Personality and Artistic Differences

     An unexpected thunderstorm today made me think it was a good time for a little inside creativity, and to let the kids try out their new painting boards. 

     The boards are so smooth and pretty, it made painting time more special.  I made them from 1/4 inch plywood that was really smooth, but one side had green printing all over it, that could not be sanded out.  So I decided to stain them green using my homemade colored stain.  I just mix artist oil paint with butcher block oil, and I can get a rub on stain any color I want.

     I loved watching the twins paint today.  It really showed their personality differences.  Abriel very carefully painted in the blue, and then without mixing at all, she carefully added the red.  You can see her tongue stuck out in concentration.  She didn't talk at all while she was painting, but when she had filled in the last little bit of paper, she said, "I'm all done. It's very lovely." 

     Samuel's painting method is very different.  He slaps it all on, and the more mixing the better.  He also loves to chat while painting.  He said he was painting "A big, giant thunder rain cloud. " and it was "really loud!" While Abriel was carefully dabbing on her paint, he was painting, "as fast as a tornado!" with paint flying everywhere.  The paint must have been an inch thick by the time he was finished. 

     Anna painted her usual theme.  I really need to get her some watercolor paper, since painting on card stock just isn't the same.  When I made the painting boards, I also made Anna a paint pot holder.  I stained it turquoise- her favorite color.  I am going to make some for the twins as well, but I'm  out of scrap wood just now.