In order to make this activity more convenient, you need to keep the proper tools on hand.  I am not a fan of the small tins of paints.  Yes, they usually do contain a nice variety of colors all packaged together in a convenient container.  However, the quality of the paint is poor and is difficult to use.  The water children use to wet their paint usually muddies easily and then the paint colors run together in the tin.

I prefer to purchase large bottles of washable tempera paint in a variety of colors.  When my children are ready to paint,  I pour reasonable amounts of the individual colors into small containers (such as empty egg cartons) and I assign a paint brush to each color.  The only catch is that a child might have to wait a moment for a particular color.  This is a nice lesson in sharing!

Keep high-quality, heavy duty brushes on hand.  50-pound paper is also a great product for your children to work with.  Utilizing quality products will certainly enhance your children’s painting experience.  Lakeshore Learning offers all of these products at reasonable prices.  You can order equipment from their website or find a store near you.

Children love to paint.  Yes, it’s a little messy. However, the experience is worth it!

“There is no royal road to learning; no short cut to the acquirement of any art.” -Anthony Trollope, Barchester Towers

The interesting point of all this is that I know little, if anything, about art.  Oh, I had the typical art appreciation course in college.  I can tell an Impressionist painting from the work during the Renaissance.  But that is about it.  I just happen to love looking at lovely works of art.

The walls of our home are also graced by beautiful pictures and paintings.  The artists and subjects, however, are usually family members.

I have framed and matted my children’s art work; family photos, including ancestors; photographs of  meaningful objects, scenery and vistas; textiles created by my husband’s grandmother;  pressed flowers that my children gathered in our fields; and objects with a personal history.

The key to tastefully displaying your personal works of art lies in the framing.  It is important to consider dimensions as well as color when choosing your frames and mats.  I utilize online sources such as Snapfish (http://www2.snapfish.com/) to help me enlarge photos beyond what my printer will do.  These sources also have terrific cropping and editing features.  Their services are reasonably priced and their turn-around time is fast.

I have been seeking assistance from Hobby Lobby’s framing department for years.   Their framing experts are always helpful with the color choices of frames and mats.  They will patiently assist you as you try out various combinations.  I recently framed two needlepoint chaircovers that my husband’s grandmother created.  The customer service representative at Hobby Lobby not only helped me with my frame choice but gave me advice on the preservation of these lovely pieces.

The custom framing service they offer is reasonable and timely.  Hobby Lobby offers frequent sales on frames and custom matting services.  I usually purchase my frames when they are on sale and then wait until they have a sale on their framing services before I have my pieces framed.  In this way I can save on all ends and enjoy beautiful art for a reasonable cost.

Encourage your children by displaying their art work and preserve your family’s history while also adding beauty to your home.