Try easy squeegee painting for self-care fun

I am a sucker for something quick I can do to lift my mood or my self-esteem and squeegee painting is definitely one that I’ve found that works well for me. You can make it as simple, or as complicated as you wish.

I’ve experimented with random blobs and intentional designs, and I love it all. This technique makes for a unique standalone piece of art, or great abstract background for a nice handwritten message, a simple flower, or a design. You can also outline the different shapes with lines and dots to give it another layer of fun. And instead of dripping the paint on at once, you can do one dot or shape at a time, drag it, and then do another color from another direction.

A large shower squeegee can cover an entire sheet of paper, and a smaller one or silicone cooking spatula can be good for single colors or smaller swipes and squiggles. You can also purchase specific paint tools for this technique, but you certainly don’t have to.

There are no wrong answers. Just have fun with it! I’ve found acrylic works great, but I imagine tempera or finger paint would be just as easy to work with and would make this a more child-friendly activity since the latter two are easier to clean up.

Add another layer of self-care

For a bonus boost of self-love use this time to be mindful of the beautiful work you are doing, and try saying some nice things to yourself about how it’s going like “oh that looks lovely!” “I am an artist!” “What a beautiful job I am doing” “I am so brave for trying something new!” you get the idea. Think it to yourself if you don’t feel comfortable saying it out loud, but feel it, and know you’re doing something positive for yourself and your mental health.

Easy squeegee painting

A simple and fun technique to paint with acrylic paints

Materials

  • paper (watercolor/craft/construction) or canvas
  • paint
  • squeegee
  • tape (painters/masking/washi-anything that will peel from the paper without ripping it)
  • paper towel/rag
  • (optional) paint brushes/markers/pens

Instructions

  • Gather supplies
  • Tape paper to cardboard/block like a frame on all sides to stabilize and keep clean edges (skip this step if using a canvas)
  • Randomly blob paint, or make a design on paper
  • Drag squeegee smoothly from one edge of the paper to the other
  • Go back over with the swirled paint left on squeegee to fill in blanks, or create another layer if needed/wanted
  • Remove tape and let dry
  • Draw on, decorate, or leave as is.
  • Voila. You made art!

Video

squeegee painting
Came out cute!
squeegee painting
An abstract green squeegee painting
Cacti squeegee art
Cacti squeegee art

Tag me on Twitter with your squeegee paintings so I can share and marvel at your art!

 

You might also like this: Today was a good day: A fill-in-the-blank activity

 

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Author

  • Nikki

    Nikki is a photographer, writer, artist, and advocate of radical self-love. She writes about mental health, gaming, sex, and inclusivity.

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