Fun hand print safari animals

Creating four fun Safari animals using our hand prints and Acrylic Paints.

Step 1: Colouring the Canvas.

The first thing to do is to put a background colour on a Canvas. You can do this in whatever colour you like. We are using Light Green for this painting. To paint the canvas, use the 75 mm Taklon Wide Flat Brush and cover the entire Canvas with a thick layer of paint so that none of the Canvas shows through. Leave that to dry.

Step 2: White Hand Print.

Squeeze out Titanium White on to the Palette and push your hand in to the paint, making sure all of your palm is covered. Press your hand on to the middle of canvas. Dip your thumb into the paint and press this onto the end of the neck to create zebra's Head. Then paint a thin stripe of White for the tail.

Step 3: Adding Details.

With a Brush paint in the stripes, hooves, mane and the tuft on the end of his tail with Black. Then dip in the end of the brush handle into the Black and dot that on to zebra's Head to create an eye. And there you have your first handprint animal. Handprint Zebra. No two zebras' stripes are the same.

Handprint Elephant

Step 1: Colouring the Canvas. The first thing to do is to put a background colour on a canvas. You can do this in whatever colour you like. We are using Yellow Ochre for this painting. To paint the canvas, use the 75 mm Taklon Wide Flat Brush and cover the entire canvas with a thick layer of paint so that none of the canvas shows through. Leave that to dry.

Step 2: Blue Hand Print.

Press your hand into the Cerulean Blue and then press it onto the Ochre Canvas. Cover in any missing areas with your finger. Drag the paint along with your finger to extend the trunk, and put in a little tail.

Step 3: Adding Details.

With a paintbrush, paint in the details with Black. For the Elephant's feet, just paint an M shape and then paint in the ear and the eye with the same technique as the zebra. Fun Fact. Elephants can live for 70 years!

Handprint Lion

Step 1: Colouring the canvas.

The first thing to do is to put a background colour on a canvas. You can do this in whatever colour you like. We are using Light Green for this painting. To paint the canvas, use the 75 mm Taklon Wide Flat Brush and cover the entire canvas with a thick layer of paint so that none of the canvas shows through. Leave that to dry.

Step 2: Yellow Hand Print.

Press your hand into the Cadmium Yellow and then press it onto the Green Canvas. Cover in any missing areas with your finger. To create the lion's head make a circle with the ball of your thumb and on the other side paint in a thin line for the tail.

Step 3: Adding details.

Squeeze out a little Burnt Umber onto the round plastic Palette. Dip in your brush and then paint around the lion's head to make a mane. Paint in a round nose, under this paint in his mouth, some ears, his toe nails and the tuft on the end of his tail. Dip the handle into the Burnt Umber and dot this onto the face to create eyes. Fun Fact. Lions are the only cats that live in groups

Handprint Giraffe

Step 1: Colouring the Canvas.

The first thing to do is to put a background colour on a canvas. You can do this in whatever colour you like. We are using Yellow Ochre for this painting. To paint the canvas, use the 75 mm Taklon Wide Flat Brush and cover the entire canvas with a thick layer of paint so that none of the canvas shows through. Leave that to dry.

Step 2: Yellow Hand Print.

Press your hand into Lemon Yellow and then press it onto the Ochre Canvas. Fill in any areas with your finger that did not cover with paint. Now dip your finger into the paint and drag it up the side of the hand print to create giraffe’s neck, now dip in your thumb to create a head.

Step 3: Adding Details.

Dip your finger in to the Burnt Umber paint and place the giraffe’s spots over the body. Place in some hooves and the tuft on the end of the tail. Then dip the handle into the paint and dot on the face for the eye. Fun FactThe giraffe is the world's tallest animal.

Now you have these techniques, you can create your own wonderful African wildlife scene and many more animals. So try some out and until next time.