Mixed Media Bouquet

Introduce the variety of supplies students will be using to create their mixed media flower bouquets. Give a quick demonstration of each type of media students will be using. Having a different kind of media set up at stations

While demonstrating each type of media, discuss how each flower varies in appearance. Brainstorm with students about details they can add to their flower or the flower background that can elevate their work and create interesting variation, such as a border around the circle, or line details on the petals.

Exploration with Water and Markers:

• Encourage your students to draw their flowers in a folk art manner. They should keep their drawings simple and large.
• Use Prang® water-based art makers to color around the edges of each shape. Encourage your students to color two or three times around the shapes created.
• Using water and a paintbrush, have your students paint over their marker lines to ‘activate’ the color. It will become a watercolor paint! As the painting dries, the marker colors will become more rich in color.

Fun with Payons®:

• Payons® are a water-based crayon that produce a brilliant color when activated with water. Have students create a simple flower with a variety of color of Payons®. Encourage students to color over their lines a couple of times for a more bold color.
• Once complete, have students paint gently over the Payon® lines. The lines will become paint!
• To keep the colors from mixing, suggest students leave a little white space between painted areas.

Delicate Designs with Prang® Watercolor Pencils:

• Much like the Payons® and the markers, draw a flower with the watercolor pencils and color over the lines a couple of times. Details can be captured with these fine tipped pencils.
• Using a small brush, just add water to activate the delicate lines of your flower.

Sketcho® and Watercolor Paint:

• Using big bold lines, draw a large flower with Sketcho® oil pastels. Use a variety of color. Encourage students to go over the oil pastel lines a few times to create a barrier to prevent the watercolor paint from mixing.
• Try the wet-on-wet watercolor method for the painting. Using water, paint a petal. Now load the brush with water and a color. Add dots of color to the flower petal and watch as the color expands as it touches the water. Try adding another color to the flower petal to see the colors mix.

Chalk Prints:

• Prepare a basin filled with two inches of water. Using a wood craft stick, scrape chalk onto the surface of the water. When scraping, hold the chalk as if peeling a carrot. The chalk should be a fine powder that floats on the surface of the water. Add a variety of colors to the basin.
• Curve the paper like the letter U and lower the paper gently onto the surface of the water. Do not allow the paper to sink below the water.
• Slowly lift the paper out and admire your beautiful print! This chalk print does not need to be sealed.
• Make as many prints as you like! The water basin does not need to be cleaned between prints, although more chalk can be added between prints.

Putting it all together:

• Cut out flowers and set aside.
• Choose your favorite chalk print for a vase. Fold the paper in half lengthwise.
• Draw half of a vase on the folded paper. Cut along your drawn lines to reveal your vase.
• Decide on the composition of your bouquet collage by arranging your flowers and vase.
• Create leaves from some of your scrap papers.
• Assemble with glue and admire your masterpiece.