Appropriate grades or age groups:
Kindergarten and up.

Estimated time to complete project:
One hour.

Materials needed (if applicable):
matboard
oaktag
cardboard
crayons
knife
toothpicks

Project instructions or description:
Covering a colorful background with a layer of black and then "stratching" out an image will open your kids minds to the the range of possibilities they might want to experiment with when they create "works of art."

1. Using the brightest colors of crayons, have kids fully color a piece of matboard, oaktag or cardboard. Don't leave any white space at all!

2. Once the surface is completely covered, color over the entire area with a black crayon. No colors should show through.

3. Have the kids think of a design that they'd like to make.

4. Scratch the design or drawing out with the back of a knife, toothpicks or fingernails!

5. If the kids are not happy with the results, simply have them blacken over the areas that they want to change and begin again!