These koi pond acrylic paintings were so much fun to make! We created an underwater background on our round cardboard canvases (recycle pizza or cake decorating rounds) using different blues, purples, and greens, then added lily pads by dipping balloons in paint and pressing them onto the background (this created a texture much like a lily pad leaf!). We made the koi fish by painting the sides of one hand, making a loose fist, and pressing that down onto the background, then adding fins, tails, eyes, and any other details. Returned to the lily pads to add flowers. The teens enjoyed getting hands on with the paint.
