• 60 ideas
  • Checked October 2026

Resist Art Ideas

Three resist pictures at a time, each with what blocks the paint and the colors that go over it.

Resist Art Ideas

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  1. A ladybug whose spots are peeled, then inkedRound stickers, red. Dots on a pencil oval, red paint over the top. Peel and fill the bare spots in black.
  2. A six-armed snowflake left white under dabbed bluesTape, two blues. Cross three strips at their middles, add a short V near each tip, sponge over, then peel.
  3. A caterpillar of dot stickers on a painted leafRound stickers, greens. A wavy row of dots, a big leaf painted over them. Peel, then add a face and feet.

Next step Pictures where the tape staysShapes to print with stamps

All 60 ideas

Crayon and oil pastel 12

  • A dandelion clock losing its seeds to the wind White crayon, green-blue wash. Short strokes out from one point, a few drifting off to one side.
  • A giraffe's coat: a net of wax lines with paint in every patch Yellow crayon, brown wash. Draw the lines between the patches, not the patches. The wash fills the rest.
  • A pair of mittens with a knitted pattern in wax White and red crayon, blue wash. Zigzags and dots across each mitten, pressed hard. One wash dyes the wool.
  • A plaid of crayon stripes crossed by stripes of paint Three crayons, two washes. Rule wax stripes down the sheet, then brush bands of paint across them.
  • A treasure map in white crayon that only a brush of brown paint can find White crayon, brown wash. Draw an island, a dotted path and an X. Hand it over blank with a brush.
  • A tree stump seen from above, its rings drawn in wax White crayon, brown wash. Wobbly rings from the middle outward. Count them when the wash goes on.
  • An octopus with a row of white sucker rings down every arm White and pink oil pastel, teal wash. Small rings along each arm, pressed hard. The wash is the sea.
  • Fireflies over a field at dusk, each one a hard dot of yellow wax Yellow crayon, blue-violet wash. Press a dot for each firefly and ring it lightly. Wash dusk over it all.
  • The moon's path of light across a dark sea White crayon, navy wash. A round moon, then short dashes under it that widen toward you. Wash it all.
  • Skate tracks looping across a frozen pond White crayon, pale blue wash. Long loops and figure eights for the blade marks. The wash is the ice.
  • Snow lying along the top of every branch of a bare tree White crayon, gray-blue wash. Draw only the snow. Wash the sky, then ink a branch in under each line.
  • Yellow wax windows that a navy wash turns into a city at night Yellow crayon, navy wash. Windows in neat columns, nothing else. The wash supplies the towers and the sky.

Tape that peels off 12

  • A birdcage with a painted bird behind white bars Tape, any brights. Pencil a bird, tape upright bars across it, paint bird and background, then peel.
  • A hopscotch court with a number in every square Tape, any brights. Tape the outline of each square, paint every square a color, peel, then number them.
  • A ladder leaning up into sponged clouds Tape, sky blues. Two long strips with short rungs between them. Sponge sky and clouds over the lot, peel.
  • A map of your own streets with the roads left white Tape, greens and browns. Tape the roads first, paint each block as a park, a yard or a field, then peel.
  • A maze with white walls to solve with a fingertip Tape, one bright color. Tape the walls and leave gaps for doorways. Paint the lot, peel, mark the start.
  • A quilt block of taped triangles, each patch with its own pattern Tape, four colors. Tape a square into triangles. Fill each patch with dots, stripes or flat color, then peel.
  • A six-armed snowflake left white under dabbed blues Tape, two blues. Cross three strips at their middles, add a short V near each tip, sponge over, then peel.
  • A striped winter scarf with a painted fringe Tape, two colors. Tape even bands across a long scarf, paint between them, peel, then brush on the fringe.
  • A white bookcase with a painted spine for every book Tape, any brights. Long strips for the sides and shelves. Paint a row of book spines on each shelf, then peel.
  • A wrapped present with a taped ribbon Tape, any two colors. Tape a cross over a square, pattern the paper around it, peel, and draw the bow.
  • Cracks spreading across the ice of a pond Thin slivers of tape, blues. Lay a few forking cracks out from one point, paint the ice over them, peel.
  • Railroad tracks running away to one point Tape, gray and green. Two long strips that almost meet at the top, short ties between them. Paint, peel.

Glue lines 12

  • A dinosaur with a row of plates along its back School glue, greens and orange. Outline the body, then a plate at a time down the spine. Dry, then paint.
  • A fir tree in tiers with unpainted snow on each School glue, green and blue. Outline each tier and a snow cap on it. Paint the green and the sky only.
  • A pineapple with a painted diamond in every crisscross School glue, yellows and green. Crisscross the skin, spike the leaves on top. Paint each diamond when dry.
  • A row of houses, each one a different color School glue, one bright per house. Outline roofs, doors and windows. Dry, then paint a house at a time.
  • A snow globe with a small house inside School glue, blues. A circle, a base and a tiny house. Dry, wash blue inside the globe, leave the roof bare.
  • A sunflower with a crosshatched middle School glue, yellows and brown. A ring of petals around a crisscrossed disc. Dry, then paint inside the lines.
  • A three-scoop ice cream cone with a waffle grid School glue, tan and three flavors. Crisscross the cone, stack three outlined scoops. Dry, then color.
  • A turtle shell with a different green in every plate School glue, greens and browns. Draw the plates as joined shapes. When the glue is dry, drop a color in each.
  • A winter sweater banded with zigzags School glue, two colors. Outline the sweater and band it with zigzags. Dry, then paint every other band.
  • An open umbrella seen from above, one color per panel School glue, six brights. A circle with spokes from the middle. When dry, flood each panel with one color.
  • One long looping scribble with every loop a new color School glue, any colors. Loop the line across the sheet without lifting the bottle. Dry, then fill the loops.
  • Your name in fat glue-outlined letters School glue, a color per letter. Outline bubble letters with room inside. When dry, flood each with paint.

