Creation

Art Workshop

Summary:

Children will explore the uniqueness and beauty of creation as they decorate tiles using alcohol inks. These tiles could be used as a coaster if sealed. The result is a vivid reminder of God's beautiful creation.
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Scripture References:

Genesis 1-2:2

Memory Verse: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”  Genesis 1:1

Lesson Objectives and Life Application:

Leader Preparation:

• Review background information and lesson materials.
• Gather necessary supplies.
• Experiment with the alcohol inks and tiles. If you don’t like the pattern formed, you can use the blending solution to clean off the tile and begin again.
• Write the memory verse on the board in the room.
• Set out supplies.
• Cover tables with old tablecloths to protect the table surfaces.

Supplies List:

• 6-inch white/cream ceramic tiles (one per student)
• Alcohol inks in a variety of colors (available at craft stores)
• Alcohol ink blending solution
• Felt blending pads or cotton swabs
• Straws (one per student)
• Stir sticks or toothpicks
• Water-based sealer (suggest use a spray-from-a-can clear acrylic sealer)
• Foam brushes
• Paper towels
• Large foam plates (one per student)
• Pencils or permanent markers
• The music video of the song: “God of Wonders,” by Third Day
• A means of playing the music video on YouTube.

Lesson Plan

Opening

As students arrive, have this music video playing on a loop and invite them to watch it.

Clicking the following image opens the video in YouTube. Direct link: https://youtu.be/pJy2Pk5ewSI?si=2xKwoovZxOQkakrJ   The song was a mega-hit for the group "Third Day." It has also been recorded by other Christian artists.

• Welcome students and explain what they will be doing and learning about today.
• Ask them what their favorite parts of the video were -- and why. (How did it make you feel, etc.)
• Ask "What did the video say about God?"  "About Creation?"

Introduce the Story

Say: This month we are talking about the story of Creation, and the beginning of the world.

Ask: Do you ever wonder why the sky is blue? What makes kittens so cuddly? Why dogs bark?

Say: In the beginning there were no blue skies, no cuddly kittens or barking dogs. In the beginning, there was nothing at all, nothing except one thing…. In the beginning there was God! And then God began to create. God spoke and out of nothing came the sun, the moon, the earth, the mountains, the valleys, the oceans, the fish, the birds, the plants, the animals and people. With love God created everything around us. Some people believe that the Creation story in the Bible is history that tells us exactly how God made the world. Some people believe that it’s not history but a story that shows how ancient people understood their world. Whether it’s history or not, the Creation story in the Bible teaches us some VERY important things about God and humans and the world, and that’s what we’ll be learning about today!

Ask: Do you know where we find the story of the “beginnings” of the world?

Say: We find it in the very beginning of the Bible! The first book of the Bible is called Genesis. Genesis means beginnings.

Let’s find it in our Bibles and read it together.

Questions after the reading:

1. What was your favorite part of the story?
2. What was created on the 6th day? (us)
3. Why do you suppose we're listed 6th? (creation was made to be our home and gift from God)
4. Was God "tired" on the 7th day? Why then did he rest?  Rest for what?  (To take it all in)
5. What kinds of "rest" do you do on the Sabbath (Sunday) to think about your life and enjoy creation?

Create Alcohol Ink Painted Tiles As a Reminder to Think About Creation and Praise God

Introduce the Activity

Say:  We can learn about the nature of God from the story of Creation. One thing we learn is that God is VERY creative. Think about our world and all the amazing colors, creatures and life it contains. What an amazing and creative God to have thought and planned all of this. We learn that God created us in his image. This means we share some of the characteristics of God—we are NOT God, but we are creative like God. Today we are going to explore some unique creations using color.

Directions:

1. Give each child a blank tile and a large foam plate as a work surface. Have them write their names on the back of the tile using pencil or permanent marker.
2. Squirt some alcohol blending solution onto the tile and show the children how to spread it evenly over the surface of the tile with the foam brush.
3. Next squeeze some quarter-sized drops of ink on top of the tile.
4. The color will blend and mix with the blending solution.
5. Experiment by adding another color to a wet layer and watch the colors blend.      
6. Letting the color dry and then adding another color will result in more distinct and bright color separation. (The ink dries really fast.)
7. Try using a cotton swab or small square of felt (dipped in alcohol blending solution) to create a “smearing” or “streaking” effect.
8. Or move the ink around with a toothpick.
9. Or blow through a straw and watch the ink move and change (God "breathed" on us to give us life).

Do: As children work, be sure to note the amazing and unique colors and designs that are created. Discuss with the children…

Ask: What does it feel like to create something new?
How does it feel to watch the colors blend into new colors?
What do you think it would have been like for God when he “painted His Creation” with colors for the first time?

Note: If a tile should end up just as a muddy mess, you can start over by putting alcohol blending solution on the tile and wiping it off. (Be sure to watch the time though—children can start over so often that time will run out!)

Once children are satisfied with their design, have them ink the sides of the tile for a more finished look. Allow to dry! They dry quickly but, children will need to leave their tiles until the following week for pick up so that they can be sealed. (After class apply 3 thin coats of sealer allowing dry time between each layer.)

Reflection

• Have your young artist share their tiles and explain what they see in their creation.
• Close with a prayer thanking God for the gift of creation and being creators in his image!

Follow-up Tips:

From Jaymie Derden:
You can use alcohol inks on any smooth, slick surface. We've also used them on vellum paper and photo type paper.
For the tiles, you don't need to seal the tiles if they will simply be decorative and not be used as a coaster or trivet. You could always send home with the kids with a note to parents to seal if they decide to use the tiles.

Tips from Neil MacQueen:
The color material needs to be completely dry before applying sealer. Once I didn't wait long enough and the globs of paint underneath didn't dry once I sealed them.
If you don't seal the tile, whatever you've painted them with will FLAKE OFF if the tile is used.
Once sealed, you can also use the sharpie again to add a verse phrase.
Add felt tabs on the bottom of a sealed tile and you have a nice coaster.
I wanted to learn more about alcohol inks, so of course, YouTube to the rescue!

This particular video discusses the type of paper (though you can also paint on tinfoil and other things), methods of application and moving the inks around on the paper. I like that the result are MORE VIVID than the "old fashioned" way we used to blow watercolors with a straw.

This style of painting seems very expressive, which makes it perfect for certain Bible stories, or things you might want express in a more "impressionistic" style.

A lesson written by Jaymie Derden from State Street UMC, Bristol, VA and improved by the Rotation.org Content Team