Art- Don't buy it create it!

Use fruits and vegetables to create exciting prints on paper. Make fun random prints or combine them to create interesting images.

Materials Needed

• Fruits (apples, pears, oranges,
  bananas, lemons)
• Vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower,
  bell peppers, potatoes, carrots,
  corn, mushrooms, Chinese cabbage)
• Knife
• Chopping board
• Poster or acrylic paint
• Shallow plates
• Sketch paper or canvas

1. Clean the fruits and vegetables. Wash and towel dry.
2. Prepare the fruits and vegetables by cutting or trimming them. Here are some suggestions:

Apples and pears- cut lengthwise in half;
Bananas- cut in half;
Oranges and lemons- cut crosswise in half;
Corn- cut in half and insert a stick to make a handle;
Bell peppers- slice crosswise in half, remove the seeds;

Broccoli and cauliflower - separate into individual florets;
Mushrooms- slice button or any round mushrooms lengthwise in half;
Potatoes and carrots- slice into quarters, wedges or cut into specific shapes such as a flower or star;
Chinese cabbage- trim off the base, you should use this part for painting.

3. Put paint in shallow plates or containers. Prepare your sketch paper or canvas as well.

4. Dip a fruit or vegetable in one color of paint, making sure that the bottom is evenly-coated with paint.

5. Press the fruit or vegetable firmly on your sketch paper. This Chinese cabbage print in the image above looks just like a rose.

6. Go ahead and use the other fruits and vegetables to paint. You'll discover how each one can make a unique and interesting print.

7. Broccoli makes sponge-like prints that are great for making trees. Corn can produce really interesting patterns as well. Just hold the corn by the handles and roll it on your canvas to create a foreground.

8. The fruit and vegetable prints themselves are beautiful as they are. Dip oranges or lemons in various colors and create a very nice picture. There are so many ways to paint with fruits and vegetables!