by Debbie Chapman
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Squeegee painting is SO MUCH FUN and this colourful artwork is really simple to make! It’s a perfect quick and easy art project for both kids and adults.
Squeegee Painting
Squeegee painting is a super fun way to make abstract art!No need for a paintbrush or any special tools for this art project! Simply drop acrylic paint onto a canvas and use a squeegee to spread it around.
Painting with a squeegee is a great form of “process art” – it’s all about the creation of the painting and experimenting. It’s easy enough for toddlers to do, fun enough for adults, and there’s really no way to do it wrong.
Kids (and adults!) will enjoy using the squeegee and seeing the colours blend into an abstract, colourful and unique painting!
Check out our Squeegee Painting video tutorial:
Looking for more fun painting ideas? Here’s some of our favourites:
Cat Squeegee Painting
Paper Roll Fireworks Painting
Seashell Painting
Here’s what you’ll need:
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The full printable instructions are at the end of this post, but here’s a list of products on Amazon and Target that are similar to the supplies we used:
What if I don’t have a squeegee?
We recommend using a squeegee if possible, but if you want to make this style of art without one then you can use a rectangle of cardboard. Flat cardboard from a cereal box or something similar will work the best.
Just keep in mind that cardboard, unlike a squeegee, gets soggy and you can probably only use each piece of cardboard once or twice.
Do I need to use a canvas?
A canvas will give you the best surface for the large amount of paintused in this project and it will leave you with art that’s ready to hang on the wall. But if you’re just doing this project for fun there’s a few cheaper options.
If you’re trying this project with kids, you can cut a few rectangles from a cardboard box. You can also use watercolour paper, which is heavier than normal paper and designed to be more absorbent so it won’t curl as much as card stock.
What paint is best for painting with squeegee?
We like to use acrylic paint for squeegee painting. The colours stay really bright when the acrylic paint dries, it’s fast drying, and you can use it on any surface.
If you’re painting with kids you might want to use tempera paint, which is washable. Tempera paint dries very matte so if you want your painting to be shiny, you’ll need to apply a layer of glossy Mod Podge over it when you’re done.
Where can I buy supplies for squeegee painting?
You should be able to buy all the supplies for squeegee painting at the dollar store, making this a really inexpensive craft! If you’d rather shop online, Amazon also sells all the items you’ll need.
Squeegees can be found at Walmart or at a hardware store. Acrylic paint and canvases are sold at Walmart, Michaels, or an art supply store. You can buy a sheet pan at Walmart or any kitchen supply store.
How to Paint with a Squeegee
Squeegee painting is SO MUCH FUN! These colourful abstract paintings are super easy to make and they look really cool when they're done!
Materials:
- Canvas
- Acrylic paint (colours of choice; at least 3 different ones)
Equipment:
Cookie sheet (optional)
Instructions:
Place your canvas on a baking tray (or newspaper, drop cloth, butcher paper, etc - something to contain the mess!)
Add dots of paint to the canvas, leaving a bit of space between colours.
Try adding at least a few different colours of paint that compliment each other. For this squeegee painting we used purple, yellow, white, and two shades of blue.
Place your squeegee at the top of the painting. If your squeegee doesn't cover the whole canvas choose one side (left or right) and start there.
Gently press down and pull the squeegee across the canvas towards yourself. Hold the canvas in place with your other hand.
The harder you press with the squeegee, the more paint you'll remove from the canvas.
If you want more muted colours on your painting, press down hard on the squeegee. For brighter, bolder paintings use light pressure when squeegeeing.
If you have a smaller squeegee like we do, wipe off the blade with a paper towel after every pass.
Squeegee the second half of the canvas.
Allow your squeegee painting to dry.
Set the canvas up on soup cans or anything that will lift it above the tray or paper while it dries. The canvas will stick if it dries directly on a surface.
Your squeegee painting is complete!
Helpful Tip:
We squeezed dots of paint onto our canvas, but you can also try squeezing lines or other shapes onto the canvas with the paint.
Drop paint anywhere on the canvas to create these awesome squeegee paintings! This style of painting is popular on TikTok, and it’s easy to see why. Seeing the painting come to life as you move the squeegee down the canvas is super satisfying!
Here’s even more fun craft ideas:
Cat Squeegee Painting
Paper Roll Fireworks Painting
DIY Sidewalk Chalk Paint
Seashell Painting
Our bookLow-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon |Barnes and Noble | Books- A- Million | Indiebound |Indigo |Amazon Canada
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About Debbie Chapman, the Author of this Post
I'm Debbie Chapman, founder of One Little Project and author of the book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids. I love creating fun and easy crafts and cooking up delicious recipes for my husband and 3 kids.
More by Debbie Chapman
Filed Under: Crafts for Adults, DIY, Just for Kids, Kids Crafts and ActivitiesTagged With: acrylic paint, adult activities, adult crafts, art for adults, art for kids, canvas, crafts for kids, easy kids crafts, Kids Crafts, painting, process art, squeegee, squeegee painting
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