Cherry Tree Blossoms

In this lesson children will use thinned tempera paint and a straw to blow the paint across the paper and create the branches of a cherry tree.  Thinning the paint gives it the look of sume-i ink painting.  The blossoms are created by using paint dipped on the tips of their fingers and printed in a cluster of five petals.  You can also use this as an opportunity to discuss tints by demonstrating that by adding white to red you create pink.

Vocabulary to Introduce:
printing
sume-i
tint

Materials:

-white paper

-black and pink (red and white) tempera paint

-water for thinning the black paint

-straw

Preparation:

Thin the black paint beforehand with just enough water to give it some transparency and fluidity when using the straw.   Place red and white paint on a plate together but mix it in front of the students to demonstrate creating a tint.  Cut the straw down to a length that is more manageable for the children.  It may also help in keeping the mess down to have baby wipes or wet paper towels to immediately wipe fingers after printing.

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process: