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Create stunning chalk pastel sunsets with kids

By ProjectswithKids

6.4K shares
  • Facebook
Create stunning chalk pastel sunsets with kids using simple techniques that are fun and easy to do. Kids will love learning and exploring with chalk pastels! #chalkpastels #artprojectsforkids #projectswithkids

These chalk pastel sunsets turned out so lovely! Kids will practice layering, blending, and drawing with pastels. My kids had a great time exploring chalk pastels and all the messiness that comes with it.

Chalk pastels are a lot of fun, it’s a sensory activity and an art project rolled into one. Take a look at my collection of chalk pastel art for more creative ideas kids will love.

Create stunning chalk pastel sunsets with kids using simple techniques that are fun and easy to do. Kids will love learning and exploring with these chalk pastel art ideas!

Check out this sunset silhouette watercolor painting idea for another gorgeous sunset art idea. 

If you are looking for more summer art projects, take a look at this amazing collection of summer art ideas for kids!

Create your own chalk pastel sunsets

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Create these stunning chalk pastel sunsets with kids. So much messy fun, kids will love learning and exploring with chalk pastels!

Supplies

  • Chalk pastels
  • Pastel paper in any color. Pastel paper comes in all different colors, and it’s fun to try out different colors. We chose a cream color for this project. I love pastel paper, it has a great texture to it for grabbing onto the pastels and building up layers.
  • Paper towels to help with the mess
  • Painter’s tape

Get started with chalk pastels

Create these stunning chalk pastel sunsets with kids. So much messy fun, kids will love learning and exploring with chalk pastels!

Related: 5 Essential Chalk Pastel Techniques for Beginners  

1. To get some inspiration, first, take a look at some sunset pictures. We did this on my laptop just to get an idea of the colors we wanted to use.

2. Tape down your paper so it doesn’t slide around

Practice with some scrap paper first

3. If you or your kids haven’t worked with chalk pastels before, get some scrap pieces of pastel paper and just practice making marks with the chalk pastels to get a feel for how they work.

Chalk pastels are great for layering and creating texture. Holding the pastel on its side creates texture with the paper.

Try layering colors on top of each other and then blending just a bit here and there for a softer look. You can use a blending tool to help you blend, but my favorite blending tool is my finger. I find I get the most control over the blending process this way.

Start with your sky

Create these stunning chalk pastel sunsets with kids. So much messy fun, kids will love learning and exploring with chalk pastels!

4. Start your picture by drawing a line with neutral colored chalk for the separation between the sky and water.

5. Pick out your sky colors and start to draw with the lightest color first. You can hold the pastel on its side to sweep across the page and create some texture.

6. Continue to add colors to the sky, layering them and blending here and there. Exploring different types of marks that your chalk pastels can make.

7. Use your fingers or your blending tool to blend, but watch out for blending too much or the colors will get muddy.

Then add the water

Create these stunning chalk pastel sunsets with kids. So much messy fun, kids will love learning and exploring with chalk pastels!

Related: Easy Kandinsky Art for Kids with Chalk Pastels   

8. Once you are done with your sky, you can move on to your water.

I added some light colors first, then moved on to darker ones layered over top with a bit of blending. Then I added some lighter color on top with no blending. Have fun layering and blending, but again, remind kids to be careful of the colors blending too much and getting muddy.

Time to add your palm trees

Create these stunning chalk pastel sunsets with kids. So much messy fun, kids will love learning how to draw a sunset with chalk pastels.

9. Once everyone is finished with the sky and water it’s time to add in your palm tree silhouettes. If you don’t want to add in a palm tree you can add in any kind of tree silhouette you like. Use a black piece of chalk and draw in your tree.

For another fun summer pastel project, take a look at this colorful jellyfish art project that kids will love to make!

Our messy table

Create these stunning chalk pastel sunsets with kids. So much messy fun, kids will love learning and exploring with chalk pastels!

Everyone’s pictures will turn out differently depending on the age of the kids, color preferences, and style. 

I love the way these chalk pastel sunsets turned out and we had so much fun creating them! Pastels can be a bit tricky to figure out. They are all about adding layers, blending, and textures.

Once you explore and practice with them for a bit you will get the hang of them. My kids love chalk pastels, they love getting their hands messy and playing and blending the colors, and so do I!

Create these stunning chalk pastel sunsets with kids. So much messy fun, kids will love learning and exploring with chalk pastels!

More chalk pastel art ideas

Dazzling Shooting Star Paintings with Chalk Pastels    

Use easy chalk pastel techniques to create shooting star paintings that are out of this world! Free star templates included.

Chalk Pastel Jellyfish Art

Jellyfish art project for kids to make using chalk pastel on black paper.

Follow me on Pinterest for more amazing project ideas.

Pin this project for later

Create stunning chalk pastel sunsets with kids using simple techniques that are fun and easy to do. Kids will love learning and exploring with chalk pastels! #chalkpastels #artprojectsforkids #projectswithkids
6.4K shares
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Stephanie | Adventures in Aussieland

    August 17, 2017 at 8:50 am

    I’m definitely going to send this to my sister in law! My nephews would absolutely LOVE this!!

    • ProjectswithKids

      August 17, 2017 at 3:52 pm

      Thanks so much Stephanie!

  2. April@LoveOurRealLife

    August 17, 2017 at 6:52 pm

    These are beautiful! My daughter is really into water colors right now and I’ll bet she would love this! I’m pinning for later.

    • ProjectswithKids

      August 18, 2017 at 3:59 pm

      Thanks April! I hope she likes trying out chalk pastels.

  3. Yolanda

    August 17, 2017 at 11:56 pm

    How brave you are for letting the kids go to town with the chalk! They turned out great! What a fun project.

    • ProjectswithKids

      August 18, 2017 at 4:00 pm

      Ha ha! Yes, it was messy for sure, but we all had fun. 🙂

  4. CIndy

    August 17, 2017 at 11:59 pm

    Great craft! They turned out beautifully. Love it!

    • ProjectswithKids

      August 18, 2017 at 4:00 pm

      Thanks Cindy!

  5. Elena

    August 18, 2017 at 9:17 am

    My nephew will love this idea. I think we will have a lot of fun drawing and creating art.

    • ProjectswithKids

      August 18, 2017 at 4:01 pm

      I hope you guys have fun with chalk pastels!

  6. Erin

    August 18, 2017 at 3:54 pm

    These are beautiful. I want to try these with my daughter.

    • ProjectswithKids

      August 18, 2017 at 4:02 pm

      Thanks Erin! I hope you and your daughter have fun with this project!

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Hi! I'm Angela, welcome to Projects with Kids. I love creating and having fun with art and am excited to be able to share my project ideas with you!

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