Jellyfish in the Sea. An Art Project that Moves.

🎂 6 + years ⏱️ 45 min 📍 Anywhere ⭐ medium

Imagine diving deep into the sea. Above you, the water sparkles, small fish swim around you, and suddenly you see them: jellyfish. They move slowly, almost like a dance. Their tentacles float in the water. Some people find jellyfish creepy, while others find them beautiful. But no matter how you feel about them, they are important for the sea. Today, you will paint your own jellyfish. You will learn how colors blend, how to create soft transitions, and how to make an animal come alive with just a few strokes. You will need patience and your imagination. And maybe while painting, you will realize: art is a bit like the sea. Calm and exciting at the same time.

What you'll need

watercolors
brushes
cup of water
A3 drawing paper
chalk pastels

How it works

Take watercolors. Choose shades of blue and maybe a bit of green. Think about where the water is dark? Where is it lighter? First, paint an area in a strong color. Rinse your brush and take another shade to layer on top.
Then gently blend the colors together until they flow softly. Test what happens when you add more water. Stop when you think: 'This looks like the sea.' Let the painting dry well.
Take a chalk pastel. Draw a half-round head. Press harder on one side to add more color. Now smudge the other side with your finger or a cloth. Like light shining through the water.
Under the head, paint long, thin tentacles. Some can be straight, others wavy, as if they are moving. You can paint them with the chalk pastel.
Look at your painting. Is something missing? Maybe small bubbles around the jellyfish? Or several smaller jellyfish in the background? Now your painting is finished. Hold it away and take a look. Find out more about jellyfish. Do you know why jellyfish are important for the sea?