Paint an underwater ocean scene using crayons and watercolor resist that includes your favorite sea creatures.
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Watercolor resist is an easy painting technique that’s fun for kids of all ages. All you need is a watercolor paint set and some crayons.
The wax of the crayons will prevent the watercolor paint from sticking. You can draw any design with crayons; when you paint over it, the watercolor will only appear on the white paper.
Try watercolor resist to make this fun ocean art. Create a scene on the bottom of the ocean with plants and sea creatures. Draw your favorites and imagine what you might see under the sea!
Tips for watercoloring with kids
- Watercolor is generally less messy than other paint; clean surfaces by wiping with a damp cloth.
- It’s still a good idea to wear clothes that can get paint on them, just in case!
- If your child has trouble holding the paper still while painting, use washi tape to stick the corners to the table.
- Wet paper tends to curl as it dries. To flatten your painting after it has dried completely, stack a few heavy books on top. It should be flat again in under 30 minutes.
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How to make watercolor resist art
Supplies
Optional: Sign up for Ocean Week to get a printable How to Draw Sea Creatures guide.
Instructions
1. Draw sea creatures.
Use crayons to draw an underwater scene. Add some rocks and plants, fish, and other sea creatures. Keep the shapes simple and be sure to color them solidly.
2. Watercolor the water.
When you’re happy with the underwater scene, it’s time to paint. Load the brush with paint and water, then drag it across the paper. The paint will stick to the clean paper but not the crayon wax. Use short and long strokes, mix colors, and cover the whole scene in water.
Let the painting dry completely. Depending on how much water you use, it may take 15-30 minutes.
Flatten the panting when it’s dry if you need to. Then it’s ready to hang up and display!
You can use this crayon and watercolor resist technique to create more artwork. What other scenes can you come up with?
Printable instructions
Watercolor Resist Ocean Art
Materials
- watercolor paper
- crayons
- watercolor paint and brush
Instructions
- Draw sea creatures.
Use crayons to draw an underwater scene. Add some rocks and plants, fish, and other sea creatures. Keep the shapes simple and be sure to color them solidly. - Watercolor the water.
When you're happy with the underwater scene, it's time to paint. Load the brush with paint and water, then drag it across the paper. The paint will stick to the clean paper but not the crayon wax. Use short and long strokes, mix colors, and cover the whole scene in water. Let the painting dry completely. Depending on how much water you use, it may take 15-30 minutes.
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