I know space events make the news occasionally. How often do you get to see a comet, though?
We’ve followed the news for Comet Neowise recently. Last night, we finally woke our kids up and ventured out to a local hilltop park.
To be honest, I wasn’t sure the kids would actually wake up. But, we did it, and we even managed to spot the comet!
We live in a metro area with a lot of light pollution, so the comet was very faint. It looked almost like a star, unless if you stared long enough to make out its tail.
I know it would be a lot more interesting to see a comet in a dark sky area. Still, it was still a fun adventure!
This morning, the kids and I tried using wax crayons to create watercolor night-scapes. These kinds of paintings are really easy, if you want to give them a try!
We used wax crayons for watercolor painting that I bought ages ago. A regular white crayon or oil pastel would work too, as long as it’s not a washable crayon.
If you want to spend more time on the painting, you can tape the paper down first. This adds a clean white border along the edges, and it also keeps the paper flatter. We were just messing about, though, so I didn’t worry about that step.
Start by filling the the space you want to keep white–a comet streak, stars, or even a moon. Once you’re satisfied, paint over the crayon lines with watercolors. Wait for the paint to dry.
You can add more layers, if you want the sky to be darker. Or, you can add in some hill or tree textures along the horizon line.
That’s all it takes!
I haven’t used traditional paints in a long time, though, so this was a fun practice project. Plus, my oldest created his own night-scape with Saturn. I’m really enjoying this rather unique perspective on Saturn’s rings . . .
Want to learn more about space and the night sky? Check out this list with some of our favorite children’s books on the topic!
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Have you used water resistant crayons in paintings before? What did you make with them?
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