A comet with a thick silver head and a tail that thins as the glue runs dryDark blue card, 1 color. Squeeze hard at the head and drag the nozzle away in one stroke. Shake while wet.
An igloo whose block lines are glitter and whose blocks are bare cardDark blue card, 1 color. Glitter glue pen only: a dome, then curved rows, then short uprights like brickwork.
A handprint outline in glitter with the date written in penDark card, 1 color. Trace round the hand in pencil. Glitter glue pen only: follow the line once, slowly.
A comet with a thick silver head and a tail that thins as the glue runs dryDark blue card, 1 color. Squeeze hard at the head and drag the nozzle away in one stroke. Shake while wet.
A crescent moon in silver glitter with a thin haze of fine glitter round itBlack card, 2 colors. Fill the crescent with glue for silver first. Then smear a little glue round it for the haze.
A felt-pen rocket riding a wide plume of orange and gold glitterDark blue card, 2 colors. Draw the rocket in marker. Glue a wide trail below it: orange near the rocket, gold after.
A firework burst of glue spokes from one point, gold glitter first and red on the tipsBlack card, 2 colors. Draw the spokes in glue and shake gold over all. When dry, dab glue on the tips for red.
A galaxy as one spiral of glue from the center out, purple glitter then blueBlack card, 2 colors. Shake purple on the inner turns and blue on the outer ones. Tap, and the join blends itself.
A jar of fireflies: yellow glitter dots inside a jar drawn in white pencilBlack card, 1 color. Glitter glue pen only: draw the jar first, then dot inside it and a few escaping from the top.
A lighthouse drawn in white pencil with two glitter wedges for its beamBlack card, 1 color. Brush glue thinly in two long triangles from the lamp and shake pale gold over them.
A made-up constellation of your own initial in glitter dots joined by pencil linesNavy card, 1 color. Glitter glue pen only: dot the corners of the letter, then rule faint pencil lines between.
A skyline left as bare black card under a sky of scattered glitter starsBlack card, 1 color. Pencil the rooftops. Dot glue only above them, big dots and tiny ones, then shake silver.
Campfire sparks: orange glitter dots that shrink as they rise up the cardBlack card, 1 color. Glitter glue pen only: big dots just above a drawn fire, then smaller and farther apart.
Three fireworks at three heights: a glitter ring, a drooping willow and a star burstBlack card, 3 colors. One shape and one color at a time, shaking off between. The lowest one goes on last.
Wavy bands of green and pink glitter over a row of fir trees cut from black paperDark blue card, 2 colors. Glue the bands with a brush and shake green, then pink. Stick the trees on last.
Snow, ice and winter 12
A frosted window with glitter creeping in from its four cornersBlack card, 2 colors. Rule the window in white pencil. Dab glue in the corners with a sponge. Silver first, then white.
A frozen spider web of glue spokes and loops under silver glitterBlack card, 1 color. Eight spokes first, then sagging loops between them from the middle out. Shake silver.
A night village with glitter snow lying on every roofBlack card, 1 color. Draw the houses in chalk. Run thick glue along each roof ridge and let it sag before you shake.
A painted fir tree with glitter snow on the upper side of every branchGray card, 1 color. Paint the tree green and let it dry. Run a glue line along each branch top, then shake white.
A row of icicles along the top edge, glitter thick at the roots and thin at the dripsDark blue card, 1 color. Glitter glue pen only: squeeze at the top and pull each one down to a point.
A six-armed snowflake ruled in glue lines and covered in white glitterBlue card, 1 color. Rule three crossing pencil lines first. Go over them in glue, add small Vs, then shake.
A skating pond whose only glitter is the loops left by the bladesPale blue card, 1 color. Glitter glue pen only: draw figure-eights and long curves, crossing where skaters would.
A snow globe where the glitter stays inside the glassPale blue card, 1 color. Draw a house and a tree in the globe. Dot glue between them only, and shake white.
A snowman on plain paper with glitter only for the ground and the falling flakesBlue card, 1 color. Cut the snowman from white paper and stick him down. Glue a drift under him and dots above.
