PREORDER DUEL

My kindergarten teacher called this art project “butterfly painting”.

A lot of times, they do happen to look like butterflies.

I think more people know them as “squish paintings”.

Which is a nice name when yours doesn’t happen to look like a butterfly.

Either way, you probably remember doing this project yourself— it’s a really satisfying way to teach/learn abstract and representational painting at the same time.

And while I think it’s most commonly taught in kindergarten with an emphasis on experimentation, older kids ready to incorporate a little more planning can get more figurative with it than I think most people realize.

I, myself, have done quite a few of these for my latest book, and the process is still a thrill. Here’s a peek inside:

Duel comes out October 6th. If you’d like to celebrate the release with me by making some art like you see in the book, you can

PREORDER DUEL HERE

or from your favorite local bookshop.

And get these supplies ready:

1. Paper. A little thicker 8.5 x 11, 110 lb index weight holds paint globs nicely & is still economical.

2. Paint. This Crayola nontoxic washable stuff is a perfect consistency.

When I brought this project to kindergarteners at El Granada Elementary, I transferred the paint to smaller squeezable containers like you see on the right, so that every table group had a set of colors to share. (In doing so, I couldn’t help but remix the color palette a little, for more harmony than the house blends. But not necessary, unless that sort of thing makes you happy, too.)

See you again in about a month— ‘til then, I leave you with a few more stills from the forthcoming paint-along episode.

-Shawn

Here’s the lesson plan:

1. Read this book aloud:

   

   (About 10 minutes)

2. Ask kids if they would like to make some art with the author/illustrator of the book you just read, then play the video at the top of this post. It’s also on Youtube, if you prefer.

3. The video starts with an intro that’ll give you time to pass out these art supplies:

   

   (The episode runs about 17 minutes.)

4. Extend the drawing activity by prompting kids to make another stencil to add a new shape/ pattern to their drawing. Here’s a 1-page lesson plan if you want to print this out without wasting ink on all my color photos here.

AND If any of your kids want to honor Crayons’ AUDACEOUS request for flowers (guys, I would never!) you can send drawings here:

Crayons is gonna do a showcase of some art that gets sent our way in a future video, so make sure to include either students names, your school, your town, or whatever info you want to give us to shoutout your artists properly.

Again, I would NEVER ;)

So chaotic.

Next episode is going to be an art project from my forthcoming book, Duel, if you’d like to queue up your preorder to arrive for publication on Oct. 6, 2026. I illustrated it by squishing paint between two halves of a paper. When I was in Kindergarten, that’s how my teacher taught us to paint butterflies. Thanks for the book idea, Mrs. Maschoff!

-Shawn

You may assume I’m being hyperbolic and laying it on thick in the interest of encouraging young artists. But truly, I wish I could paint like this:

Look at the distinct and unique expression coming from each piece; just teeming with vivid energy and life. And even with the same subject matter, no two are even remotely alike! Sheesh.

The way I see it, in art, kids don’t begin as beginners. How’s that for a paradox? I’ve got some theories why that is— hold my paintbrush.

1. Kids innately use a mix of abstract and figurative elements. Abstraction is mostly tabled once an artist tasks themselves with learning the rudiments of an art style– figurative instruction being the optimized way to institutionalize teaching art. (That’s the point when art starts looking “beginner-ish” to me, anyway.) To improve at one’s craft requires the temporary pausing, or at least side-burner-ing of abstraction. Abstraction is where individual expression and world view can really get hyper-amplified. It takes artists years, a lifetime even (if we’re lucky), to bring that element back into our work.

2. Commitment to experimentation. Cool stuff happens in art when you experiment. Every day kids are trying something for the first time– it’s less of a big deal for them to take a risk and see what happens.

3. Proximity to source (the divine theory). Their vector is short. They’re standing point blank just cha-ching cha-chinging bullseye.

The watercolor paintings above were done by artists from Ormondale Elementary in California. Oh, they shared some great future-self portraits, too:

Shoutout to their teacher for providing aluminum foil for an optional collage element that matches the book’s cover:

Also, the quartered paper is a nice way to be economical with material costs, and honestly, the smaller surface area is conducive to canvas-filling– another factor elevating these pieces.

For our next project, get your colored-pencils ready. The episode we’re working on now is a workshop based on Have You Ever Seen a Flower?

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-Shawn

Mac is also my oldest friend, but that honorific has been sidelined for the time being while he’s got his medal to brandish. He also writes about picture books over at Looking At Picture Books.

