Confetti Painting For Kids: Inspired By André Derain

In this confetti painting for kids art project, we’re going to paint with paper dots and learn about the Fauvism art movement.

This art project is inspired by André Derain.  Derain was born in 1880 in Chatou, Yvelines, Île-de-France, just outside of Paris.  He was a French painter and sculptor as well as the co-founder of Fauvism with Henri Matisse.

While studying to be an engineer, Derain attended painting classes where he met Matisse.  After serving in the military from 1901 to 1904, Derain abandoned his engineering career to devote himself to painting with Matisse’s persuading.

Matisse and Derain painted together throughout the summer of 1905 and displayed their paintings in the Salon d’Automne (Autumn Salon).

The vivid, unnatural colors in their work prompted the critics to label them as “Les Fauves” or “the wild beasts”, marking the start of the Fauvist movement.

What is Fauvism?

Fauvism is a style of painting with vivid expressionistic and non-natural use of color.

Fauvism flourished in Paris from 1904 – 1908.  Henri Matisse was known as the art movement’s leading artist.

Our inspiration piece for this art project is, The Bride, View On The River, by André Derain.

 

André Derain’s painting will be our template to paint with confetti!

Supplies needed for this project are:

• Printed 8 ½ x 11 color copy of the inspiration painting
• 2 pieces of 8 ½ x 11 black cardstock
• Clear contact paper
• Varied colors of tissue paper
• Cutting surface
• Ruler
• Hole punch
• X-Acto Knife
• Double stick tape/adhesive

The first step is to create two black frames with the sheets of cardstock.  Use the ruler and mark a ½ inch border around the edge of each sheet.  Cut out each frame with the X-Acto knife.

Use the frame as a guide and cut out two sheets of contact paper that are just about ¼ of an inch larger than the black frames.

Remove the backing from the contact paper and attach the contact paper to the inner window of the black frame.  Just get the contact paper started so that you don’t stick the paper to the table, then flip the frame over and remove the rest of the backing.

You’ll now have a black frame filled with contact paper (sticky side up).  Carefully slide the color copy of the inspiration painting underneath the frame.

Now it’s time to make some confetti!

Using the hole punch, punch out a good amount of tissue paper confetti for each color that you’ll need for the painting.

The best way to punch holes in tissue paper is to fold the tissue paper over on itself about 4 times on the edge of the paper and punch through many layers.

If you have just the right amount of tissue paper, the holes will punch easily.  Too much or too little tissue paper and it’s a bit difficult.

Once your confetti is ready, use the inspiration painting to guide you where to apply the colors on the sticky contact paper.

For a more precise application of tissue paper, use a damp finger to pick up the tissue paper confetti piece by piece.  For larger areas just sprinkle the confetti onto the sticky contact paper.

Using the inspiration painting as your guide, apply the tissue paper confetti to the corresponding areas of color.  Every now and then you can shake the excess confetti off of the contact paper and continue to reapply until you have nice even coverage on the contact paper.

Once you’re happy with your confetti painting, use the second sheet of contact paper to seal the confetti between the two pieces of contact paper.

Below you can see both sides of our confetti painting, the one on the right has more definition in the landscape.  This side was the side of the contact paper we applied the confetti to (notice the shapes of the landscape are more defined (it’s a reverse image of our painting).

The one on the left is the side we applied the top layer of contact paper.

If you’d like to finish your confetti painting with a nice frame, use some double sided tape or adhesive and apply the second black frame on the side of your confetti painting you like the best.

Tissue paper paintings with contact paper make great suncatchers in the window too!

Here’s our confetti painting in the window.  The sunlight through the tissue paper and contact paper creates a unique texture with the transparency of the tissue paper.

You can hang your confetti painting as wall or window art!

---

---