Dedicated to our Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda

Dedicated to our Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda

Hari OM!

This blog is designed to serve as a library of art and craft ideas for our balavihar children. We hope that you will find this site useful. Please feel free to use any (or all) of the projects you see posted here. We ask, however, that you refrain from publishing (in any form) these templates, instructions, and photographs, unless you receive written permission. These projects are being provided for your own personal use or use in the Balavihar classroom.


All art projects are categorized by 1) material, 2) use, and 3) type. For example a Diya greeting card would be under the labels "Paper" and "Cards," while a Lord Hanumaan puppet would be found under "Paper," "Toys and Puppets" and "Gods and Goddesses." Most materials for these projects can easily be purchased from any local craft store — and some projects involve materials you already have laying around the house.


We would love to hear your suggestions and ideas about any of the information you find on this site. And, if you have any projects that you would like to share with other seviks/sevikas, please send a picture of the finished piece, as well as instructions on how to make the project – so we can post it.


Happy Creating!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Likhita Japa Painting

This project was created for our Kindergarten Class "J is for Japa. This is a very simple technique. All you need is:

Materials
• Watercolor paper
• Water soluble colored pencils (These can be found in most craft/art stores)
• Paint Brush
• Water
• Black writing pens (or color pens for more complicated patterning)

Directions
1. With a bowl (or circle template) trace your mandala circle in the center of your paper. Then with the watercolor pencils lightly color in your areas. (We like to use no more than 3 or 4 colors.)

2. After you are satisfied with the coloring, take your brush (dipped in water) and paint over your drawing. It's like magic — the colored pencils turn into watercolor!!  The younger kids really love this part.

3. Once your painting is completely dry, you can begin your likhita japa. Have them work from the outside of the circle inwards — finishing with a beautiful, silent OM.

Here are a couple of samples we share with the children to emphasize
the importance of neat and steady handwriting.



Posted by CMTC Sevika at 1:04 PM
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