worth it)
  • sequins, foam fish, other sea embellishments (tiny shells would have been great if I could have found some)
Step One
Cut a sheet of wax paper about 14" long (or longer). Pour some glue into a bowl and add some water (my ratio was 3 parts glue to 1 part water). Mix it up to combine.
Then spread some glue across the wax paper, making sure to cover at least an area that is 9"x12" (the size of the tissue paper and construction paper)
Lay a sheet of tissue paper on top of the glue. Add more glue on the top.
Add more layers of tissue paper to make the water and the waves of the ocean. Be creative!
I started with the background colors, then ended with a strip of green for the bottom of the ocean. Keep spreading glue over the tissue paper.
Step Two
While the tissue is still wet, you can start adding things like fish (foam or hand drawn ones)
sequin "bubbles", glitter, or even more tissue paper. To make seaweed, take a small bit of tissue and crinkle and roll it up
Then attach it to the wet surface and slather more glue on top of the seaweed.
Yours might look like this one.
I also added a starfish and sand dollar on the bottom too.
Sprinkle in a little glitter and add some sand (be sure you have lots of wet glue on the tissue paper so that it sticks) for sparkle and interest.
Step Three
Now you'll want to frame out your picture. Take a sheet of 9x12" construction paper in whichever color you'd like and fold it in half (it will now be 9x6")
and draw the inside of the frame. You can make it a rectangle, a circle, or scalloped, or whatever. Just make sure the opening is big enough to see your aquarium.
Cut it out.Open it up, and glue it on top of your aquarium.Step Four
After everything is all dry (usually overnight) trim the excess wax and tissue paper from around the outside of the frame.
Then tape it onto your window and enjoy your ocean view.

3 comments:

  1. art teacher's glitter lung... you crack me up!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a fun craft! You're completely right....kids of all ages could enjoy this!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Really cute, and what little kid wouldn't love to have this in his window. I like it, :)

    ReplyDelete

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