This is an ode to colors. Rainbows, splotches, swatches, and schemes. Colors make me feel comfortable. Blame it on a serious lack of technique, but most of the creations I’ve made on canvas are expressively color coordinated. Here’s a quick and easy art project to numb boredom and inject some color into your life. It’s even simple enough for children and those who do not consider themselves artists.

What you’ll need:

Canvas or watercolor paper (I used a stretched canvas). You will need to use paper that can get wet without disintegrating. Tape. I used 1″ blue gaffers tape. This tape was not thin or sticky enough and required a serious amount of cleanup after i peeled it off. The paint bled everywhere. Next time I will try this with masking tape. ***Edit: I tried this by painting the entire canvas white before using tape. Very minimal paint bleeding. Before you tape, paint the entire canvas with a neutral color! Scissors (to cut the tape). Paint. I prefer acrylic or watercolor. Paint brushes. If you are trying to get the “color scheme” look I achieved, use bigger brushes and load heavy with paint.

STEP 1: Cut tape and place on canvas. I went for a more abstract “stained glass” outline. Feel free to tap into your own creativity and create your own shapes! Make sure the tape lays flat or else the paint will find it’s way underneath. Trust me!

STEP 2: Paint in the areas around the tape. I took big brushes and over-loaded them with lots of acrylic paint (use many colors at the same time). As I filled in the areas I rarely stopped to clean my brush.

STEP 3: Let your masterpiece dry completely. I can’t stress this enough. I know sometimes we get excited about our artistic outbursts and want to see the final result asap. Do not give into these urges; they will only create a stained glass-sloppy mess.

Step 4: When the paint has dried, peel off the tape. Touch up with white paint if your edges bled at all.

Step 5: Hang this up somewhere, it’s beautiful!