Create with Tomi

Come and Create your own Masterpiece 

Aboriginal Flamingo 
A fun modern spin on Aboriginal art

 Materials: 
​

• A protective cloth for working surface 
• Protective shirt or apron for clothing 
• Pencils-one new pencil with a new eraser and one pencil for drawing White construction paper 9” x 12” if you have it 
• Eraser 
• Black marker (careful- sharpies are permanent on most surfaces)
• Q-tips
• Toothpicks 
• Wooden Skewers or Chopsticks (optional) 
• Acrylic or Tempera paint- pink, blue, white, black, green, yellow or orange Paint brushes- a med flat and a small round brush 
• Water container 
• Paper plate for palette

Step 1

• Look for the pencil mark on the right that is highlighted below the halfway point of the paper.  Did you find it? ​
• Draw the body and the head as simple oval shapes above the pencil mark.
• That is an important mark because Flamingos have long legs.​
• ​It is a reminder to draw our bird’s body above that line.  

Step 2

• ​Draw a curvy line to connect the head and the body. 
• You just drew his neck!

Step 3

• ​Give him a large beak and long legs.
• Feet are optional, they will be under water.

Step 4

• ​Draw lines on along the neck to give it some width.

Step 5

• ​Draw lines to widen his legs. 
• Don’t forget the tuffs near the top and those knobby knees.
• Create a foreground with grassy reeds and wavy water lines. 

Step 6

• ​​Add your middle ground using wavy lines for water 
• Add a straight line for the shore. 
• Add a wavy line above that to make mountains for the background. 

Step 7

• ​​Erase unnecessary pencil lines
• Add the fish swimming down to his belly, a flower, clouds, a tree branch, another wave, his little heart and a fish swimming. 
• Make this piece your own!   

Step 8

• ​ Use a Sharpie to define the lines.
• Now let’s paint!  Begin painting all the parts that are blue.  Use several different blues for interest. 
• Remember you can mix new colors.   
  White + blue = Light blue   
  Green + blue = turquoise or blue green 
  Black + blue = dark blue 
• ​Add some color for the grass and mountain. Mix blue + yellow to make green. 

Step 9

• Begin painting all the parts that are warm colors.  
• You can mix new these colors.   
  White + red = pink  
  Red + yellow = orange
  
  
• Wait for the painting to completely dry.
• Then define the outlines using your marker or a thin paint brush with black paint.
• If using paint wait for outline to dry before adding dots.  ​

Step 10

• Once all the solid areas are done, start using your dotting tools. 
• Remember to wipe your pencil eraser dotting tool clean when you change colors. 
• The dots add movement and life to the painting. 
• Have fun! ​

Whimsical Castles

Materials:

. White paper - construction paper will do

. Palette- a paper plate works well

. Acrylic paints – limit to 3 or 4 colors, plus a metallic paint if desired. 
  You will only need about a quarter size pour of each color of paint.

. Strips of sturdy cut cardboard or firm paper strips- approx. 3” x 1”

. Black Marker – Sharpie or Bic Marking

.  Protective covering for workspace

.   Apron or old t-shirt to protect clothing


​Steps:

1.  Orient paper to portrait (make it tall)
2. Dip the widest part of your cardboard brush into two colors (double load) using a small amount of paint.
3. Start at the bottom of your paper and drag your paint upward to make your castle towers.  If your tower is not tall enough add more paint and do it again. 
4. Make multiple towers, stagger the heights for interest.  Remember these are whimsical and fun, let them be charming, not perfect.
5. Wait for paint to dry before using marker. 
6. While your paint dries find castle photos for details.  Look at the architecture; the windows, the turrets…
7. Use black marker to add design elements after the paint is dry.  Use your imagination and have fun!

Tips:

1. A little bit of paint is better because you want some white to peek through for texture.  
2. Speed up the drying process with a hair dryer. 
3. Make sure paint is dry before using marker. Drawing on your painting while wet may ruin your marker and your painting.​

This project was adapted from a Pinterest post. Please visit our B Extraordinaire Pinterest page for more of our artists' work. ​

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