Blick Lesson Plans: hundreds of free, original ideas for Art Education!

In reverse glass painting, paint is applied to the back side of a glass surface and viewed from the smooth, unpainted, front side. The artist builds layers, starting with a black outline of the image, then working layer-by-layer from foreground to background, allowing each color and layer to dry before the next is added. Blick Premium Tempera is mixed with a small amount of Elmer's Glue All for adhesion. To finish, a sheet of silver mirror paper is applied to the back, filling in any clear space, and reflecting light, brightening the painting.

Use dried acrylic paint, called paint skins, and Pebeo Self-Adhesive Lead Strips to create a piece that mimics the appearance and visual aesthetic of stained-glass compositions —without using glass! Just like Tiffany experimented with a variety of methods to color glass, students will experiment with a variety of paint viscosities and transparencies to create a wide range of effects.

Young artists will study color mixing by adding Blick Liquid Watercolor to Crayola Model Magic Clay. Both clay and watercolor are kneaded together in a plastic bag, keeping hands and surfaces clean, yet allowing for a tactile sensory experience. When all the watercolor is absorbed, the clay may be handled without transferring color. From the mixed clay, small balls are rolled by hand, engaging those fine motor skills.

Kirigami is a variation of the Japanese art of origami but allows for cutting the paper. The paper cuts are then folded to create a 3-dimensional design that pops out from the page. Students will first create a watercolor landscape painting. Then, with the assistance of a folding guide made from graph paper and string, cuts are made to accentuate elements painted in the watercolor. Rolling hills, trees, and other natural elements can be made to stand away from the page.

Students will sketch their designs in opaque watercolor onto Roylco Paper Mesh. Then, using a punch needle tool that they have assembled, students will “punch” loops of yarn into the paper mesh, creating loops with the yarn. The loops can be made to be quite tight, or loose like a shag carpet. The process allows for greater textural variation than traditional weaving. And, once you get the hang of the process, it moves along much more quickly than weaving!

Texture and light are the shining stars of this mixed media combo of metallic paper and oil pastel.

Grafix Double Tack Mounting Film can be used to mount a variety of materials, including fabric, without the use of glue, heat, or activator. Pieces of embroidery floss, laid closely in swaths on Grafix adhesive film, are used to create areas of color and fill in the design. When done, find the perfect surface and make your statement stick!

An automaton is a simple machine designed to follow a sequence of operations, resulting in predetermined movements. Showcase pieces can move up and down, appear and disappear, move apart from each other, or spin in a circle! A simple automaton can be made with just a few supplies and a lot of imagination!

Lightweight mâché mixes instantly into a clay-like dough, then sculpts cleanly beneath plastic film using fingers, tools, or texture plates. Paintable and satisfyingly tactile!

Surrealism is based on a degree of realism - we must be familiar with something before we transform it into something fantastic. Students look to the plant and animal kingdoms to morph the shape of their hand into a fantasy creature with the help of collage papers and craft items.

Combine drawing and printmaking to create a suit of playing cards reflective of your unique personality.

Build a better understanding of attachment techniques while emulating the sculptural work of artist Lee Bontecou.

Experience what it was like to be a Modern designer in the last century. Merge new materials and out-of-the-box thinking to create a chair for a toy "customer".

Create patterns on a wooden block using readily available materials, including classroom scraps, chunky yarn, suede lacing, WonderFoam, and cardboard. Each material will print in its own unique way!

Combine clay, carving, plaster, and watercolor to create a dimensional tile.

Create individual strands that express ideas, respond to a theme or prompt, represent a timeline of memories, or express a personal vision. Single strands combine to form a "curtain" installation that grows and gives voice to individuals and communities.

One scene is woven from two watercolor paintings and two impressionistic interpretations of light and color. Diagonal lines create a dynamic composition with built-in perspective.

Characters come to life in readers’ imaginations through written description and illustrations within the book. But what if the character literally came out of the book? Creative writing, saddle bookbinding, and papier-mâché all come together to create this one-of-a-kind readable sculpture.

Take cues from Georgia O'Keeffe and sharpen observation skills using mindful practices. Students use a viewfinder to focus in on a subject, explore various viewpoints, and express what their senses discover through mixed media collage.

Celebrate Biodiversity and the vital importance of leaves by sealing them in brilliant metallic color and adorning them with gems, glitter, and artistic designs.

Abstractly cut paper is folded into a freestanding accordion book, creating shadows and light patterns on the surrounding environment

Take blind contour drawing to a fun new level with invisible drawing media. Students will use a Sakura Cray-Pas Color Extender oil pastel to draw a contour portrait of a classmate. The line will be nearly invisible, but leave a mark in oil which serves as a resist. Students then apply color, in the form of bleeding tissue paper misted with water, to magically reveal the subject! The process is so fun it will be hard to stop at just one!

Breathe new life into shirts, jeans, and more using common drawing materials (that you probably already have). Fabric medium is a clear acrylic fluid that can help make many drawing and painting supplies more permanent and washable on fabric.

In this lesson, traditional Swedish ornaments serve as an educational bridge to learning about platonic solids and more complicated geometric shapes.

Heroes can be characterized by many admirable traits. Pay tribute to everyday community heroes with this simple wire and wood figure sculpture. A fun and thoughtful way to study human form in 3 dimensions.