Learn to make a heart painting with 3 easy peasy painting techniques. Fun for all ages!
Heart paintings ❤️are super easy painting ideas, that you can totally get creative with. From kids to adults, these 3 easy heart paintings, will teach you how to have fun with simple (Dollar Store) paints and canvases.
Oh yeah, and no paintbrushes needed!
I want to open your eyes to using unexpected, and unconventional painting tools so that you can discover a world of nifty painting techniques with simple household items.
Plus, if you know me, I love reusing things AND saving $$!
The projects below shouldn’t cost you more than $5 each (including paint), so this makes a great paint party idea or Valentine’s day craft for kids’ classrooms.
I got all my supplies from the Dollarstore, so you should be able to get them too!
Oh, and if you LOVE using the Q-tip painting method below, you’ll also enjoy my tutorial on painting an Easy Cherry Blossom Tree using Q-Tips! Amazing what these little cotton swabs can do!
This project is kid-friendly. If you’re looking for more ideas for the budding artists, check out this 83 painting ideas for kids post.
Valentines Day Inspired Craft
These 3 heart art ideas were inspired by Valentine’s day. My kids and I made them as valentines day crafts. But that doesn’t mean you have to wait for V-day to make these cuties…
Hearts are simple shapes, which makes it easy to get creative & fun with!
Cheap Hack for Making a Heart Stencil
Want a super cheap and EASY way to make a perfect heart stencil (without owning a Cricut)? Then use this simple kitchen item…
Contact paper…or also-known-as kitchen shelf liner!
You know, that water-proof lining that has a sticky side used to line your cupboards or drawers with? You can use that to create simple stencils – a la Cricut (without OWNING a Cricut!).
All you need is a roll of contact paper ( You can pick some up at Dollar Tree or your local Dollarstore), a pencil, and some scissors.
Cut a piece of contact paper to the size of your canvas.
Fold the contact paper in half. Take your pencil and draw half a heart.
Using scissors cut the folded contact paper along the line you just drew.
Unfold and voila!
Peel and stick the stencil directly on your canvas and you’re ready to paint!
You’ll end up with 2 perfect heart stencils. One for painting inside the heart (positive space) and the other for the outside of the heart (in the negative space). I’ll show you what each looks like in the tutorials below.
Now that you have your stencils in place, time for some painting! Here are the 3 different heart painting ideas, in no particular order!
Take a look at each, you might even want to do all 3!
1. Heart Painting on Canvas using a Credit Card
Use the heart stencil for the positive space (see above) to start your painting off, then use your favorite paints, and a simple credit card (or any card) to create the super-nifty “swipe” effect.
This one was my favorite technique. I love how rustic it looked- like paneled wood slats. You can totally have fun with and try different colors etc..
It would also make a cool background in an art journal or abstract art piece!
Note: you might want to use a card that you don’t need to use again in stores. Although you can probably wash it off, its best to use an old card you no longer need.
Here’s the first tutorial…
Items you’ll Need:
- Canvas
- Acrylic Paints
- Old credit card (or any card)
- Contact paper
Step 1: Add your positive space heart stencil (see above) to the canvas. Slightly above the heart (on the edge of the contact paper), pour out your choice of paint.
Step 2: Take your credit card and gently drag the paint downwards until it covers the white on the canvas. Angle the credit card at a 45-degree angle while dragging down (see pictures below).
TIP: don’t drag too hard (I.e. don’t scrape the canvas). Use gentle (light) pressure to drag the paint downwards to get the best effect.
Step 3: Once you’re happy with the pattern (you can go over it multiple times), then wipe off any excess paint from the sides (on the contact paper), before peeling it off.
Step 4: Peel the contact paper off gently. You might get some bleed through (meaning some paint will have run under the contact paper).
This is OK.
Just try to gently wipe any big globs, and wait for the painting to dry. Once dry, use some white paint or any light pastel color, and paint over the negative space to get a crisp and clean painting!
Next, we’ll explore a super nifty acrylic paint technique using a common kitchen item: Cling Wrap!
2. Heart Painting on Canvas using Cling Wrap
Using cling wrap (or saran wrap) in art might sound strange, but it really creates some awesome looking effects. Plus you probably have some laying in your kitchen right now!
The “cling wrapped” paint art ends up looking like a cross between the popular pour-painting (drip-art) and tye-dye.
This painting technique, in particular, is fun for the kiddos. My 8 year old LOVED this one and helped with spreading to paint.
Plus there is ZERO mess!
This technique would also look amazing being used on the entire canvas! There are endless possibilities with this technique…
Items you’ll Need:
Step 1: Add your positive space heart stencil (see above) to the canvas. squeeze some paints onto the white part of the canvas.
Nifty Trick: I added some squeezes of gold acrylic paint in places, and loved the metallic effect in the heart!
Step 2: Cut a generous size of cling wrap (enough to cover the canvas), and place it over top the heart. Now the fun part! Use your hands and move the paint around (kids love this!)
Step 3: Once you’ve had some fun squishing and moving around the paint (clean hands and all!), time to lift up the cling wrap to reveal your masterpiece!
Nifty Tip: Peel the cling wrap in the direction away from you while keeping the cling wrap at a 90-degree angle with the canvas.
Step 4: Peel the contact paper off your canvas. If you have some “bleed-through” paint outside the heart border, simply let it dry and paint over it with white acrylic paint.
