Op Art Flower: Tissue Paper Bleeding Art

 
 
 

See how to use bleeding tissue paper and water to create a gorgeous tie-dye effect on your op art flowers.  Use one of Expressive Monkey’s Op Art Flower printable coloring pages. 

 

Wait, don’t print yet!

 

Printing Tip

Using 80-90# drawing paper takes a little more effort.  Most likely you will need to cut it to fit in your printer or copier.  But it’s worth it to have paper that is easier to work with.  I get my paper on Amazon and use the Sax brand.  The example on the right (above) was printed on 90# drawing paper.

 

Why 90# Paper?

This project can be done on regular copy paper but a few things to keep in mind.  The example on the left above (the paper at an angle) was printed on regular copy paper.  You can see that the colors bled past the design border.  If you use regular copy paper, I would recommend just making the tissue paper color extend all the way to the edge of the paper.  So wet the entire paper and cover the entire paper with tissue paper.  The paper will get totally soaked and will buckle more than the thicker drawing paper.  When it dries it might be a little wavy.  You can press it flat by putting the dried paper(s) under a book for a couple days. They will still look beautiful! 

 

 

The Bleeding Tissue Art Technique

 Cut the tissue paper into squares (around 3″)  They can also be torn to create a softer edge. 
Start by brushing water on the paper. If you are keeping to outside border white, don’t brush water on this area.

 

 

Brush on Water

 Lay one piece of tissue paper on the wet op art flower design at a time and brush over it with more water. 

 

Keeping Colors Bright

 One way to avoid getting muddy colors is to use just warm colors (red, orange, pink, yellow) or just cool colors (green, blue, purple). If you are using all the colors of the rainbow, try to not let color opposites overlap.  (Red & Green, Blue & Orange, Yellow & Purple) or you will get a brownish color.  This project looks simple, but students will have to do a little color mixing in their heads to place make smart choices and keep the colors vibrant.

 

Carefully brush a little more color over the top to make sure every piece of tissue paper is soaked.  Try not to let it make puddles.  If it gets too wet, you can lay more tissue paper on top to soak up the water.

 

 

The Secret to Success

The example on the right (above) shows what happens if you have any dry spots … they stay white.  Having a little bit of white here and there adds interest and sparkle.  But getting enough water ensures the colors are vibrant and mostly filled in.

 

 

The Wait

Now the hard part!  Let the paper dry for several hours. It’s worth the wait, though.

 

 

The Reveal

Removing the tissue paper to reveal the colors below is like opening a present!  See my Instagram posts that show this fun step!

 
 
 

Op Art Line Drawing Option

 The Step-by-Step

If you don’t want to print out the op art designs that have black on them, you can work with the line designs (or even draw your own design).  Here is one idea for how to finish it.  You can color with colored markers.  I chose to use colors that were just a little darker than the color that was already in that space.  You can see a quick video of this on my Instagram page. Notice I didn’t color EVERY space in.  Work in a checkerboard pattern so that only the corners of the marker colored areas touch.

You can find the Op Art Flower on my website and TpT Store.

Social & Emotional Learning in Art

Click on this image to get a free copy of this infographic.

Remind yourself and others of the social and emotional benefits of art. This is a great graphic to include in parent newsletters or display in your room.

You can read more about Social Emotional Learning in Art in this blog post.


Let’s Connect!

Join my email list to hear about new resources, sales, and tips for teaching art and drawing, and get 15% off your next order!

join us in the art teacher drawing hub facebook group

Continue the conversation in my FB group of art teachers:

The Art Teacher Drawing Hub.

Don’t forget to pin this!

Four girls with their hands out in celebration. There is confetti in the air. The text says, "Art Teacher Tips - Class Rewards that Won't Make You Crazy".
Stacey Peters

Stacey Peters

I create engaging drawing resources that help students build confidence and express themselves through art. I'm a former elementary art teacher of 25 years turned business owner. Giving you the tools you need to bring more drawing into your classroom brings me joy.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hi there!

I create engaging drawing resources that help students build confidence and express themselves through art.

Search

Blog Topics

Shop TPT

JOIN THE LIST

Save 15% on your next order when you join my email list.

join the club

Connect with a group of dynamic art teachers where we chat about all things drawing. Come ask me your questions or search for ideas in the posts. We’d love to have you!

In the Shop

You might Also Like:

Join the Group

Connect with a group of dynamic art teachers where we chat about all things drawing. Come ask me your questions or search for ideas in the posts. We’d love to have you!

 

I like to spoil my subscribers :-) 

(and my dog)

Join the list!

Get 15% off your next order just by subscribing to my emails!  

Thank you for subscribing!