An igloo whose block lines are glitter and whose blocks are bare cardDark blue card, 1 color. Glitter glue pen only: a dome, then curved rows, then short uprights like brickwork.
Two mittens on a string, cuffs zigzagged in glitter glue and a six-armed flake on each palmRed card, 1 color. Glitter glue pen only: zigzag across the cuffs and draw a small six-armed flake on each mitten.
Two sled tracks in glitter curving down a white paper hillBlue card, 1 color. Tear the hill from white paper. Glitter glue pen only: two lines side by side, top to bottom.
Water, scales and wings 12
A beetle with green glitter wing cases and pen-drawn legsTan card, 1 color. Glue two half-ovals side by side with a gap between. Shake green, then ink six legs.
A dragonfly with four glitter-outlined wings and a body left in markerBlack card, 1 color. Glitter glue pen only: outline each wing, add three veins and leave the insides empty.
A fish with rows of glue scale arcs, blue glitter first and green on the tailBlack card, 2 colors. Draw the arcs from head to tail. Shake blue over the body and green over the last rows.
A folded butterfly: glitter glue blobs on one wing pressed onto the otherWhite card, 2 colors. Glitter glue pen only: fold the card, open it, dot one half and press shut. Both wings match.
A hummingbird in colored pencil with a glitter throat patch and nothing elseBlack card, 1 color. Draw the bird first. One small patch of glue under the beak and a shake of red.
A jellyfish with a marker dome and long trailing glitter tentaclesBlack card, 2 colors. Glitter glue pen only: wavy lines from the dome to the card's edge, two colors by turns.
A mermaid's tail rising from the waves with scales in two glittersDark blue card, 2 colors. Glue every second row of scales and shake turquoise. Dry, then do the rows between in purple.
A peacock's tail-feather spot in blue, green and gold glitter, shaken one band at a timeBlack card, 3 colors. Glue and shake one ring at a time from the middle out: blue, green, gold. Draw the fronds in pen.
A pond with glitter ripples spreading from one dropped stoneDark blue card, 1 color. Glitter glue pen only: rings inside rings, each a little wider apart and a little thinner.
A turtle seen from above, its shell a ring of glitter-glue outlines round one middle plateDark green card, 1 color. Glitter glue pen only: draw the shell as a ring of plates round one in the middle.
A waterfall of straight glue lines that pool into glitter foamBlack card, 2 colors. Pull long lines down in glue and shake blue. Dab a wide puddle at the foot for white.
An S-shaped snake with a checker of gold glitter diamonds along its backGreen card, 1 color. Draw the snake and its diamonds in pen. Fill alternate diamonds with glue and shake gold.
Names, letters and cards 12
A bedroom door sign with your name and a glitter arrow pointing inColored card, 2 colors. Glue and shake the name first, tap off, then the arrow in the other. Punch two ribbon holes.
A birthday card with a big age numeral and glitter confetti dots round itBright card, 3 colors. Glitter glue pen only: outline the numeral, then scatter dots in three colors.
A card border of glitter dots spaced a fingertip apartAny card, 1 color. Glitter glue pen only: use your fingertip as the ruler. The middle stays empty for a message.
A card with one large glitter star and a name written across it when dryNavy card, 1 color. Fill a five-point star with glue and shake gold. Next day, write on it in marker.
A monogram inside a wreath of small glitter leavesDark green card, 2 colors. Letter in gold first. Then pairs of leaf-shaped glue dabs in a ring, shaken green.
A name with every letter in a different glitter, shaken one at a timeBlack card, as many colors as letters. Glue one letter, shake, tap off, and only then glue the next.
A new-year card with the year's four numerals in gold glitterBlack card, 1 color. Pencil the numerals tall and thin. Go over them in glue and shake gold across all four.
A set of gift tags with a different glittered initial on eachBrown card tags, 1 color. Glitter glue pen only: one capital to a tag, with a dot at the string hole.
