Use wooden cutouts and tempera paint to create this Christmas Island Crab Project. Add parchment colored paper and brown shoe polish for a treasure map vibe. Below are a few student examples, a supply list, and a video tutorial to get you going.
This project was part of Green Mountain Area Homeschoolers’ art display – “Travelers” – which was displayed at Belmar Library in Lakewood, Colorado. We were inspired this year by some unusual animal travelers from around the world, including Christmas Island Crabs.
Christmas Island Crabs
Visit Christmas Island or the Cocos Islands in October or November and you’ll see a pretty spectacular sight. Each year, millions of Christmas Island Red Crabs migrate from the interior of their islands to the coasts to mate and spawn.
Supplies
- Wooden crab cutouts (available online, we used 6″ crabs)
- Small wooden block or piece of dowel to glue onto your crab for a ‘handle’
- red and orange tempera paint
- other colors of tempera paint as desired for background
- sponge brushes (work well for applying paint to crab for printing)
- paintbrushes
- paper, antiqued or regular of desired size
- optional: brown shoe polish for antiquing, markers or other supplies for embellishing print
Prep
Use hot glue or regular glue to put a handle on your crab for printing. Your handle can be a small wooden block, piece of dowel, or similar object.
Video Tutorial
I hope you enjoy making this Christmas Island Crab Project! Feel free to borrow elements from this project and use them for other artistic pursuits. I’d love to hear about what you create.
Other projects from our Travelers display: