Everything’s coming up rainbows…and unicorns! Have you ever tried scratch art? It’s SO colorful and one of my favorite projects to do with kids, who always seem to love scratch-off anything. I was able to repurpose an existing printable (I love it when that happens!) to make this unicorn scratch art, something that’s as easy as it is fun.
With just a few simple materials, you can create your own homemade scratch paper that your kids can use to scratch out a bit of unicorn art magic. And the best part? It’s easy, it’s fun, and it’s a great way to spend quality time with your kids while fostering their creativity and imagination.
Follow the video tutorial to make unicorn art with us, or scroll to the written directions!
Music: Dreams by Joakim Karud
I have daydreamed about packaging up unicorn templates and homemade scratch paper sets for art parties or take-home party favors because scratch art is one of those activities kids just dive into.
For more bright and cheery kids’ art ideas, visit our artist-inspired rainbow collages for kids, rainbow road abstract art project, or make a unicorn garden!
To make your own unicorn scratch art, you’ll need:
Note: We prefer to shop locally or use what we have at home, but this list contains Woodpeckers Crafts, Etsy, Blick Art Materials, Bookshop.org and/or Amazon affiliate links for reference. As affiliates (and Amazon Associates), we make a small commission on qualifying purchases.*
BASIC SUPPLIES:
- Watercolor paper or heavy cardstock
- Scissors
- Oil pastels
- Dish soap
- Black acrylic paint
- A pair of kid-safe scissors, a plastic fork, a pen cap, or something with a dull point to use as your scratching tool
OPTIONAL SUPPLIES:
- Our free printable unicorn body templates
- A stick or craft dowel like this (you can use code BIRCH5 at Woodpeckers Crafts for an extra 5% off your order)
- Yarn, ribbon
How to Make Unicorn Scratch Art – Instructions:
Make easy unicorn scratch art with kids using simple materials and their favorite rainbow colors. It’s a minimal-mess activity that will bring out their creativity as they create marvelous unicorn art magic.
Print and cut out our unicorn body template.
Print out our free printable unicorn templates on cardstock (or any type of paper you prefer) and cut out a unicorn body.
Color a half-sheet of watercolor paper or cardstock with oil pastels.
Cut a piece of watercolor paper or heavy cardstock in half and color it completely with oil pastels in any colors you want! The more colors you use, the more colorful your scratch art will be. Cover the page completely, then place it to the side.
Make the scratch art paper.
To turn your pastel-colored paper into scratch art paper, mix about two tablespoons of black acrylic paint with a dot or two of dish soap (Dawn works well). This will help the black paint stick to the oil pastels.
Once mixed, paint over your oil pastel-covered page completely. Set aside until fully dry (you can speed the drying process by hitting it with a hairdryer for 2-3 minutes).
Color a unicorn body template with oil pastels.
While your background is drying, grab your cutout unicorn body template and color it with oil pastels – any way you choose!
Glue the unicorn body to the center of your scratch paper.
Using a glue stick, glue the unicorn body to the middle of your black background.
Use a fork (or similar tool) for scratching out the details.
Start scratching! Following our example, you can add legs, a tail, a mane, and a horn. Using different tools as scratch sticks will give you different results, so play around with how you scratch! Once you’ve finished scratching out the details of your unicorn, you can scratch different patterns, shapes, or objects into the background – we went with classic stars.
These are so much fun to experiment with – the color combinations are endless, and watching your unicorn appear as you scratch away simple lines is a pretty magical experience.
So proud of your rainbow-licious unicorns, you just HAVE to hang them up? You can create a fun hanging display by punching a couple of holes in your scratch art pieces, tying them together with yarn or ribbon, and tying them onto a dowel rod or stick. We added one of our rainbows from our Frank Stella deconstructed rainbow art project for extra color!
DIY Scratch Art Paper Tips and FAQs
Can I use different colors for the scratch art paper besides black?
You can use any color you like for the scratch art paper – the key is picking a paint that is opaque (a paint you can’t see through) and something that will provide a nice contrast with the colors you have underneath. Black is a standard scratch art paper color because it helps the scratched colors really pop!
Is there a substitute for dish soap?
There are many ways to make scratch art paper, and I LOVE that this process uses just a couple of supplies we already have at home. Conveniently, you can also mix equal parts liquid laundry detergent and paint if you find you’re out of dish soap.
Do I need to use oil pastels for the scratch art?
I’ve found that oil pastels consistently work best, but you can also use any kind of wax crayons.
One of the highlights of this kids’ scratch art project is experimenting with new processes. For other sure-fire kid-pleasing process-based crafts, try creating a colorful rainbow pillow from chalk pastels (magically smudge-free!).
Make a kaleidoscope of beautiful butterflies or easy recycled crayon art with melted crayons! Pro-tip: these projects are the perfect additions to an art-themed kids’ party.
*A note about affiliate links: We strive to use simple, earth-friendly supplies that can be purchased locally whenever we can, but sometimes we find the best universally available options, a rare eco-friendly find, or a niche product only available on Blick Art Materials, Amazon, Etsy, or Woodpeckers Crafts. When included in our supply list, these products are affiliate links, and if you click through to make a purchase we receive a small commission that helps us re-order these supplies!
GETTING READY TO TRY this?
I love seeing all the ways people make these ideas their own! If you're sharing the results of one of our projects, mention or tag me with @barleyandbirch, or share it in the comments of one of our Pinterest project pins.
