Nighttime in the Neighborhood

Today's craft is is the fourth project I've made in a month with white paint splatters on black paper to create a night sky. It had been years since the last time I'd spattered paint onto black like this, and now I can't stop! First, I made the footprint alien, then the happy camper, and most recently, the puzzle piece alien. I'm calling today's project 'Nighttime in the Neighborhood.'

I had some technical difficulties with this project. I learned the hard way that it doesn't work well with thin construction paper. Definitely use high-quality cardstock or watercolor paper for the background. Also, make sure whatever removable adhesive you use is actually removable from the paper you use. 

Nighttime in the Neighborhood

Materials:

• black cardstock, plus a second contrasting color (I used pink)
• scissors
• removable adhesive
• acrylic paint (black and white)

Steps:

Cut out a sidewalk, houses, and moon from colored cardstock. Use a tiny bit of removable adhesive to attach them to the black cardstock. Once you've prepped your scene, place the paper into a box (so that you can paint directly off the edges and so that the splattered paint doesn't go everywhere). 

Put some white and some black paint on a palette and barely combine them into a streaky grey. Using horizontal strokes, paint over the exposed black cardstock. Add a little bit of extra white to the area around the moon. 

Dip a stiff brush into white paint and drag your thumb across the bristles to add splatters to your painting. Wash your hands, then carefully remove the colored cardstock. 

Use white paint to carefully paint in the moon. Rinse the brush, then use black paint to touch up the edges of the houses if needed. (Ideally, your edges are perfect. Mine weren't, as you can see above.)

It looks much better after adding black paint. 

I'm open to ideas - what should I splatter next?!