Cottoning Abstract Art

Time

4 3 2 1 Early-Mid Stages

Benefits

Participants

One to One or Group Activity

What you need

A3 or large sheet of card
Brightly coloured poster paints in individual shallow pots
Cotton wool balls
Wooden pegs
Strips of white paper 1cm thick

Intro

Sometimes simple art can be the most impactful – and the most fun to create! This hands-on activity invites you to print with lovely soft cotton balls and make a fantastic piece of abstract art. It’s designed for everyone, whether they see themselves as artistic or not.

You can do the whole activity in one go, or do the second part as a follow-up once the paint has dried.

The Activity

Place the large sheet of card on the table
Attach cotton wool balls to the wooden pegs
Discuss with everyone which colours they would like to use
Encourage each person to dip a cotton ball into the paint and print it onto the card
Go wild with the colours!
Either wait for the paint to dry and enjoy a cuppa, or save the next part for another day
Glue the strips of paper over the printed image, crossing over the strips randomly to create a tiled effect like a stained-glass window
Put the work of art on display for everyone to admire