Collaborative Muffin Tin Print Art

I am in such a creative rut lately. Admittedly, I haven’t felt like writing and took a much needed break to focus on getting my new business teaching art-based classes for kids in West Hartford, CT up and running.  Then something amazing happened.  My friend, Barbara Rucci from the awesome blog Art Bar, is launching her new book Art Workshop and generously offered to send me a copy.  Let me be honest, it takes a lot to wow me these days. The second I ripped open the package and saw Bar’s new book I gasped out loud.  Rucci is the real deal.  She lives and breaths a genuine love of art, children and design. Every single page and activity is a gift to art education.  I feel honored to read this book and immediately felt my creative spirit come back to life. The aspects of Rucci’s work that I am most drawn to are her easy style and gorgeous use of cheery colors. I took the idea of the muffin tin prints and my love of using art to support social development to make fun Collaborative Muffin Tin Print Art.

WHAT YOU NEED FOR THE COLLABORATIVE MUFFIN TIN PRINT ART

the book! Art Workshop for Children by Barbara Rucci
muffin tin
thick paper cut into small squares- here is my favorite
variety of paint colors- we use these simple paints
paint brushes
large canvas
glue

HOW TO MAKE THE COLLABORATIVE MUFFIN TIN PRINT ART

Muffin Tin Prints is one of those awesome easy ideas that I never would have thought of on my own.  This is the beauty of the book Art Workshop for Children. With a few simple materials that I already had in my studio I was able to set up an amazing invitation to create for multiple age groups. Prior to introducing the Collaborative Muffin Tin Print Art set out a variety of paint colors, a muffin tin and small squares of thick paper.

With the muffin tin flipped over paint the circle bottoms of the tin.  Place the papers on top of the painted tins.  We found that multiple colors and twisting the paper created the coolest prints.  

As the children created the individual prints we added them all to a blank canvas to create the Collaborative Muffin Tin Print Art.  I loved seeing all their individual pieces come together to make one beautiful piece.  This would be a great project for a class. Once they were dry we glued them in place.

This is just one of the 25 art workshop ideas shared in the book. If you are looking for easy art ideas for children (or even adults!) take a moment to buy this book now!