Creativity is a Process

Yes, creativity is indeed a process...especially when you are 9, 10 or 11 years old. In fact, when you are that age, the work of creating a masterpiece can start out a little sillier than Monet or Van Gogh ever knew possible.

First, to get the creative juices flowing, play a round of Ninja with your creative cohorts.

Careful!  If your drawing and painting hand gets smacked, it may mess with your final product.

Next, get to work on your project.  After playing Ninja and then mixing plaster last week and pouring it out on the burlap, the work of creating your own fresco a la Michelangelo is well underway.

Transfer your cartoon image from the tracing paper onto your plaster.  Remember to take to heart the instruction of your art teacher...things don't turn out as well if you don't!

Really...just start adding color to your cartoon drawing.  Jump in...it'll be okay.

There are lots of colors to choose from in the watercolor crayon and pencil boxes.

Decisions, decisions. 

Every time you have a question or problem, that art teacher of yours has just the answer or solution.

Now we are seeing the color show up on the plaster.  Some chose the cornucopia design, others, the butterfly design. 

After finishing the drawing and watercoloring, you have to...gulp...BREAK your plaster.  You can do it.  After all...

...you get to add the fancy Elmer's glue "glazing" that adds that final sparkle to your project.

It helps the process if you stick your tongue out a little while you work.  Go ahead...try it.

The final products are just great.  The camera can't do them justice.

Belle's moth, at night.  (It's important to the artist that you know not only the subject of her art, but the time of day depicted as well.)

Moo's butterfly fresco, not quite dry after her glazing.  The final work will be glued to a matting board and placed in a shadow box.  Because that, you see, is the end of the creative process--the display.