L. and I paint large signs for Schoolhouse Arts Center when they need them. They don’t take any great art skills to trace and paint but we look forward to the process whenever we’re asked to make one. (And this morning I realized this activity falls under Virginia’s thoughts about finding special time with each child for me and L. 😉 We started the signs for the upcoming “Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep” show this past weekend and they are still in-process (fixing up the letters after the red coat). It takes us about a week to make them because we have to prime the wood (let it dry) then base coat (let it dry) before we can start the actual lettering and painting. Making these signs is pretty simple and only requires an overhead projector and a semi-steady tracing and painting hand. Since scoring a used overhead projector for home (someone gave us an old school one that Fino refurbished), the girls enjoy making their own projection drawings whenever they want. (I’ve seen projectors on e-bay for a reasonable cost.) On cold, rainy days like today, it’s a fun activity that keeps one (or both) of the girls busy for hours. And after reading jro’s blog entry about ‘messy art’, I thought other moms might like to learn how to do this project because it’s good, clean fun … when you use pencils and crayons. We use a roll of butcher paper and Plasti-Tak (love this stuff) to secure the paper to the wall. Then I print out the girl’s picture choice on to a clear transparency while they set up the projector and get out their colored pencils and crayons. You can print out clip art or simple coloring book drawings too (a google image search with the keywords ‘coloring book’ in it should get you something easy for younger kids). Then we put the transparency on the projector and adjust the size of the image on the wall (closer is smaller, further away is larger). Usually the hardest part of setting this up is finding open wall space to accommodate the butcher paper (art projects, photos and book shelves take up most of the walls in our house!). Then they start tracing. Today G. made the photo choice — her cat Toddy — since L. is sick with the flu. I am happy to say that the girls have come full-circle on the use of markers. When they were little they loved them because it was something I had to police closely and didn’t allow very often (L. was a budding illustrator on her bedroom walls through her toddler and preschool years). Then I allowed full access to markers a few years ago but they decided that colored pencils and crayons looked better anyway. Last year L. made a projection art project for 4-H and I agree that the crayon/pencil look is much nicer. Here’s the original photo The other aspect I really like about projection art is that any kid, including those that think, “I can’t draw ANYTHING!” (insert G.’s frustrated face here), find success with this. It’s easy, it’s fun and kids feel like they can do something special. Of course they also start asking you to find wall space for it afterwards… Yeah, maybe this art project does have a downside. But for a few hours of peace and quiet in the house on rainy day, I’ll gladly find a spot for the new poster.