Primary Colour Painting Project

Project Summary:

This primary colour painting project is a really simple exercise which will enable children to learn the basics of using primary colours. They will also learn about mixing the primary colours to make secondary colours and will make a beautiful painting in the process!

Project Details: Primary Colour Painting Project

Step 1: Prepare the materials

The first step is to set up a workspace with white paper and a selection of paint brushes. Then set up 6 different paint containers containing the following paint combinations:

• Container 1 – Red paint
• Container 2 – Yellow paint
• Container 3 – Blue paint
• Container 4 – Red and blue
• Container 5 – Red and yellow
• Container 6 – Blue and yellow

By setting the containers up as described above, children will learn by exploration that:

The Primary Colours are:

• Red
• Yellow
• Blue

Primary colours can be mixed to make Secondary Colours as follows:

• Red + Blue = Purple
• Red + Yellow = Orange
• Blue + Yellow = Green

Step 2: Paint using the primary colours only

The first step is to begin painting using only the primary colours: red, yellow and blue. Children can create any design they wish, it may be completely abstract or they may wish to follow a pattern. They may wish to play a game as they paint, for example, as they paint in yellow they could try to name 3 things that they know that are yellow: a buttercup, a banana and the sun for example.

Step 3: Mixing red and blue makes purple

The next step is to give each child the container that holds the red and blue paint. Children will love swirling the paint together to see what colour it makes. When they have created the colour purple they can add this to their design.

Step 4: Mixing red and yellow makes orange

The next step is to give each child the container that holds the red and yellow paint. Again, they will love colour mixing to make a vibrant orange. Once the colour orange has been achieved they can add their to their painting.

Step 5: Mixing blue and yellow makes green

The next step is to give each child the container that holds the blue and yellow paint. This time children may want to experiment adding more blue or more yellow to experiment with different shades of green. When they have created their desired colour they can add the colour green to their painting.

Step 6: Complete the painting

The final step is to complete the painting, the children may want to add extra decoration by dotting specific colours or creating extra patterns on their painting. Once the painting has been completed it can be left to dry. This is a lovely painting to hang on a wall as it can act as a learning tool to remember the primary and secondary colours!