Kids are amazing artists. They have a sense of composition, very clear ideas of what they are drawing- no matter what it looks like- and never have any problem picking out what colors they want to use next. Any material- ballpoint pen, markers, glitter, magazine cutouts- is enough for a child to create whatever they can dream of.

But adults often don’t know where to start getting their kid creative. Here are some ideas.

6. Just get the materials. If you want some keepsakes, invest in some archival quality materials from an art store, so a few special projects won’t yellow or fade with age. Kids can easily grasp how watercolors work as early as age 4, and will go from muddy greys to clear rainbows with just a few words of instruction.

5. Get a roll of newsprint ends from your local newspaper, and paper the walls to make drawing on the wall totally okay- limitless canvas. Or roll it out on the floor for a huge kids scroll.

4. Put on “Planet Earth” or get some National Geographic magazines to inspire animal drawings.

3. They’ll usually have their own ideas if you just supply the materials- any materials.

2. They will usually come up with their own characters- The monster engine takes kids drawings and recreates them in the spirit of the drawing to become photorealistic monsters.  The one above is by Zuba, Age 4.

1. Watch Elmo get his art on in this LFMAO parody: “Kids look at these crayons- I MAKE ART!”

Here is the process of one of my newest painting: Stars in the Desert.

Speckled with masking fluid and when that dried, quick washes with a low horizon.

One of the sketches inspiring the painting.

The dusty road on the way out of the desert.

Starry rainbow skies; a sketch.

Old rock formations; sunlight and early mornings.

And the finished product; trees painted with watercolor, the trunks with sharpie marker, and oil pastels for the highlights on the top of trees and the geometric constellations.

A POW embroidered “Fuck Hitler” and “God Save the Queen” in cross-stitch  - and the art was displayed by the Nazis, who didn’t figure out the hidden morse code border. Read the full story at Craft.