Abstract Painting (with kids!)

DIY Abstract Interior Painting - inspired by Leah Bartholomew 

I have heard from many of you that you are looking for a creative outlet at this time to share with your kids! Perhaps, after being at home over the past few months, you have even tackled some home projects and have the desire to refresh your walls. I personally love a project that is created with my own two hands- along with one that sparks a memory for all of those involved. 

What better way to tap into your creativity than with an abstract painting project- that can even be accomplished with kids?!

This project is one part color mixing and the other part observational drawing-both of which can be incredibly satisfying and fun! As you may know, I love to paint, especially abstracts! I often get the urge to paint more freely and in a meditative way. Color and abstraction really lend themselves to meditation. I recently came across Australian artist, Leah Bartholomew's work and I really fell in love with her style. I am a big fan of color, especially blues and pastels, so I got really excited. Here is a picture of one of her rooms below. One thing that you will love about this project is that you can do it alone, in tandem with your kids at home. 

Image via Leah Bartholomew

Abstract Painting Materials 

You will want to gather some supplies for your abstract painting. First off, I would like to say that you do not need all of these supplies although paints, paper and glue are essential. I was actually able to clean out my collage paper drawer which consists of wallpapers and construction paper and I was able to re-use in that way. 

• 11" x 14" canvas board or watercolor paper 
• collage papers,  or paint swatches
• Acrylic starter set or Gouache set
• Glue-sticks- any will do, although I tend to prefer sticky ones
• Round paint brush - size 10 - or any brush will do!

For this project, I use a combination of Liquitex acrylic paints and Holbein gouaches. I love the flat designer effect of this gouache and have invested in many colors over time. 

Studio Time • Process •

Here is where I will summarize, what the process looks like for me. 

1. Tearing and arranging collage shapes. With children I asked them to start with 5 shapes and to tear them organically, while remembering to space them out. 
2. Once I feel happy with the arrangement/color combination, I began to glue down the paper shapes. It's interesting how later, when you are painting you can no longer recognize the torn shape from the painted one next to it! 
3. Next, I mixed a limited palette of pastel paints. To make a pastel color, you tint each color by adding white. 
4. When working with a group, I instructed students to draw an organic (wavy line) from one shape to the next, outlining each shape then painting it in. I describe it as painting series of puzzle pieces. 

Here are some results from my students! 

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Later, I added in a pear and an apple! I felt that fruits were easier for my students to draw than flowers. We used tracing paper to draw on, so that background would show through. I added a bit of Modge Podge on top to seal each one. If I were doing the project on my own, I would sketch in botanical illustrations in pencil. 

You could also experiment with size. Instead of ordering a set of 3 canvas panels, you could do one large canvas like Leah does - I like this 30" x 40" canvas size for interior art. It would even be fun to create a custom painting using interior paint colors in the room!

I have to share one more of Leah Bartholomew's beautiful pieces with you before you go! So bright and summery, no?

Project Variations

Image via Leah Bartholomew

If you loved this project, you may consider joining one of our classes below: 

• ​Watercolor for Relaxation (for adults)
• Drawing & Painting: Outdoor Adventures (for artists 8-12)

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For other family friendly art projects, check these out: 

• ​DIY Modern Hexagon Collage
• ​​Crafting Flower Leis with Kids