This whale collage art project is a wonderful way for children to explore texture, colour and mixed materials while creating a bold ocean-themed picture.
In this step-by-step tutorial, I’ll show you how to make a whale collage using felt, wool, craft sand, paint and recycled cardboard.
This particular whale collage was created for a competition with Brittany Ferries to go whale watching — and wonderfully, the girls won! After I explained the brief, they ran upstairs and returned with the most amazing sketch of their idea. They had already agreed on the whale outline and even worked out how to share the creative process equally — all without any input from me.
Next came the collage.
I love making collage pictures. It’s a great opportunity for children to explore texture and materials. It’s also a fun way to get children to work together creatively as a team. We talked about materials, shape colours and textures that could be used for the various parts of the picture and they had to agree between themselves what they were going to use.
We found a large piece of packaging cardboard and the girls set about creating their whale.
1. The girls copied their original picture on to the large piece of cardboard.
2. Next the pencil outline of the whale was traced over with PVA glue and string carefully placed on top of the glue.
3. Strips of blue felt off cuts were cut into rectangular shapes and the stuck onto the card for the sky. We turned the picture upside down so they didn’t knock the string whilst the glue was drying
4. The moon was painted with silver acrylic paint and deliberately made lumpy to give some texture. They chose to make the sun by first gluing orange lentils down and then pushing orange glitter into the gaps between the lentils.
5. With the picture turned the right way up the sea was painted using shimmering pearly blue ready mix paint.
6. A gathering of some blue wool made a perfect whale blow hole water spurt.
7. Wool was also used to give the sun some rays. It was after doing the rays that the girls realised that they’d forgotten to paint the background white (Mummy not paying attention!) so we grabbed some white acrylic paint (it dries super fast).
8. Now it was the Whale. He was made using black, white and red coloured craft sand. Starting with black each section of the ‘string outline whale’ was carefully covered with PVA glue and then given a good covering of sand. Pat the sand down to make sure it has stuck down and then carefully pour/tap off. I like to get children to use spoons with sand and glitter as it gives them more control than shaker pots.
Do this for each section but think about which way to tip the picture when pouring the sand off to prevent contamination.
9. The large green eye was made by curling a green pipe cleaner into a snail shell shape and sticking a black pom pom on top.
10. Sharp pointy teeth made of felt were stuck on.
11. And finally blue tulle was stapled on top of the sea to give it texture. The staples hidden by gluing sea shell beads over them.
They were so proud of their finished whale …
That is a fantastic whale! So creative too! I have to admit I’d not like to put my hand too close to it’s mouth though, lol! ;O) Your kids look so proud too.
That is a fantastic whale! So creative too! I have to admit I’d not like to put my hand too close to it’s mouth though, lol! ;O) Your kids look so proud too.
Wow it is fab! We done girls your whale is ace
Wow it is fab! We done girls your whale is ace
Wow, that is just fabulous. Well done and good luck in the competition!
Wow, that is just fabulous. Well done and good luck in the competition!
Good luck!Great job on the whale, and I love that glittery sun!
Good luck!Great job on the whale, and I love that glittery sun!
That is brilliant – the mix of different materials really makes it fun (must start collecting scraps of everything for collages in the future). Good luck with the competition
That is brilliant – the mix of different materials really makes it fun (must start collecting scraps of everything for collages in the future). Good luck with the competition
Thank you everyone. The girls hard work paid off … they won 🙂
Thank you everyone. The girls hard work paid off … they won 🙂
I am not surprised that they won…it is fantastic!!
I am not surprised that they won…it is fantastic!!
wow that looks amazing. Well done. x
wow that looks amazing. Well done. x
I love this, and am so glad you won. Thanks for linking up. xx
I love this, and am so glad you won. Thanks for linking up. xx
Their whale is simply amazing. I love the mixed media and techniques. Such great little artists and the video is very cute!
Their whale is simply amazing. I love the mixed media and techniques. Such great little artists and the video is very cute!
This project is AMAZING!!! My LO would love to create a whale this big! What a great idea! Belated congrats on their win too 😉
Thanks, I LOVE doing collage work with my girls. They are getting soo good at it now!
This project is AMAZING!!! My LO would love to create a whale this big! What a great idea! Belated congrats on their win too 😉
Thanks, I LOVE doing collage work with my girls. They are getting soo good at it now!
Hi there! Would love to see the photos but they are not previewing. Can you update the page?
ooh, Thanks for the heads up Maria. I’ll update them over the weekend. I’ve lost a few images transferring my blog to zingzingtree.com it seems!
Hi there! Would love to see the photos but they are not previewing. Can you update the page?
ooh, Thanks for the heads up Maria. I’ll update them over the weekend. I’ve lost a few images transferring my blog to zingzingtree.com it seems!
What a fun project! And well done to your girls for winning – fantastic!!
What a fun project! And well done to your girls for winning – fantastic!!
I love it! I’m not surprised that they won! I love that they did most of it themselves, I look forward to a time when Ethan and Ivy come up with their own creations!
I love it! I’m not surprised that they won! I love that they did most of it themselves, I look forward to a time when Ethan and Ivy come up with their own creations!
my 3 littlest grandaughters would love this…thanks for sharing
my 3 littlest grandaughters would love this…thanks for sharing