19 cheap Products for fun Drawing and Painting-related Activities
Sure, regular old drawing and painting is awesome. But sometimes it’s fun to spice things up a little and try out something new.
From greeting cards to cake décor, there are so many entertaining ways to spend your weekend, many of which you might have never thought of before!
If you fancy passing the time with some artsy activities that don’t involve your usual canvases or sketchpads, why not give one or two from this list a go? The materials you need are all super affordable, so there’s a lot of bang for your buck.
Personally, I have spent many a pleasant holiday morning with number 8 and can’t wait to do it again!
1 Blank jigsaw puzzles
This one is double fun! First you get to draw on it and then you get to build it!
You can buy blank puzzles either made from cardboard or wood. Usually they’re anywhere between 20 and 300 pieces, so it’s totally up to you how complicated you want to make things.
For the cardboard option I recommend either pens/pencils or water colours, but don’t draw too wet or they’ll swell.
2 Fabric paint
Usually this idea has the stigma of kiddie birthday parties, but it’s such a waste to overlook it just because children like to do it, too.
Think about how highly regarded fabric painters are in Asia. Professionally embellishing the silk for a kimono that’ll cost Thousands is an art form they train in for decades.
You can use these highly rated paints to create tiny details on your clothes to give them that little something special, or be a lot less subtle and paint big patterns. You can draw on shoes, scarfs, jeans, whatehaveyou.
3 An engraving pen
This is something that I have not tried myself, simply because I know I’d go nuts with it and engrave everything I can get my hands on.
However, if you’re less prone to go overboard with things an engraving pen is a very versatile and not at all expensive way to spend your time.
You can engrave glass, plastic, wood and some metals, there’s a lot of potential here to personalise your belongings, and make special gifts, of course.
And, if you have a bit more time you can follow in the footsteps of the artists of old and create entire, intricate drawings with this technique. Here’s a collection of Rembrandt’s Etchings for inspiration.
4 Coloured sand
A long-standing tradition in Buddhist monasteries, making art out of coloured sand has become quite popular all over the globe in recent years. Artist Joe Mangrum for example has become a master in this technique.
Sand artist creating a mandala only with his hands. Image by A. Strakey via Flickr.
It’s incredibly relaxing, of course, but also a great exercise in learning to make art for the sake of it, since you don’t get to keep anything in the end. When you’re done with your work you eventually destroy it by mixing the sand together (or the wind does it for you).
Here’s a great book about mandalas for some inspiration, but naturally you can draw anything with this technique.
If you have a quiet beach in your vicinity you don’t even need to buy coloured sand, you could do what Andres Amador does and draw straight into the sand there (top tip: don’t bring your dog).
5 Tiny canvases
This is a great option to take with you on vacation, since they don’t need much space in your suitcase. They’re also just super cute!
Mini canvases come in different sizes, with or without easel. Either way they are great for some interesting drawing or painting, since most of us don’t usually create images at this scale.
They are also perfect as small gifts and tokens of appreciation.
6 Food folouring for painting on cakes
Who doesn’t like a pretty cake, I ask you. And it doesn’t need any fancy fondant flowers and 3D butterflies to make a cake special, no sculpting experience required here.
Example of a simple but super effective cake painting. Full tutorial on Amelie’s House.
With a pack of simple food colours you can, in fact, paint straight on a smooth layer of fondant, just like you would on any other canvas.
Mind you, in summer it can be a bit of stop-and-go, as the fondant is easier to paint on when it’s cold, so you might have to pop the cake back into the fridge every now and then.
7 A screen printing kit
A screen printing kit is also great entertainment. The ink is usually bought separately and comes in various colours.
I do recommend also getting a good book with in-depth instructions and ideas, if this is your first screen printing project.
I used to do screen printing at University, because having to design and draw a pattern that’s interesting but still simple enough to be printable is a really good learning experience.
Layered screen printing example. Photo by Jason McHenry via Flickr.
You can print on paper or fabric (shirts, skirts, jeans, shawls…), do small designs or big, repeating patterns. You can even layer designs on top of each other in different colours, which can look amazing.
8 Furniture paint
If you have an old, ugly wardrobe or just bought a plain, boring dresser to save a bit of money why not spice it up a little with some colour.
From a nice colour gradient (look at this lovely example) to shabby chic, paint splashes or the most intricate patterns, you can let your imagination run wild.
Chalked paint works nicely for this sort of thing (brushes here), but I have also had luck with simple acrylics. Just don’t forget the final wax coat in the end to protect it from chips and scratches.
I’ve done this twice with IKEA’s RAST and KOPPANG over the years and each time it looked fab.
9 A stamp stone carving kit
Having an artist chop sounds like quite the novelty in our geographic area, but in many parts of Asia it’s a completely normal thing. Have a look at my interview with Ch'ng Kiah Kiean, where we talk about his artist’s seal and the meaning behind it.
