Watercolor Resist Snowflakes

I am back with more fun watercolor resists, this time in the winter spirit! I am just in awe of how much snow we have already seen in our first Colorado winter and the hermit in me is relishing being able to stay home and make art! We have been trying all sorts of fun new projects while we are inside, and these watercolor resist snowflakes are no exception. PS – Check the bottom of this post for more great winter activities with kids.

Supplies

You need heavyweight paper, white oil pastels, a brush, and watercolors for this. Below are some supply recommendations. The links below are all Amazon affiliate links! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting my blog and free content!

Mixed Media Paper OR watercolor paper
White Oil Pastels
Watercolors
You can optionally do liquid watercolors, which is what I used to do with my elementary art students (and only laid out cool colors)
Tempera cakes are another, less messy option similar to a watercolor palette but the paint won’t resist the ol pastels quite as much as it is not as watery.
Brushes

Draw the Snowflakes

Step one: use the white oil pastels to draw snowflakes all over your paper. These can be as simple as sticks crossing over one another repeatedly, or more intricate designs. Do a Google search and have images of snowflakes up for inspiration if needed! The easiest “complex” design to try is three sticks crossing over one another, then add little V’s shapes on the ends and middle of each stick! Voila!

Paint a Winter Sky – Watercolor Resist Snowflakes

Using your cool watercolor paints, paint directly over your snowflakes! This is a great time to talk about cool coors or sunsets and sunrises even! I went with introducing cool colors and colors that felt wintery! You can assist by limiting the color palette if possible.

Optional Salt Sprinkle

This is a fun addition that can add some texture to your painting. Use coarse kosher salt for the best results! The salt will soak up some of the paint and leave these a little crispy. It will look a bit more like it is actively snowing. You can see a bit of the salt actively soaking up paint in the image below. When it dries and the salt rubs off the paper it looks like little tiny snowflakes. I just put out a tiny bowl and pour a tiny amount of salt into it, so the entire table doesn’t get covered. 😅

watercolor resist snowflakes process art project

More Winter Art Ideas

If you need more wintery art projects, check out these blogs below, or sign up for our email list here. You will receive a free copy of “Ultimate Guide to Age-Appropriate Art Supplies for Kids.” A nearly 20 page PDF full of my recommendations for supplies for every age and stage, plus tips and tricks and what to expect! If you aren’t ready to do this yet, pin it for later!