Cotton bud ghosts
On black paper, dab white ghosts with cotton buds, then draw big round eyes and surprised mouths.
Age : age 3+
Materials
- Black or dark blue paper : Thick drawing paper if possible.
- White poster paint : Thick, not watered down.
- A handful of cotton buds : Several held together with an elastic band fill in faster.
- Black marker or black paper : For eyes and mouth, once dry.
- A flat plate : For the paint.
Steps
Dab
- Pour a little white paint onto the plate.
- Sketch the ghost shapes in white pencil or chalk: rounded at the top, wavy at the bottom.
- Dip the cotton bud and dab close-set dots inside the shape.
- To go faster, band 5 or 6 cotton buds together: it makes a big dotty brush.
- Add more spread-out dots around it, like mist.
- Leave to dry for a quarter of an hour.
Bring them to life
- Draw two big round eyes and an "O" mouth in black marker, or glue on paper circles.
- Add a moon, cotton-bud stars, and a title: "Boo!".
Same technique in orange for pumpkins, or with lots of colours for fireworks.
If it goes wrong
- Dots merge into a blob : Wipe it on the edge of the plate before dabbing.
- White doesn't cover the black : Neat paint, or two coats.
- Marker won't show : Wait until it's completely dry.
Safety
- Cotton buds don't go in ears or in little ones' mouths.