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String Art on Wood Based on Children's Drawing | DIY Guide

$String Art on Wood Based on Children\'s Drawing | DIY Guide$

String Art on Wood for Children and Beginners

In this guide, we introduce an exciting technique called String Art, which can transform children's colorful drawings into unique artworks that can decorate any home. With string art, you can also create personalized name signs that add a touch of personality to a child's room or family room.

String art is a fantastic method for children to develop fine motor skills and give them satisfaction by seeing how a simple wooden plank can be transformed into a masterpiece with string and nails. The project is especially suitable for small hands that want to use a hammer - a basic tool that they will learn to handle skillfully. While complex curves and arcs may pose a challenge with more nails, it is a perfect platform to develop patience and precision.

Recommendation for Patterns Based on Age/Fine Motor Skills

For beginners, especially the youngest artists, we recommend starting with simple shapes like geometric figures and the letters of the alphabet with straight and sharp edges. A 7-year-old child will be able to complete the entire artwork with minimal instructions from an adult.

However, in this example, a child's drawing of a cat is used, making it a good adult/child project since it can be challenging for a child to handle the many round shapes alone. Therefore, let the child provide the drawing for the project. The nails can be handled by children ages 7 and up. However, the threads may need assistance from an adult to keep them in place, especially if the child is younger. In this case, it is good to have an adult who can hold the thread in place.

It is important to choose a pattern that you believe your child/students can accomplish so that the string art project gives children a sense of achievement before the project becomes too large and time-consuming.

So go ahead and transform an ordinary wooden plank into a colorful picture that will not only be a delight to the eyes but also a source of pride for your child/students in the Crafts & Design subject.

Techniques and Skills:

Learn to hammer nails - improves fine motor skills
Work with patterns using threads
Create your own pattern - the more angular the pattern, the easier it is

Materials you will need:

Nails
Wooden plank
Thread in different colors: Pearl cotton thread is used here
Paper
Pencil/pens
Tape

Tools to use:

Hammer, perhaps a child-sized hammer
Optional nail holder
Optional wood burner

How to Do It:

Step 1

Draw a picture or letter(s) on a paper and attach it to the wooden plank with tape.

Then nail along the drawing lines. Be careful to nail accurately in the corners and at the bends. Tips: The more angular the drawing is, the easier it will be to follow this guide. You can search on Google for "geometric animal motifs line drawing" for examples of drawings.

Step 2

Tie a thread around a nail.

Tips: Try to loop the thread around without crossing it, then you have started correctly.

Step 3

Now you need to thread the thread in all the places where you have a line in your drawing.

You can choose different patterns for this. Here we have chosen to wrap the thread around each nail.

Step 4

Make sure the thread goes around the entire drawing.

Step 5

Once you have gone around the entire drawing, you can choose to do another round. You decide how many rounds you take.

The more rounds, the clearer your drawing will be when looking at the string art from the side.

Tips: If you alternate directions at each nail, you will get a double line.

Step 6

When you have done enough rounds, you can cut the thread - long enough to tie a knot around a nail.

Then you can cut off excess thread.

NOTE: Now you can choose whether to "color" your drawing with threads by proceeding to step 7, or if you are finished with your string art and want to go to step 12.

Step 7

Attach a different colored thread to a nail.

Step 8

Now you can create different patterns as the filling.

Here, crosses have been created.
You do this by running the thread diagonally to a corresponding nail.

Step 9

You can use different patterns.

For example, the head of the cat starts from a nail in the center and then wraps around the nails on the other side, finally returning to the same nail.

At the same time, the tail and body have clear lines.

Step 10

You can now choose to redraw the drawing. Now that it is the second round, it may be easier to take every other nail and wrap around them, so you make double lines at once.

Step 11

Finish the thread by tying a knot around a nail.

Step 12

Now remove the paper by pulling it out of the nails.

Tips: Your child's name or the name of the artwork can be burned into the wood with a wood burner.

Have fun with your new creative project!