It’s fun to get the kids involved in red, white and blue art projects, especially during the Memorial Day and July 4 season. Here’s a star-spangled sun catcher, perfect for capturing the summer sunshine.
Supplies
- Something to cover workspace
- Scissors
- Red, white and blue tissue paper
- Red, blue or black construction paper (18”x 24”)
- Pencil
- Wax paper
- Paintbrush
- White glue
- String or tape
Directions
- Cut red, white and blue tissue paper into 1” squares (or use pre-cut squares). Set aside.
- If using 18”x 24” construction paper, fold it in half; this is where you’ll draw your shape, but fold in half again (see photo) to make another seam (this will make it easier to cut out the center of your shape).
- Open paper once so you are looking at a 9”x 12” paper with one seam through the middle. Draw a large star, heart or rectangle in the center of the paper, then draw a line following the shape on the inside about ¾ to 1 inch from the original drawing, creating a border.
- While paper is still folded in half once, cut out the shape (along the outer edge) and then cut out the center shape, creating two frames.
- Cut a piece of wax paper that will fit within the frames.
- Using a paintbrush, glue the squares of tissue paper onto the wax paper; allow to dry.
- Glue the wax paper to one frame, add glue to the edge and top with the second frame. Trim the waxed paper to fit inside the frame, if still needed.
- Add string or tape and hang the suncatcher in a window.
Alyssa Navapanich is an award-winning art educator who teaches art to elementary school kids in East San Diego County.
