Looking for fun art projects to do with kids for Valentine’s Day or anytime of the year? Local art teacher Alyssa Navapanich shares two awesome projects below: Pop Art Hearts and Tint and Shade Hearts. 

Pop Art Hearts

Pop Art artists of the 1960s, such as Andy Warhol, used everyday objects as inspiration for art. In the 1980s another group of artists inspired by Pop Art followed suit, and the Neo-Pop movement was born. These Pop Art Hearts are inspired by the amazing art of two artists: Jim Dine (Pop Art) and Romero Britto (Neo-Pop).

Discussion Points for Teachers/Parents

• Talk about color and lines.
• Discuss warm colors (red, yellow, orange) and cool colors (blue, green, purple).
• Look at artwork by Romero Britto and Jim Dine at the library or online.

Supplies

• Construction paper or cardstock (9”x12”)
• Pencil and paintbrushes
• Tempera paint: black or white, plus desired colors (red, orange, yellow, blue, pink, purple are good starters)
• Cup
• Paper towel or clean sponge
• Newsprint, paper grocery bag, placemat or other item to cover workspace

Directions

1. Using a pencil, draw a large heart in the center of the paper.
2. Paint the center of the heart (striped, blended or solid) using bright colors.
3. Paint the background using different colors so the heart “pops” off the page. If you use warm colors (red, yellow and orange) for the heart, try using cool colors (blue, green, purple) for the background. Let dry slightly.
4. Paint patterns on the heart* or the background (or both). Dots, circles, straight lines, zigzag lines, small flowers—any pattern works. Let dry completely.
5. Outline the heart in black, white (or other bold color) paint.

*Tip: To avoid unwanted blending of colors, rinse paintbrushes between colors and blot wet brush on paper towel or sponge.

More Tips & Ideas

1. For the brightest colors, do not dilute the paint.
2. Frame your artwork for display.
3. Make small paintings (5”x7” or smaller) and turn them into greeting cards.
4. Scan your artwork image and print to make multiple cards or valentines.

Tint and Shade Hearts

Learn tinting and shading with this fun and educational art project that is great for Valentine’s Day or anytime of the year. It works best with oil pastels, but chalk pastel would work as well.

Discussion Points for Parents and Teachers

• Color blending and mixing
• Warm colors: red, yellow, orange
• Cool colors: blue, purple, green
• Mixing white with a color is called a tint.
• Mixing black with a color is called a shade.

Supplies

• Black construction paper or cardstock
• Newsprint, paper grocery bag, placemat or other item to cover workspace
• Oil pastels in many colors, plus black and white

Directions

1. Draw a large heart in the center of your paper with a white pastel.
   
   
2. Draw sections inside the heart and in the background with straight lines
   
   
3. Inside of the heart, use colored pastels and white. In each section, color about half with a color and the other half white. Where the white meets the color, blend with your fingers to create a tint. Each section will then be white, the tint, then color.
   
   
4. Outside of the heart, you will use colored pastels and black. In each section on the outside of the heart, color about half with a color and the other half black. Where black meets the color, blend with your fingers to create a shade. Each section will then be black, the shade, then color. Note: Using the black pastel close to the heart outline and the color towards the edge of the paper will make the heart “pop“ off the page more.
   
   
5. Your artwork is now ready for framing!

Alyssa Navapanich is a nationally recognized art educator who teaches art to elementary school kids in East San Diego County. She is the author of San Diego Family Magazine’s “Art with Alyssa” column.

Find more fun projects (and recipes) in our Valentine's Day Round-Up.