Leaves and ferns 12

  • A bird put together from three leaves Three leaves, sky blue. One for the body, one each for wing and tail. Sponge around, lift, add a pen eye.
  • A butterfly with four leaves for wings Four leaves, two colors. Set a large and a small leaf each side of a gap, sponge around, lift, add a body.
  • A forest of fern fronds stood side by side Fern fronds, two greens. Stand the fronds upright in a row, spray thin paint over them, lift for pale trees.
  • A garland of small leaves along the top of a winter card Small leaves, green or red. Overlap them along the top edge of a folded card, sponge lightly, then lift.
  • A meadow of grasses and seed heads against a sunset Grasses, yellow to pink. Lay the stems up from the bottom edge, spray the sky in bands, then lift.
  • A shoal of fish from narrow leaves all pointing one way Narrow leaves, sea blues. Point them the same way, sponge the sea over them, lift, and dot an eye on each.
  • A white tree from one forked twig and a handful of small leaves A twig and small leaves, sky colors. Twig for the trunk, leaves at the tips. Spatter, then lift everything.
  • A wreath: a ring of small leaves around a bare middle Small leaves, any color. Arrange them in a ring, spatter from a toothbrush, lift, and write in the middle.
  • Bird tracks walking across fresh snow Short twigs, pale blue. Fan three twigs for each print along a wandering line, sponge blue over them, lift.
  • Fir sprigs as white trees on a dark blue night Fir or pine sprigs, navy. Stand the sprigs upright, sponge navy around them, lift, and dot on snow.
  • Ghost leaves in two layers that overlap Leaves, two colors. Spray, lift, lay the leaves somewhere new and spray the second color over the first.
  • Wrapping paper: one leaf repeated in rows One sturdy leaf, white paint on brown paper. Sponge around it, move it along, and repeat row by row.

Stickers and paper shapes 12

  • A birthday banner with a white letter on every pennant Letter stickers, party colors. One letter per pencil pennant. Paint each pennant and peel when dry.
  • A caterpillar of dot stickers on a painted leaf Round stickers, greens. A wavy row of dots, a big leaf painted over them. Peel, then add a face and feet.
  • A gumball machine full of sticker gumballs Round stickers, red and blue. Fill a drawn globe with dots, paint it blue, peel, and color each gumball.
  • A handful of dice with sticker pips Round stickers, any color. Set the dots out as dice faces on pencil squares. Paint the squares, then peel.
  • A ladybug whose spots are peeled, then inked Round stickers, red. Dots on a pencil oval, red paint over the top. Peel and fill the bare spots in black.
  • A row of white figures holding hands A cut paper-doll chain, one color. Lay the unfolded chain flat, sponge over its edges, then lift it.
  • A snowman lifted out of a night sky Three paper circles, dark blue. Stack them, sponge the night around, lift, then draw the hat and arms.
  • A washing line of white socks waiting for their stripes Paper sock shapes, sky blue. Lay them in a row, sponge the sky around them, lift, add the line and stripes.
  • A white polar bear standing on blue ice A paper bear shape, pale blues. Lay it down, sponge blue around it, lift, and add one dot for the eye.
  • An igloo built from rectangle stickers Label stickers, pale blues. Stick rows of blocks in a dome with gaps between, wash blue over, then peel.
  • Bubbles rising from a fish's mouth Ring stickers, blues. Stick rings in a rising trail, wash the sea over them, peel, then draw the fish.
  • Planets of several sizes lifted out of spattered space Paper circles; black and violet. Lay the circles, spatter and sponge around them, lift, color each planet.

How it works

Sixty resist art project ideas, sorted by what keeps the paint off the paper: crayon or oil pastel, tape that peels away, a dried line of glue, a leaf or fern, a sticker or paper shape.

Read the full guide

Tape resist painting ideas

Tape that peels off holds twelve: a maze with white walls, a ladder leaning into the clouds, a birdcage with a bird behind white bars. On paper or card use painter's tape. It is less sticky than masking tape, so it is less likely to rip the surface as it comes off.

Resist painting assignment ideas

For a set assignment, take a picture that has to be planned backward, light before dark: the city where only the lit windows go down in wax, the snow drawn before the branch it lies on, the ghost leaves sprayed in two layers.

  • Press hard with crayon or oil pastel, and leave washable crayons in the box. Pale wax under dark paint shows best.
  • Glue lines need a night to dry before the paint goes on, so a glue picture takes two sessions.
  • Tape a leaf flat before you spray, so it stays where you put it.

Questions and answers

What is resist art?

A resist is anything put on part of a surface to protect it from the next step, leaving a pattern. In resist art the next step is paint, which colors the paper everywhere the resist is not. Often the resist comes off afterward.

Why does crayon resist watercolor?

A crayon is a stick of pigmented wax, and water clings to paper but not to wax or oil. The wash soaks the bare paper and leaves the marks alone. Oil pastel, bound with oil and wax, behaves the same way.

What are simple winter resist art project ideas?

Choose Winter for fifteen, three for each resist. The simplest are skate tracks in white crayon under a pale blue wash, a taped snowflake under dabbed blues, and a snowman of three paper circles lifted out of a night sky.

Can you use leaves for resist art?

Yes. A leaf laid flat keeps the paint off the paper beneath it, and lifting it leaves its shape. The idea is old: potters in Song dynasty China used leaves and paper cut-outs as resists under the glaze of their bowls.

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