Looking for art to liven up your spaces? Look around closely and you’d find it right in your home. Artwork by children, done in any kind of format, provides splashes of not just colour, but an environment that’s vibrant and positive. Whether you choose to show off the piece in your living room, or display it in the children’s room, these doodles and drawings do certainly brighten up your home décor.
Apart from adding a quirky touch to your home and serving as mementos, displaying your child’s artwork builds a sense of self-worth and pride. So show off those drawings, craft projects and photographs — you will also give your child a chance to grow, interact with others and figure out where his or her interests lie.
Show it off
In many homes, a child’s artwork only finds place in his or her room. Bring it out of there and see how it has the potential to brighten up every space — be it a dull hallway, the front porch or the refrigerator. “Don’t worry about the décor of your home — be it formal, contemporary or ultramodern, there’s always space to display your child’s creative streak. Co-ordinating frames or colour themes can help unify the artwork with your décor. But the best way to display your child’s art is whatever works best for you and your home,” says Diksha Joshi, a Surat-based designer who specialises in children’s rooms.
Display differently
There’s no hard and fast rule when it comes to doing up a space with children’s artwork. A montage of pictures, framed drawings, collages or a changing display each month — go with what takes your fancy. Remember that though they love seeing their artwork displayed, children tend to get bored very quickly and would like to see their latest work on display as soon as it’s done! As far as the display goes, it doesn’t have to be only artwork — show off art supplies, colouring books and rolls of paper in informal settings.
Cut the clutter
All that artwork may breathe life into a dull home, but considering the amount of artwork that a child brings home during his/ her school life, it’s important to sort through the drawings, collages and models at periodic intervals. You want memories and keepsakes that you can return to, not a pile of drawings bundled up and gathering dust in the store room. Sift through the artwork at regular intervals with your child. Remember the sort, store and toss principle. Keep cherished work and allow each child a huge folder to squirrel it away.
Wall of Fame
This is a great idea to ensure that your child’s artwork does not take over your entire home. How you display the artwork is up to you — stretch a pretty ribbon across the room and hang the artwork from it with clothespins, use a notice board with magnets or a soft board with pins. When guests come calling, interested ones can be taken to the in-house ‘art gallery’. “The Wall of Fame can have special displays to co-ordinate with seasons and holidays. Over time, as the child grows up, select pieces from different periods — you’ll have a quick display that reveals his or her evolution as an artist,” Diksha suggests.
What if your kids are doodling and drawing so fast that you can’t keep pace with them? Try this:
1. Slide artwork and photos under a sheet of glass on a coffee table to liven up an informal living area. Or else, keep changing the display in a glass cabinet (artwork can be stuck to glass panes with transparent adhesive tape).
2. Make magnets that can give some competition to the souvenirs adorning your refrigerator. Small portions of a drawing — such as flowers, fairies, clouds etc. — can be cut out and laminated. Glue a small magnet (visit your nearest art and crafts store) to the back, and you have small keepsakes ready.
3. Favourite artwork over the years can be used to create a collage. Glue the artwork randomly on a thick sheet and laminate if you want it to last for years.
4. A special set of pictures can be converted into table mats. Glue the pictures on to thick cardstock sheets and have them laminated. Smaller pictures can be used to make coasters.
5. Bright drawings and doodles can be turned into a calendar. Scan the chosen artwork and design your own calendar at snapfish.in. You could also do key chains, stickers, mouse pads, piggy banks, mugs, tee-shirts, gift tags, note books, note pads and playing cards. Or else, print out the artwork on photo cushions, beer mugs or plates, and create great gifts for the family.
6. At festival time, select a favourite piece of art done that year (choose two if you have two children), and create greeting cards (try snapfish.in) to send out to family and friends.
