Summer Camp – