Experimenting with Watercolor

I try to do a lot of creative and artsy stuff with my girls for homeschool.  I don't believe that science and math are the most important subjects in schooling your kids.  I believe creativity is the birthplace for all ingenious discoveries.  There isn't any scientist out there that could invent anything with creativity.  I'm not sure if my girls will enter into the world for work when they are adults but at their ages of 7 and 9 - I want to encourage them to learn more through art and to read, read, read!  

We decided to do a little experiment with watercolor after I saw THIS post on Pinterest.  

We used watercolor paper and cut each page in half.  The girls got their brushes and watercolor paints all ready.  We first painted one to let it dry completely.  

Then we painted one after putting some card stock over it.  This one is called masking.  There are all kinds of neat ways to paint using this technique.  

Masking

 After painting this one while it was still wet we blotted areas with some toilet paper.

Wet with Tissue Paper

While this one was still wet, we dropped clean water on it.

Water on Wet

 While this one was still wet, we dropped more wet color on top of it.

Wet on Wet

 While this one was still wet, we put saran wrap over it and crinkled it up.  We allowed it to dry with the saran wrap still on.  Then we removed it after it dried.

Plastic Wrap on Wet Paint

 While this one was still wet, we put salt all over it and let it dry.  Then you can brush the salt off.

Salt on Wet

 This is the one we let dry.  Then we painted over it again which gives you more distinct lines.

Wet on Dry Paint

Now, this week the girls are going to paint their own picture using at least 3 of these techniques.