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Cherry Tree Art

  • Young Adult
  • Grades 1-3

Learn how to use different shaped and sized brushes to create a realistic looking trunk and other parts of a tree. Add cherry blossoms made from tissue paper to add texture and finish your masterpiece!

Materials


  • 25 Pack Assorted Paint Brushes
  • Acrylic Paint Jars, 24 Assorted colors
  • Construction Paper (blue)
  • White Cardstock
  • Tissue Paper (pink)
  • Scissors
  • Craft Glue
  • Foam or Plastic Plate

Instructions


Step 1. Gather your supplies.

 

 

Step 2.

 

Using the flat sponge brush, apply light brown paint to your card stock. Use long, even strokes to cover the paper.

 

Step 3.

 

Pick a smaller brush, approximately 1/4” width with long bristles, as shown. Dip the brush in the dark brown Paint and gently wipe excess paint from the brush using the side of the paint container. You only want a little paint on the brush for the next step.

 

Step 4.

 

Gently brush the dark brown Paint over the light brown paint. You want to still see the light brown paint underneath.

 

Step 5.

 

To finish the wood texture, use a smaller brush to apply more dark brown paint. Vary your brush strokes, applying long strokes and smaller wavy strokes. The idea is to create the look of tree bark, which can be be slightly wavy and imperfect.

 

Step 6.

 

Now that the wood texture is complete, cut a strip of the painted paper to use as the trunk for the cherry tree.

 

Step 7.

 

Cut some smaller pieces to use as branches for the tree.

 

Step 8.

 

Glue all the pieces of your tree to a piece of blue construction paper.

 

Step 9.

 

Pour a little white and green paint onto the foam or plastic plate. Use the foam dauber brush to mix some of the paint together.  Tip: When painting on a dark colored paper such as the blue, you can mix a little white paint into your colors, they will show up a little brighter against the dark paper.

 

Step 10.

 

Use the dauber brush to apply the green paint, starting along the bottom.  Press the brush up and down in a vertical motion. This will create the texture of grass.

 

Step 11.

 

Finish adding the green paint to the tree to create leaves. Make sure that some of the branches are showing through the leaves, just like real trees. You can also add some bushes beside the tree.  Tip: Add more white to make the paint lighter, or more green to make it darker.

 

Step 12.

 

While your painting is drying, cut the pink tissue paper into 1” square pieces.

 

Step 13.

 

Using the end of the small paint brush, gently press into the middle of a piece of tissue paper, as shown.

 

Step 14.

 

Gently twist the tissue paper around the handle of the brush. Pinch the bottom and remove the brush. You will now have a cherry blossom.

 

Step 15.

 

Make several more cherry blossoms, and glue them to your tree to complete your spring masterpiece!