Dandelion Art Tutorial

Currently, one patch of my yard is riddled with the fluffy white bulbs of dandelions...just tempting my kids to come and BLOW! And while they may not make for the best landscaping plan, dandelions can be nice inspiration for an afternoon of easy art.

What you'll need:

• piece of colored art paper (or paint a color wash on a white page yourself)
• paint in the following colors: white, light brown, bright green
• a paintbrush
• a cotton swab

Starting at the bottom of the page, paint two or three green, curve-shaped, stems half-way up the page. 

Next, use the very tip of your brush to dab a splotch of brown onto the top of each stem. This will be the center of the flower. It does not have to be a perfect circle.

Then, make a few curved lines underneath the brown center to create the open leaves. Allow this to dry for a few minutes. 

Once the center of the circle is mostly dry, begin to make the white "fluff". Using the cotton swab, dab white dots in a circular pattern around the brown center. Once you have the basic shape of a circle, fill in the empty space with a random scattering of white dots. 

Use the tip of your paintbrush to create some soft splotches inside the white area to make it look feathery and light. 

Repeat all of these steps with the other stems. 

And there you have it...a landscape of dandelions that WON'T ruin your yard!