Mermaids Love Art: Tin Foil "Metal" Abstract Art

Hi there homeschoolers and art fans! Looking for something fun to do, but tired of pencil and paper? I've got something for you to try! All you need is:

1.Cardboard (cereal box, granola or fruit snack box, pizza round, etc...)
2. Aluminum Foil
3. Sharpies or washable markers
4. Tape of any kind (could also try glue)

Here's what we are going to be making... snazzy, right?

First thing I did was gather my supplies...I had to eat some snacks so I could use one of these boxes. Cut off one of the larger sides and get rid of the "tabs", so all you have left is a rectangle.

Next you will need your aluminum foil. You'll be ripping off small pieces and rolling them into little "worm" shapes. Tape them all down at different angles to separate the space on your cardboard. You could try glue if you don't have tape, but you will need to let the glue dry before moving on to the next step.

The idea is to separate the spaces, so that you have different areas for different colors later on, so make sure all your little lines or "worms" are touching one another, with no space in between. It should look kind of like a puzzle.

Take a big piece of foil and gently drape it over your cardboard. When you do this, make sure to leave it loose so that there's extra space for the next step, which is pushing down around your little "worm" lines.

I used the soft eraser of a pencil to help me push around my line design. You could use your fingers or a Q-Tip, as well. Just make sure you are being REALLLLLYYYY careful, or the foil may rip.

When you can clearly see your design, it's time to wrap your edges around the cardboard, like this...

Now, time to color!! My first choice would be sharpies or other permanent markers, but since I didn't have any of those at home, washable markers are what I used. Just be careful not to touch the marker afterward, or it will smudge.

To add a little color theory, think back to the "color wall" at school!