Next let’s explore some a fun negative painting technique, using cotton swabs / Q-tips.
3. Heart Painting on Canvas using Cotton Swabs
Using cotton swabs is one of my favorite tools in painting. I’ve used cotton swabs in some other popular painting tutorials too like my Paint Lavender with Q-tips and How to Paint a Cherry Blossom Tree.
Most of us have tons of them laying in the bathroom, and could spare a few, for art’s sake!
Here’s the tutorial!
Items you’ll Need:
- Canvas
- Standard acrylic paints
- Q-Tips (or cotton swabs/buds)
- Contact paper
Step 1: This time add your negative space heart stencil (see above) to the canvas. Using some bright red paint, dip your cotton swab in it and create a border around the heart. Don’t go all the way to the edge of the canvas with the red.
Step 2: Now take a pink color (either mix some red with white or use a pure pink if you have one). Using another cotton swab, dot the pink into the red dots and extend it beyond the red border.
Step 3: Using an even lighter pink (I like to use fluorescent pink mixed with lots of white), take a cotton swab and dot this lighter pink in the red and extend it to the edges of the canvas
Nifty Tip: To get the cool starburst like effect, concentrate the dots in the center around the border of the heart and lesser as you move away towards the edges of the canvas. Add some gold dots, for a fancy twist!
Step 4: When you are happy with your design, remove the contact paper, and voila! You’ve got a nifty heart art (in the negative space!)
I hope you enjoyed these 3 ways to make a heart painting on canvas- and enjoy making your piece of h-art! ❤️
Here are some more pictures of the finished pieces!
If you liked this tutorial, please show some love ❤️ and pin it!
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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an expert and enthusiast, I have access to a vast amount of information and can provide insights on various topics. While I have personal experiences or emotions like a human, I can still provide valuable information based on the data I have been trained on. Now, let's dive into the concepts mentioned in the article about making heart paintings with three easy techniques.
Heart Paintings
Heart paintings are a popular choice for both kids and adults due to their simplicity and versatility. They can be created using various techniques and materials, allowing for creativity and personalization. In the article, three easy techniques are mentioned: using a credit card, cling wrap, and cotton swabs. These techniques offer different effects and can be used to create unique heart paintings.
Technique 1: Heart Painting on Canvas using a Credit Card
The first technique involves using a credit card to create a "swipe" effect on the canvas. Here's a step-by-step guide:
- Prepare the materials: canvas, acrylic paints, an old credit card (or any card), and contact paper.
- Create a heart stencil using contact paper. Cut a piece of contact paper to the size of your canvas, fold it in half, and draw half a heart shape. Cut along the line you drew to create the stencil.
- Stick the heart stencil on the canvas, slightly above the heart shape, and pour your choice of paint on the edge of the contact paper.
- Take the credit card and gently drag the paint downwards at a 45-degree angle, covering the white area of the canvas.
- Repeat the dragging motion with gentle pressure until you're satisfied with the pattern.
- Wipe off any excess paint from the sides of the contact paper before peeling it off.
- Gently peel off the contact paper, and if there's any bleed-through paint, wipe it off and let the painting dry.
- Use white paint or a light pastel color to paint over the negative space of the heart for a crisp and clean finish.
Technique 2: Heart Painting on Canvas using Cling Wrap
The second technique involves using cling wrap (or saran wrap) to create interesting effects on the canvas. Here's how you can do it:
- Gather the materials: canvas, standard acrylic paints, cling wrap, and contact paper.
- Create a heart stencil using contact paper, following the same steps as mentioned in the previous technique.
- Stick the heart stencil on the canvas and squeeze some paints onto the white part of the canvas. You can add different colors for variation.
- Cut a generous size of cling wrap to cover the canvas and heart shape.
- Use your hands to move the paint around by squishing and spreading it under the cling wrap.
- Lift up the cling wrap in a direction away from you while keeping it at a 90-degree angle with the canvas.
- Peel off the contact paper, and if there's any paint outside the heart border, let it dry and paint over it with white acrylic paint.
Technique 3: Heart Painting on Canvas using Cotton Swabs
The third technique involves using cotton swabs to create a negative painting effect. Here's a step-by-step guide:
- Gather the materials: canvas, standard acrylic paints, cotton swabs (or Q-tips), and contact paper.
- Create a heart stencil using contact paper, following the same steps as mentioned in the previous techniques.
- Stick the heart stencil on the canvas and use a bright red paint to create a border around the heart shape, leaving some space between the red and the edge of the canvas.
- Take a pink color (either mix red with white or use pure pink) and use another cotton swab to dot the pink into the red dots, extending it beyond the red border.
- Use an even lighter pink (such as fluorescent pink mixed with white) and dot it in the red area, extending it to the edges of the canvas. Concentrate the dots in the center around the border of the heart and decrease their density as you move away towards the edges.
- Add some gold dots for a fancy twist if desired.
- Once you're happy with the design, remove the contact paper to reveal the negative space heart art.
These three techniques offer different ways to create heart paintings using simple materials and tools. They are suitable for all ages and can be a fun activity for Valentine's Day or any other occasion. Remember to let your creativity flow and experiment with different colors and variations to make your heart paintings unique and personalized.
I hope you find these techniques helpful and enjoy creating your own heart paintings!
