Make a Scented Watercolor Painting!

A still life painting is a depiction of inanimate objects, often focusing on various kinds of food or natural items such as fruit, flowers or vases as subject matter. This scented watercolor still life has a secret ingredient that makes these vibrant works of art come to life for more than just the eyes. Try this fun art activity to develop sensory recognition, build fine motor skills, and increase aesthetic awareness.

To make this activity meaningful (and even more fun) for your child, allow him to choose some favorite objects to ‘pose’ for his painting. For example, if your child loves grapes, oranges, and bananas bring out those foods and help him arrange them to make a simple composition.

What You Need:

• White watercolor paper or other white paper
• Watercolor paint brushes
• Pencil
• Dark permanent marker
• Kool-aid powder mix (or other similar drink mix) in several bright colors such as blue, purple, orange, and red
• Plastic cups
• Water
• Fruit or flowers or bowls and vases for subject matter

What to Do:

1. Combine the powdered drink mix and water in the plastic cups. Do not follow the instructions on the drink mix packaging. Instead, add one to two packets of mix per plastic cup of water. Do not add sugar. Try slowly adding the water to the cup, and testing the color for brightness as you go along.
2. Ask your child to pick out some of his favorite fruits, foods, or flowers.
3. Invite your child to arrange the food on a table or another flat surface. Make sure that the area is well lit or near a bright window.
4. Give your child a pencil to draw the composition on a piece of paper.
5. Now your child can trace over the pencil lines with marker. Do not use washable markers for this part as this will run when the watercolor is applied. Remember to remind him of some rules about using a non-washable writing tool in order to avoid marking clothing or furniture!
6. Bring out the secret ingredient! Ask your child to smell each color (each mixed drink), and make a prediction about the scent.  Your child may want to drink the sweetly scented watercolors, but you can simply explain that the colors will be his paints that will help him create his work of art!  In any case, these won't taste very good anyway without the added sugar.
7. Encourage your child to match specific colors/scents to the still life items as he paints his watercolor work of art.
8. When he is finished, set aside to dry.
9. Once it is dry, your child can scratch and sniff his beautiful creation and hang it in a place of prominence!