So Your Child Likes to Paint

Gifts For Kids Who Are Creative

 

So your child loves to paint, draw, cut, color and all things creative.

Maybe I can help you pick out some items they will love.

 

You can spend hours in the aisles of hobby and craft stores trying to pick out

 just the right thing. And I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but you can spend hours.

Personally, I stay away from the "kit" purchases.

You can spend lots of money for items that all come in the same box or buy only what you want.

Something to paint or draw on is always appreciated.

Sometimes the child has lots of paints, pencils, markers, and not enough paper.

If you're going to buy paint:

buy good paint in primary colors: red, blue, yellow.  I like acrylic paint because it's easy to use, it dries fast and cleans up with soap and water.  Buy the best paint you can afford.  If you're going to buy a few other colors, buy ones you know the child really likes such as a pretty pink or teal or something you can't make like silver or gold.  

Don't buy individual brushes for children.  Buy a set of various brushes that have small up to large and are good for acrylic or watercolor paint.  You should be able to find a good pack of various brushes for under $15.  Don't buy the cheapest brushes either.  They won't last and your child will struggle with them.  But you should be able to get 10-12 good bristle or nylon brushes for under $15.

What to paint on!

Paper is always good to paint on with acrylic paint, so you can buy some canvas paper that comes in a tablet in various sizes.  You'll get about 10-15 sheets per tablet for under $10.  

You can also buy canvas covered boards, masonite boards, or stretched canvases on stretcher bars.

You can usually find packs of canvases if that's your choice,

but if your child is just learning, I'd go with the canvas paper.

You can hang it on your fridge with a magnet and change it out often.

Canvases need to hang and may end up at the bottom of someone's closet.  

Buy an age appropriate canvas.  A child under 10 probably doesn't have the attention span to paint anything larger than a 14" x 11" and an 8" x 10" is really a perfect size for that age group.

Teens and tweens will even lose patience or concentration with a 16" x 20" canvas if not supervised.

A child doesn't need an easel, but they can use a table top easel without much problem.

Books that will have projects in them, start to finish are always good.  Spend a few minutes looking through any book you are considering purchasing.  Look for good directions, supply lists, and lots of photos showing how to do something.  

Some of the things available in River Run Gallery:

1.  Various size canvases: 16" x 20" - $8 ea.

11" x 14" - $6 ea.

8" x 10" - $4 ea.

I have a kit that has 5 tubes of paint, red, yellow, blue, white and brown, a varnish, a pkg of 12 nylon brushes and a small canvas for $45.

I also can make available to you 8" x 10" canvases with simple drawings to paint of classes we've done here in Mom, Monet and Me classes.  If your child missed one or would like one they are $10.  You can look back through some of the classes we've done like the giraffe, the elephant, the snowman, etc and I'll put a drawing on a canvas for you for $10.

Just remember,

painting takes time, patience and direction for a child.

Also a good cover up is always welcome.

Have fun with your art or your artist this Christmas.