A string of party flags across a card, each triangle outlined in glitterWhite card, 2 colors. Glitter glue pen only: draw the drooping string, then triangles hanging from it.
A thank-you card with the words in pen and one glitter swoosh beneathCream card, 1 color. Write first. Glitter glue pen only: one quick underline that curls up at the end.
One initial filled solid and split on the diagonal into two glittersWhite card, 2 colors. Glue the upper half and shake the first color. Dry, then glue and shake the lower half.
Your name in bubble letters with glitter outlines and bare insidesBlack card, 1 color. Pencil the letters fat. Glitter glue pen only: go round each one without lifting the nozzle.
Ornaments and small keepsakes 12
A card bauble with three glitter stripes and a ribbon loopRed card, 3 colors. Cut a circle with a tab. Glue and shake one stripe at a time so the colors stay apart.
A card crown with jewels that are big dots of glitter glueGold or yellow card, 3 colors. Glitter glue pen only: big dots on the points, small ones along the band.
A card star ornament glittered on both faces and hung by a threadYellow card, 1 color. Glue and shake one side, let it dry flat, then turn it over and do the other.
A craft-stick bookmark with a dipped glitter tipA wooden craft stick, 1 color. Paint the stick. Brush glue on the top third and dip it in a saucer of glitter.
A handprint outline in glitter with the date written in penDark card, 1 color. Trace round the hand in pencil. Glitter glue pen only: follow the line once, slowly.
A paper lantern with glitter stripes running down its cut stripsColored paper, 1 color. Glitter glue pen only: draw the stripes while the paper is flat, dry it, then cut and roll.
A photo framed inside a jar lid with a glitter rimA clean jar lid, 1 color. Brush glue round the rim and roll it in a saucer of glitter. Press the photo inside.
A plain card picture mat with glitter fanning out from its four cornersWhite card mat, 2 colors. Dab glue at two opposite corners, thin it along the edges and shake. Dry, then the other two.
A real dry leaf on card, every vein followed with a glitter glue penA dry leaf on white card, 1 color. Glitter glue pen only: follow the middle vein, then each side vein to the edge.
A seashell with glitter along each of its ridgesA ridged shell, 1 color. Brush glue on the ridges only and shake pale pink. The grooves stay plain.
A smooth stone paperweight with a single glitter spiralA dark stone, 1 color. Glitter glue pen only: start in the middle and wind outward. Let it dry for a day.
A wand of a card star on a stick with glitter spirals and ribbon tailsCard and a wooden stick, 2 colors. Glitter glue pen only: a spiral on each star point and stripes down the stick.
How it works
In these 60 glitter art ideas the glitter is the mark: draw in glue, shake, tap off. Work over a tray, so the spare glitter can be tipped back into its pot. An adult stays close by.
Read the full guide
Art ideas with glitter glue and no loose glitter
Glitter glue only holds pictures drawn with a glitter glue pen: nothing is shaken and nothing spills. Icicles, sled tracks, a jar of fireflies, a border of dots a fingertip apart.
Dark card, one color at a time
Many hints start with black or dark blue card. With two loose glitters, the hint gives the order: tap the first off before the glue for the next one goes down.
The labels on your glitter and your glue are the guide to their use. This list tests no product.
Questions and answers
What can you make with glitter?
Pictures where glitter is the line: a firework of glue spokes, a snowflake ruled in glue, a name in bubble letters. Ornaments and small keepsakes adds 12 things to keep, such as a card star and a stone paperweight.
How do you do glitter art without the mess?
Use the Glitter glue only group: 25 pictures drawn with a glitter glue pen, with nothing to shake or tip. For loose glitter, the page's one rule is a tray under the card.
What are easy glitter art ideas for kids?
A border of dots a fingertip apart, campfire sparks that shrink as they rise, and two sled tracks down a paper hill each need one glitter glue pen and one kind of mark. An adult stays close by.
Which goes on first, the glue or the glitter?
The glue. Each picture is drawn in glue, and the glitter stays only where the glue is. With two colors, shake one, tap it off, then put down the glue for the second.