Summer is a great time to have fun with art and work on easier projects that don’t require many supplies. All the art ideas listed here can be done with kids or grand-kids and can be finished in one hour or so on watercolor or cardboard postcards sized paper.

You might also be interested in: Fun and easy : Scribble drawings

Fun summer art idea 1: Ombre Watercolor postcards

For this activity, you will need only one color of watercolor paint ! Here is the supplies list:

To make 4 Watercolor Ombre Postcards, you will need:

• Watercolor paint in your color of choice, I used a mix of pyrrol red and Phtalocyanine blue, red shade by Graham watercolors
• Watercolor paper cut to postcard size or ready to paint watercolor postcards
• Masking fluid if you want to try the one with the white or orange outline, Iused the Fineline Masquepen.
• Markers
• Pencil, eraser, brushes

See how to make watercolor ombre postcards step by step here

I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.

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Strathmore 400 Series Mixed Media Cards Strathmore’s 400 Series Mixed Media is a heavyweight, 140 lb paper that combines the attributes of a watercolor paper with a vellum drawing finish. Ideal for wet and dry media, these cards accept watercolors, gouache, acrylics, graphite, pen-and-ink, colored pencils, markers, and collage. – 400 Series Mixed Media Cards, Pkg of 100 with FREE Stencil.

Fun summer art idea 2: Distressed graphite postcards

You will need even less art supplies for this postcard making activity as this drawing activity only requires a soft graphite (4 to 9 B), an eraser and card-stock paper.

Adults will benefit from this activity as well as it shows us how not to be too attached to the end result when we make art. It teaches us to accept wrecking up something we just did draw by erasing parts of it, drawing just to enjoy the process without too much pressure about making a good drawing every time we draw.

See how to make the distressed graphite cards here

Fun summer art idea 3: Watercolor and mixed media postcards

This post will show you how to paint a textured watercolor background using various techniques like dripping alcohol, sprinkling salt, using plastic wrap, sponges….and then add patterns or doodles on top of that background. You can try all of these techniques on Yupo paper as well, as yupo works so great with visual textures.

See how to make the watercolor and doodle postcards here

Fun summer art idea 4: Use a Spirograph to make the background of your mixed media postcards

This activity requires a bit more supplies and might be better suited for tweens and teens than kids. Although I am sure kids will have fun with the Spirograph part 🙂

To make these mixed media postcards you will need:

• Watercolor paper blank postcards
• Masking tape
• A spirograph set
• Watercolors in various colors
• White acrylic paint
• Copic markers or art markers

See how to make the Spirograph postcards here

Fun summer art idea 5: Watercolor and zentangle

All kids and adults like doodling and having fun with zentangles. On a postcard sized painting, you can add patterns and be done in less than 15-30 minutes. It is a great way to try your hand at zentangling 🙂

To make these watercolor and zentangle postcards you will need:

• Watercolor paper blank postcards
• Masking tape
• Rubbing alcohol to add visual texture
• Watercolors in various colors
• Copic markers or art markers

See here how to make theses watercolor and Zentangle postcard

Fun summer art idea 6: Add your drawings to the Big Picture

The big picture is a collective art project where people in our local area and around the world are collaborating to create a big mosaic picture from thousands of drawings. All you need to participate is paper and markers and a good story to share 🙂

You can read more about the Big Picture here, there is a video that explains the project in a few minutes.

I would love to see the postcards you made, feel free to share pictures in the comments!