Mother’s Day portraits make wonderful kid-made gifts, especially with the added touch of the crown since Mom is Queen of the house. These Mother’s Day paintings were made by preschoolers and kindergarten kids, but the idea could be used with older kids as well. Written by Barbara Rucci of Art Bar Blog.
Updated April 2021
I love Mother’s Day. From the handmade cards, to the meals that are made for me, to the extra hugs, to the fact that it’s always on a beautiful day in May that reminds me of the warm weather to come. If one of my children gave me a “Queen Mom” portrait like these, I would weep with joy. How precious are these paintings?
Let me tell you how these 4 to 6 year olds made them.
Mother’s Day Portraits for Mom
MATERIALS
- Large piece of paper (we used 12 x 18 white sulphite paper)
- Black Sharpie
- Tempera paints
- Brushes
Time needed: 1 hour
Instructions
- Draw the Face
The children began by using their Sharpie to draw the face.
This part takes practice, and sometimes we practice with our finger or a pencil on the table paper. Young kids tend to draw very small, so we work on using their whole arm rather than just their hand. Once they drew their big circle, they filled in the features, hair, and of course the crown!
Because moms are the Queens of our homes.
- Paint the Portrait
Next, the kids used the temperas to paint in their pictures. Some of them spent more time than needed creating details with the Sharpie. I tried to tell them that it wasn’t necessary, that they could just create the shapes and then fill them in with paint. But some kids really just like to draw. Most of them ended up painting over their drawings anyway, so it didn’t really matter.
- What Do You Love About Your Mom?
Lastly, I had each child tell me what they loved most about their mom, and then I wrote it on the back with pencil, along with the date. I always try and put a date on my student’s artwork, it’s important to document their growth.
I love the freckles on this portrait. And this kindergartner just got a new puppy, so she wanted to sign her artwork with her initial and a bone. I love that touch!
Have a wonderful Mother’s Day!
Xo Bar
More by/about Barbara Rucci on The Artful Parent
- How to Make Fairy Wings with Cardboard and Doilies
- Artist Study with Kids – Learn about Sonia Delaunay
- Cardboard Portraits from Art Workshop for Children (written by Jean about Bar’s book)
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