Preschool Paintings to Scallop Art (Week 4, Project 2)

M is not very into art.  He gets into structured "projects", but coloring or painting - art for the sake of art - not his thing.  He much prefers the trains/cars/truck/blocks to the easel during any "free play" period of his preschool class.  So imagine my surprise when he started bringing home paintings, of the 4 yr old abstract variety, with some regularity a couple of months ago.  As the stack grew, I knew I wanted to something special to keep &/or display them...and then it hit me...

 

Scallop art! It's everywhere, but usually in solids like gold or paint chips, so I wasn't sure how it would come out, but I got to cutting while hoping for the best.  I tried using my 2" circle punch but the paper doesn't exactly lie flat after being smothered so liberally with washable paint so I switched it up and just traced the bottom of a cup that is also 2".  Then I cut them by hand. 

 

 

Putting it together was pretty simple.  I picked up a big frame from Ikea and just used the paper that comes in the frame as the base for my circles.  I marked the center and where the edge of the matt would be, then drew straight lines vertically and horizontally every 1". 

Then I attached them each with a dot of craft glue, using the lines as my guide.  Over and over and over again.  Actually, it wasn't that bad.  Every four rows or so I'd stop and lay a couple magazines on top until the glue dried.  Since the circles aren't flat, they tend to shift as they get layered, so I found I was able to keep the wiggling under control for four rows, but more than that and things started to get wonky.

I LOVE it.  It reminds me of an Eric Carle illustration.  I made it thinking it would go above the fireplace, but the proportions aren't right...and it may be a little too bright.  And it looks great in M's room.