Napkin Art Tutorial

Have kids home for the whole day? Think they've been watching too much television? Are they saying "I'm bored." Well, if you have cheap paper napkins on hand and magic markers, you could have an absorbing activity for the next few hours. Really?

It's Napkin Art. I think I invented it, mostly. I buy the cheapest paper napkins at the supermarket, and crayola markers (about $2, medium point). Put down newspaper to protect your furniture, and with the napkin still folded (see above) instruct the participant to make dots covering the napkin, but not allowing the dots to touch. To be sure the dot goes through all four layers of napkin, I usually suggest that the artist counts to three for each dot made (marker held down). When the napkin is full, carefully unfold it, and be amazed at the designs you get. With a little practice, these can become very complex and begin to look like medieval stained glass windows somehow. They can be scotch taped to windows, or to the refrigerator, for wonderful, and fleeting, decorative effect. They won't last forever, which means, it will soon be time to make more!