Squeegee Art

simple, satisfying, &cooler than you'd expect 😎

This is one of the most satisfying art projects yet: art made with a squeegee! You can also use scrapers or even a credit card.

First, check out some inspiration. ShareceStudios makes incredible, complex squeegee art. Also see Andrea Nelson’s tutorial on paint scraping.

You basically just make dots and squiggles with acrylic paint, then pull it down or swirl it around using a scraper of some sort. As a reminder, paint isn’t that expensive. The brand we used was 67 cents a bottle, though we splurged $2 on a couple metallic ones. For the scrapers, check Dollar Tree, Ace Hardware, Harbor Freight, etc.

It’s abstract art so it doesn’t need to be, like, amazing. We’re just experimenting with colors, layers, and designs. You might surprise yourself!

Some tips:

• Use smooth paper.

• A little paint goes a long way.

• Clean off your squeegee after each scrape (usually.)

• Have plenty of paper towels handy and be prepared for lots of mess. You could even put a piece of scrap paper under your artwork to catch the extra paint. (That’s what Sharece seems to do.)

• Masking tape helps hold your piece down.

• The color palette means a lot. Figure out which colors go together! If you give your kids an aesthetically pleasing palette, their art will probably be more enjoyable to look at 👀.

• Don’t be afraid to go scrape your artwork more than once and experiment.

I gave this activity the Toddler Test (as I do with pretty much all Family Scripts activities) and—as expected—it was popular but stressful 😅 I should’ve used washable paints with him. At least the tray helped catch some of the mess.

Also, you don’t have to waste all of the paint that’s leftover on your scrapers! I kept blank notecards and envelopes handy, and after trying a painting in my sketchbook, I scraped onto the papers. This quickly made my own full set of stationery!

Let me know if you try it. I’m sure there’s tons of potential with this.

I hope you have a great weekend!

Remember. You are creative.

Warmly,

Hope from Family Scripts