Seed Bead Photo Art - DIY In structions

I taught art for several years at three elementary schools and one middle school - preschool through 8th grade. LOVED every minute of it!!  This is one of the projects I taught to kindergartners and first graders.  You can make this project as simple or as complicated as you or your student wants.   If your youngest student chooses a two color animal, remember to point out the shading, show them the difference between the true white and the grey (or blue) shades that make the shadows!

Supply list:

• card stock
• photo (copy, not original)
• seed beads in multiple colors
• Elmer glue (the kind that dries CLEAR)
• hardboard (cut to size) or the cardboard that comes with a frame
• frame

Step 1:  Chose a photo.  Make sure it has only one subject.  Best is a close up of an animal or an insect.  I had my students pick their favorite animal or pet from home.  The image should be cropped to cut out all or most of the background.

Step 2:  Have this image copied in color onto card stock paper.  Depending on the quality of the photo, you will want to have it enlarged to a standard frame size.  No smaller than 5x7.  The younger your student the larger the image should be.  I taught this class in Kindergarten and First Grade, we used 8x10.  The images were close up (zoomed in) of an animals face.

Step 3:  Start matching color on the image to a seed bead color and glue it down!  We started with the nose, then the eyes next.  After, for the younger children, it was easier to fill in one color at a time.  For the older ones you can teach them to lay down the seeds in patterns to show depth.

Step 4:  LET IT DRY!  THEN,  LET IT DRY SOME MORE!!

Step 5:  Glue down the entire image onto hardboard or you can use the cardboard that came with the frame you purchased.  Put their name and age on the back!!

Thanks!!




seed bead art, seed bead photo art, DIY, mosaics