Paint Your Own Whistler's Mother

Paint Your Own Whistler's Mother
Jack's painting of Sarah

This is a super idea for Mother's Day, or all year round! You'll end up with a one-of-a-kind painting to treasure, and your child will remember the real Whistler's Mother forever!

Whistler's Mother

Start by learning a little about the real Whistler's Mother, or just printing out an image to look at and talk about. Notice the differences between the artist's mother back in 1871, and your mother! Now have a go at your own painting:

You will need:

Stretched canvas
Acrylic paints (you could also try with oil paints if you prefer)
A mother to pose for you

Instructions:

Seat your mother sideways on a chair with her hands on her lap and paint a picture of her.

Try to use complementary shades. Whistler used greys and blacks, but for a more cheerful look (and to fit in with our décor) we used oranges and browns.

Older children may like to try a realistic background, while younger ones can happily do a block colour background.

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