Cardboard Instruments
sculptureAll ages
Take a beat from Picasso’s Blue Guitars
Gather these before you start.
- Flat recycled cardboard
- Poster paints or paint sticks
- Yarn or string for weaving or “strings”
- Hole punch, scissors, brushes, sponges
Make art. Make noise. Feel the beat.
Introduction
Art and music. The dream duo! They share rhythm, emotion, freedom and the kind of energy that makes everything brighter.
At Smudge, we see both as ways of expressing who you are and your own individual magic. There’s absolutely no one right note or perfect picture here. Just the joy of experimenting, playing, and making something that feels right to you! This theme celebrates the rhythm of colour and the music of movement in the very best of ways. The slow strum of a paintbrush. The beat of little feet moving through an installation. The sound of laughter and spinning of CDs. We can’t wait to see where you take it.
From Smudge to You
Below you'll find the collection of creative activities we've used to bring this theme to life at Smudge. Each one is an invitation to play, experiment, and see where the materials take you. Pick and choose what excites you and adapt them to your own space.
A taste of what's inside
sculptureAll ages
Take a beat from Picasso’s Blue Guitars
Gather these before you start.
8 more inside this theme
Experience 2
creative-exploration
A musical spinning top
Experience 3
print-making
Shiny, shimmery, noisy fun.
Experience 4
sensory-play
Pour and swirl in this sparkly world
Experience 5
sculpture
Artist Study: Pablo Picasso
Picasso painted his guitars during what’s known as his “Blue Period.” Those works are full of long, flowing lines and deep, melancholy blues. He wasn’t trying to make his guitars look real, he wanted them to feel real.
He used colour to express mood and line to capture emotion. It’s a perfect reminder that art doesn’t need to copy what we see; it can show what something feels like instead!
The Set Up
Use large sheets of recycled cardboard and sketch outlines of guitars, trumpets, violins, drums (or invent something completely new!). Keep them flat rather than boxy. The simplicity invites more play with line, paint, and form.
Show a few of Picasso’s Blue Guitars or his cubist works for inspiration. Notice how he broke shapes apart and used angles to create rhythm.
Set out trays of poster paint or paint sticks, plus string, yarn, and collage scraps. Pre-punch holes if you want kids to weave or thread. The more tactile, the better!
Encourage loose, expressive mark-making and let the colour mixing take the lead! String or yarn can become guitar strings, trumpet valves, or swirling sound waves.
It’s always gorgeous to play music while they paint; jazz, blues, or something with rhythm.
Work large-scale and join instruments together for a cardboard orchestra.
Collage foil or metallic paper to echo the shimmer of sound.
Display the finished works upright, like a band waiting to play.
Inspired by Rachel Burke (imakestagram)
Experience 6
collage
Old records, new rhythms.
Experience 7
collage
Notes that turn into colour!
Experience 8
painting-drawing
Colour mixing reflections!
Experience 9
installations
Light, sound, and colour that move together.