Invent and practice a new drawing style by mixing techniques, textures, and colors; create five original drawings that show your unique artistic rules.


Step-by-step guide to invent a new drawing style
Step 1
Gather all the materials listed and set them on a clear workspace so you can reach everything easily.
Step 2
Write three to five simple rules that will make your new drawing style unique such as how to use lines colors or textures.
Step 3
Choose two different techniques you want to mix in your style and write their names next to your rules.
Step 4
Practice the first technique on a scrap sheet for one minute to get comfortable with the look it makes.
Step 5
Practice the second technique on a scrap sheet for one minute to see how it feels different from the first.
Step 6
Make a small texture stamp by taping a texture item to a piece of cardboard or a sponge so you can print with it.
Step 7
Press your texture stamp into paint or rub it with crayon and make several prints on scrap paper to test how the texture looks.
Step 8
Create your first original drawing following only your rules and using one of your chosen techniques.
Step 9
Create your second original drawing by mixing both techniques while still following your rules.
Step 10
Create your third original drawing and change the colors to explore how color affects your style.
Step 11
Create your fourth original drawing and place texture prints in different spots to see how they change the design.
Step 12
Create your fifth original drawing that combines all your rules techniques textures and color choices into one final piece.
Step 13
Share your five finished drawings on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!

Help!?
What can we use instead of paint, a sponge, cardboard, or tape if we don't have them?
Use crayons or washable markers rubbed onto the texture item instead of paint, fold a cereal box for the cardboard stamp base, substitute a clean kitchen sponge or folded dishcloth for a craft sponge, and use masking tape or glue dots to attach the texture item when you make the texture stamp.
My texture stamp prints look faint or smudged—what should we check?
Make several test prints on scrap paper (as the instructions say), blot excess paint from the stamp so it won't smudge, press evenly and firmly when printing, and re-tape the texture item so it doesn't shift during the press.
How can we adapt this activity for younger or older kids?
For younger children, simplify by writing only one or two clear rules and making three drawings with pre-made stamps and thicker crayons, while older kids can write five detailed rules, extend each one-minute practice, and mix extra techniques across the five drawings for more challenge.
How can we enhance or personalize the final set of five drawings?
Combine the five finished drawings into a themed collage or flipbook, scan and tweak colors digitally, add handwritten titles or a short story to each piece, and then share the collection on DIY.org as suggested in the instructions.
Watch videos on how to invent a new drawing style
Facts about drawing techniques and mixed-media art for kids
✍️ Many unique art styles start from tiny personal rules—like always using a limited palette, a signature mark, or a repeatable texture.
🖌️ 'Mixed media' simply means using two or more materials (ink, watercolor, collage, marker) in one artwork.
🧩 Artists use both real (tactile) and implied (visual) texture to make flat drawings feel three-dimensional.
🌈 Complementary colors (opposite on the color wheel) make each other look brighter when placed side by side.
🎨 Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque helped popularize mixing collage with paint to invent new visual languages like Cubism.


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