The clock is ticking!
Entries are closing for The 2021 Spencil Art Prize on next Wednesday, 17 February.
Tell your kids from us – this weekend is your last chance fancy pants! Paint, collage, sketch, photograph or digital draw to have the chance at making our prize yours!
With a whopping 1328 entries as at 6:32 this morning, our art prize is blasting off to the moon! Kids have tackled exciting themes like exotic animals, native flora and fauna, fantasy creatures, impressionism, exciting people, places and of course Covid, with a truckload of colour and enthusiasm.
But something is missing…
We are stoked with the works that have come through so far!
Words cannot describe just how proud we are.
But there’s one thing missing, or maybe there’s two…
an artwork from a child named by… YOU!
Don’t have an artsy bone in your body? That’s ok, not all of us do!
But your child just might…
Learn how to muster up all the creative energy of the mini DaVincis and Picassos in your world, with a few awesome tips from our team.
How to get your kids creating
Tip 1: Mess is best
Create a ‘studio’ space, where mess will be no stress. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Choose a space that you didn’t spend an unholy amount of time and money decorating or cleaning. A garage or a backyard would be just perfect!
Cover the floor and give your kids permission to let their creativity run absolutely wild! Within reason…
Tip 2: Happy accidents
There are no mistakes in the making of art… only happy accidents. Watch your child’s confidence sky rocket when you tell them
“A stroke out of line is still a stroke from you!
You’re expressing yourself and that is what matters!”
Older kids can get particularly judgemental of their work and creative process so it pays to remind them that art isn’t about being perfect! It’s about the sheer enjoyment of creating.
Tip 3: Let sleeping dogs lie
When your kid exclaims “done” don’t push the fun! It’s important to watch your P’s and Q’s when commenting on their finished work.
The best comment you can give your child is one of praise, just let them revel in their creative genius and be proud of their work!
Tip 4: Hunt around
When they’re stuck for ideas, go on a hunt around your home for objects to inspire. Bottle caps, wood pieces, cardboard, fruit and vegetable slices, corks, sponges, cotton tips, string, leaves and sticks all pair well with paint and paper or canvas to make intriguing shapes and creatures.
Help them out with some of the great resources you can find online. They’re everywhere. But if everywhere is too big, we’ve found some fabulous people who’ve shared their ideas.
You know the miffy exhibition is on at QUT Art Museum until 14 March. If you can’t make it to Brisbane, get inspired on their website and download the 3D drawing activity with Carla McRae to learn how to draw nature using 3D material like clay or dough.
Danya Banya inspires art about Australia. Learn to paint wattle trees with poms poms or paint Australia’s gorgeous bottle brushes using cardboard ‘stamps’.
While we’re on the Aussie flora theme, how about a little gumnut painting?
We think this is a great way to introduce kids to the extraordinary world of Australian Aboriginal Art and get them trying it for themselves. They will learn about the symbols, styles and stories used in this incredible art form and find tutorials on various methods to explore for themselves. Explore the site further for other art traditions.
You can also find heaps of art activities and ideas to inspire their next masterpiece at Kidspot.
And when they’re done, don’t forget to save them! Get the expert tips on storing and preserving your child’s masterpieces.
Tip 5: Prepare to share
One of the best parts about creating art is getting to share it! Get your kids feeling confident and ready to share their works in the 2021 Spencil Art Prize.
Take a clear photo in good lighting of your child’s artwork. Crop it so we get to see every detail and get it in to us here.
We can’t wait to see them!
By the way, that gorgeous painting is one of the entries in The Spencil Art Prize. It’s call Abstract Tubes and is by the 12 year old artist Jasmine Goh. Take a look at it and the hundreds of other gorgeous entries in The Spencil Art Prize Gallery.