1st grade - wax resist watercolor egg paintings

Yesterday and today the first grade classes have been creating wax resist egg paintings using watercolor paint. This is the same method used on real Easter eggs when you draw on the egg with a white crayon before dying it.

Yesterday the students used a white crayon to draw patterns, shapes, and words onto their eggs.

Today was the watercolor painting. We talked about how to treat the paint set so that the colors remain true. We also talked about brushing with the paint brush instead of scrubbing. Students also learned that watercolor painting literally means to paint with colorful water (not the actual paint). The students did very well.

A common problem found amongst the youngest art students is that they think everything needs to be done quickly. They race through an assignment, trying to be the first one done, thinking that this makes them the best. I have explained to the students that being the fastest is not always the best. A rushed art work never looks as beautiful as a well thought out one. I want to encourage as much unplugged and unhurried time as possible to your little ones, so they can learn to enjoy the process, not just the end result.