“One love! One heart! Let’s get together and feel alright.”
Table of Contents
Discover the Art of Fork Painting
Fork painting is like a sensory art adventure for your fingertips! The textured tines of a fork add a whole new dimension to the painting experience. As you dip the fork into the paint, there’s this tactile connection that’s hard to replicate with a regular brush.
But it’s not just about the feels – fork painting is a feast for the eyes. The unique patterns and textures created by the tines of a fork add an extra layer of visual excitement to your artwork. The bumpy, uneven strokes will also give your love monster a quirky charm, and really cute furry finish. Plus, fork painting is super accessible – you probably have a fork lying around, and you don’t need a fancy art supply stash.
Now, let’s talk about the sound. The rhythmic clinking of the fork against your paper adds an unexpected but delightful auditory element to the whole process. It’s like your art is singing a little tune as you create it. Fork painting is a multisensory extravaganza that will keep those little hands happily engaged.
And the best part? It’s not just for kids. Adults can totally get in on the fork painting action. It’s therapeutic, a bit unconventional, and brings out that inner childlike joy. As well, there’s no right or wrong way to fork paint. It’s a judgment-free zone where every stroke is a stroke of genius.
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How to Create a Love Monster Craft
Inspired by the Picture Book, Love Monster
This project is so cute, it just might melt your heart. It is the absolute cutest companion for Valentine’s Day or whenever you’re in the mood to spread some love.
Crafting this lovable monster is not only a delightful activity, but the end result is a cuddly masterpiece that radiates love and charm – the perfect gift for someone special or a whimsical decoration to brighten any space.
Our adorable love monster is inspired by a book called Love Monster by Rachel Bright.
Love Monster is a heartwarming children’s book that follows the journey of a unique character, Love Monster, who feels different from the other residents of Cutesville. In his quest to find someone to love him, Love Monster discovers the true meaning of love and friendship. His heart-warming journey is filled with endearing adventures and delightful mishaps.
Rachel Bright’s enchanting storytelling, coupled with vibrant and whimsical illustrations, captures the essence of acceptance and the beauty of embracing one’s uniqueness. The book teaches valuable lessons about self-discovery, diversity, and the power of love, making it a delightful and meaningful read for both children and parents alike.
Love Monster teaches valuable lessons about acceptance, kindness, and the joy of embracing one’s uniqueness. It’s a delightful addition to any bookshelf.
Rachel Bright also has several other beautiful books in her Love Monster series. As a follow-up to this story, we would read Love Monster and the Perfect Present, which we also love.
Rachel Bright has also written Love Monster and the Last Chocolate, Love Monster and the Extremely Big Wave, and Love Monster and the Scary Something. All of which have positive underlying messages that are perfect for kids.
Here are a few other activities that you’re going to love:
Our Zentangle course is here!
Are you trying to find ways to incorporate self-care and creativity into your life? Would you like to introduce the Zentangle Method to your children or students but you’re not sure how?
If you answered yes to any of these questions then you’re going to love our new course. If you haven’t had a chance yet to watch the course overview video, check it out below!
Fork Painting : Love Monster Craft Step by Step Tutorial
You can start by reading the story to your kids or students, then you can use this craft as a follow-up. Get your forks ready!
Appropriate for Children Ages 6 and up
Difficulty: Easy
Total Time: 1 X60 minute block
Materials:
- A fork (we used a plastic fork)
- 2 pieces of white cardstock
- A small piece of black cardstock or black paper
- Black Micron Pens or Sharpie Markers
- Red and black acrylic paint
- White paper for the eyes
- Gel pens/paint pens/markers for the eyes
- Scissors
- Glue stick
Instructions:
Step 1 – Get your paint ready
After you’ve gathered your materials, pour your paint into a paint tray or paper plate. You’ll need some red and a little bit of black for shadows.
Dip the tines of the fork in the red paint.
Step 2 – Form the basic shape
Start creating the basic shape of your love monster by using the tines of the fork. You can decide what you’d like the basic shape of your love monster to look like.
Overlap the lines created by the fork tines; this will create a textured, hairy effect.
You can use your fork in a variety of ways. Try dragging just the tips of the tines across the page or try moving your fork sideways.
Step 3 - Add Shadows
Once you’ve created the basic shape of your love monster, wipe the excess red paint off of your fork then dip it into the black paint. You can add a few black shadows to a few areas. Let your love monster dry.
Step 4 – Create the pieces for the face
While your love monster is drying, create the pieces for the face. On your white piece of paper, draw two eyes with your sharpie marker (we made our eyes oval), color the iris, then cut them out.
We colored the iris of our eyes using our Posca paint pen markers but you can use whatever materials you have available.
Create the mouth by drawing a simple smile on a piece of white cardstock. You can add a few triangular teeth as well. Thicken the lines of your mouth, so that it is easier to cut out.
Step 5 – Create the eyebrows and glue on your face
Cut 2 small rectangles from a piece of black cardstock for the eyebrows. Glue them onto your monster’s face.
When your love monster is completely dry, you can glue on the eyes and the mouth. You can play around with different arrangements of the face to see which look you like the best. I experimented with a few faces before I glued everything down.
Step 6 - Add Hearts (optional)
If you’d like to add a blue heart to your monster like I did, draw a simple heart on white cardstock with a sharpie marker, color it blue, cut it out, and glue it on.
You can also draw doodle hearts in the background using your black sharpie marker.
Step 7 - Admire
The final step is to admire how ridiculously cute your love monster is! Omg, my heart just melted lol.
I really loved creating these love monsters with my students! Not only did it provide a fun sensory experience for them, but it also resulted in an absolutely adorable craft.
If you’ve created this Love Monster with your kids or students, please let me know! I’d love to add your creations to our gallery, so upload your photos or send them directly to me at: [email protected] Thank you!
You can also tag us if you post your masterpieces on Instagram or Facebook.
We have several other activities that you and your kids will also love:
Looking for even more cool activities? You might be interested in our Valentine’s Game Bundle! Click HERE or on the image below to learn more.
If you love Zentangle designs as much as we do, you’re going to love our Zentangle pyramid activity. Click HERE to check it out or click on the images below.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for more activities designed to encourage mindfulness and spark creativity, check out my printable resources below or visit my shop!
Don’t forget to download our free 15 page Mindfulness coloring book to help add a few mindful moments to your child’s day. Just click here or the image below!