Now back to our art class—

I painted this book with a mix of watercolors, inks, and gouache (which is a semi-opaque sort of of watercolor), but I used all that stuff the same way I do watercolors, so no need to be fancy— a simple watercolor tray and brush will do.

Here’s the lesson plan:

1. Read The Future Book aloud.

(About 10 minutes.)

2. Pass out these art supplies:

   WATER (in a small cup)

   BRUSH

   PAPER (Printer paper won’t hold water, but 80 or 90 lb paper won’t cockle much and is much cheaper than watercolor paper.)

   WATERCOLORS

   (& a paper towel is always helpful)

3. Ask kids if they would like to make some art with the illustrator of the book you just read, then play the video at the top of this post. Or, if you prefer, it’s also on Youtube.

(About 20 minutes; a 3 minute intro, a 15 minute real-time paint-along art lesson, followed by a visit from Mac, who joins me for the last 3 minutes or so.)

4. Extend the painting activity to 45 minutes by prompting kids to paint a pet they’ll have in the future. Copy these steps onto your board to remind them some of the techniques we just learned:

If you really want to sound official, this technique is called painting “wet in wet”. Pretty on the nose.

If you want to print the lesson to keep (or share) here it is in a 1-sheet:

📄 Download a printable PDF lesson plan here.

If your kids made some art they want to share with me and Honey, put it in the comments here, or tag me on IG. It’s part of my job to keep tabs on the up-and-coming talent out there. Here’s my art, all dry and “developed like a Polaroid”. (I may lose the room for a second there.)

Next episode is an art class for Have You Ever Seen a Flower? so get some colored pencils at the ready. And may I humbly ask, if you have other librarian, teacher, or parent friends you think would like to share this art class with their kids, you consider forwarding this email to them? It’s free to subscribe— a thank you for reading and using my books in your classes & houses.

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Til next time, you smell like a baby!

Shawn

PREORDER

Preorder it and we’ll ship you this FREE 17” x 23” POSTER featuring A COLOR FROM THE FUTURE WHICH DOES NOT EVEN EXIST YET:

Yeah, “whoa,” is right. To make sure your library or home library decor is on trend before it even trended, just submit your receipt on that preorder page.

HERE IT IS AGAIN

Mac and I are also traveling for a few shows out in the world. We’ll be playing music, reading, and talking about the intersection between books and music from the past & future.

In fact, in DC, the Library of Congress is even pulling Burl Ives’ guitar from their collection for me to play for you on stage!

Wonder if they have that bevelled collar shirt for me, too…

Here are links to the events in AZ, TX, and DC.

I’ll see the rest of you soon at the next art class,

Shawn

Have your young artists had the chance to draw along with my Let’s Be Bees crayon tutorial yet?

If not, I added an easy 📄one-page printable lesson plan to accompany the video, which you, dear subscriber, are free to download & save for a rainy day (activity).

I hear that some folks prefer a Youtube link– if that’s you, golly, do I have a link you’re gonna love.

I also hear that Substack has a TV app now, too. Truly, so many ways to MAKE SOME ART; one could try them all, if so inclined.

I leave you now to peruse this fine crayon-art gallery:

Inspiring stuff.

-Shawn

Here’s the plan:

1. Read this book aloud:

(About 10 minutes.)

2. Pass out these art supplies:

3. Ask kids if they would like to make some art with the illustrator of the book you just read. Assuming a resounding, “yes,” play the video at the top of this post. If you prefer a Youtube link, that’s here.

(It runs about 20 minutes, and consists of a 3 minute introduction, a 14 minute draw-along segment, and an outro where we visit the work of some other crayon artists (thanks Ms. Mills’ Kindergarten class at El Granada Elementary).

4. To fill out the remainder of a 45 or hour-long period, have your kids follow my prompt to draw something (other than a bee?) using the techniques we just practiced. You might copy these steps onto your board to remind them what we were just doing:

Feel free to refer your artists to the Let’s Be Bees endpapers, where I have drawn everything on earth, for additional inspiration:

Thank you for sharing my books and art with your students! If you’d like a printable 1-page lesson plan for your files, or to share, here you go:

📄 Download a printable PDF lesson plan here.

Next episode we’ll make some art with watercolors like I use in The Future Book, by Mac Barnett, out March 3. Please subscribe so I can let you know when the new lesson is available!

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See you then,

Shawn