Making one is quite simple in principle, you really just need to design it and carve it into the soapstone that comes with the carving kit. You can use your initials for the design or symbols or a mixture of both.
Chinese seal carved into soapstone.
For more ideas have a look at my article How to create the perfect Signature for your art.
10 Paint by numbers
As grown artist’s we often feel a bit snobby towards this activity. Painting by numbers has a bad reputation. It feels lazy and inartistic to us.
A bit like a master chef making a quick cheese toastie (that’s a grilled cheese, for my friends across the Atlantic) with canned tomato soup.
But not everything an artist does has to be super difficult. Sometimes it’s nice to just relax with something simple, uncomplicated, that has an easy-to-follow set of rules with little to no interpretation needed.
I personally enjoy the odd paint by numbers evening, especially around Christmas, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.
11 Wood burning kit
Whether it's a "Beware of the dog"-sign, your life motto or a Christmas message, a wood burning kit offers a lot of possibilities to be creative.
Do be extra careful with the hot tip if you're naturally clumsy. If you handle it with care though this can be very entertaining, especially with all the tips and stencils provided in the kit. If you are looking for some more ideas there's a highly rated book as well.
12 Window paint
This is a fabulous thing to have around Christmas, where you can draw all the angels and snowflakes you want on your windows, but it’s also great at any other time of year.
I sometimes used these window paints to communicate with my neighbours across the street, where we’d draw pretty or funny things on the windows to surprise each other.
They work on most smooth surfaces and can be wiped off later, so you can also try them on mirrors and such.
13 Paints for picture frames
Here’s another one where you can go as simple or complicated as you like. Just buy a pack of plain picture frames from IKEA or the Poundstore and go to town on them on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Picture frame design by Dream Green DIY
I have done this successfully in the past with a cheap set of acrylics (not the fancy ones I’d use for actual paintings), or you can use spray paint. Here is an interesting tutorial where they use nail polish for a marbled effect.
I really like it when the design on the frame reflects the image inside (some simply ‘extend’ the picture and continue it on the frame), but it’s also nice if it just works well with the overall décor.
14 A 3D pen
If you feel like combining drawing with sculpture you could think about getting a 3D pen. Something that sounded super futuristic just yesterday (in my head anyways) is not so big a deal anymore and widely accessible.
There are more expensive ones out there, but for a bit of trying out and learning the technique a cheaper option is perfectly adequate.
You refill them with these stringy bits and there is also an amazing book with super fun ideas.
15 Blank Greeting Cards
This is an idea I’ve already talked about in my article Awesome Gifts for People who love Drawing and Painting. I personally buy a pack of blank cards every couple of years, because everyone loves a hand-made card.
Hand-made card by spazzgirl555 via Flickr.
I make them for Christmas and birthdays of course, but they’re especially great for occasions that don’t usually have specific cards available.
16 Ceramic paint
Acrylic paint pens that work well on smooth surfaces like ceramics are not expensive at all and they come in a huge variety of colours.
Super simple football-design painted on a plain flower pot.
I really like them for decorating plain flower pots, but they’re also fab for mugs, dishes, bowls, teapots and so on.
Keep in mind that you might have to bake it in the oven to set the paint completely, so do make sure your ceramics can withstand the heat.
17 Flip book kit
Did anyone not draw little figures into the corners of their textbooks at school and let them flip when they were bored in class? What was fun back then is still an adorable pastime today.
The Flip Book Kit comes with little stacks of paper you can easily bind together, but most importantly it includes a light pad, so you can get your figures, animals or whatever you're animating to move around realistically from one page to the next.
It's also an excellent training if you eventually want to draw from your imagination. And, if you put a bit of effort in them, maybe with some colouring, they make great stocking fillers or giveaways for friends.
18 Henna for mehndis
Mehndis are an ancient form of body art and it does take a bit of skill to apply the henna paste quite right, which is why I recommend getting a book with some tips and tricks (and design ideas) as well.
Henna mehndis are of course more popular with women, but there is no reason why men can’t make use of this beautiful and serene custom, too. You could draw them on yourself, your spouse or the grandchildren (remember, they’re not permanent and fade in a couple of days).
They don’t just go on skin either, you can use them on wood and other materials.
I have used henna myself a few times and it’s incredibly relaxing to draw the swirly patterns and the smell is just gorgeous.
19 A block printing kit
This is the grownup version of potato prints, basically. I used to have a block printing kit like this, because it’s a good learning experience and great for dexterity (don’t want to be carving too deep, or not deep enough).
Block printing example with botanical prints by Meena Kadri via Flickr.
I find it’s cheaper and less hassle if you buy a kit with different colours and blocks already in it, rather than everything separately. There’s also a great book on the topic called Block Print Magic, which will give you tips and lots of ideas.
For more artsy products to spend some time with have a look at my article Awesome Gifts for People who love Drawing and Painting.
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