Before you throw out that stale candy that’s been sitting in the back of your pantry for months, we challenge you to turn it into art! A big part of outsider art is being resourceful and using found materials to create something new. Turning pieces of wrapped candy into art is one way to give those candies new life.
I created this Airheads® designing workshop as a unique way to have fun and reuse regular items one might find in their pantry. I initially began making weekly watermelon mini candy art pieces for an Intuit staff member every week. Most of them were inspired by works of art on view at Intuit.
Create your own mini works of outsider art with any piece of wrapped candy you have at home. By using paint as a base layer and adding on further details with a medium of your choice, you will be able to spice up your treats as your favorite works of outsider art. I encourage you to experiment with your own personal style and materials!
Suggested materials:
- Airheads® (or any wrapped candy)
- Paint (acrylic or tempera recommended)
- Markers
- Crayons
- Colored pencils
- Pens
Directions:
- Choose the work of art you would like to recreate. Using a reference image is helpful when designing your Airheads® work.
- If the artwork is shaped differently than your candy, choose what part of the artwork you would like to recreate. You may want to crop the picture to make its length and width proportions similar to those of your candy.
- Paint a base color to cover any words or pictures on the candy wrapper. You may need multiple layers for full coverage; let the paint layers dry before moving on to the next step.
- Draw a rough sketch of the work before you begin designing (optional).
- Draw the background first, then middle ground, then foreground. Note: Be aware that certain materials with sharper points such as sharp pencils and pens may chip the base paint off the candy wrapper. Use dull points or inky pens (like Flair and gel pens).
- Show off your masterpiece!
Tune into my candy mini masterpieces workshop on Instagram Live (@IntuitArtCenter) this Friday, June 26, at 5 p.m. central time. I’ll be taking inspiration from artworks by artist Leopold Strobl, such as this piece featured in Outsider Art: The Collection of Victor F. Keen:
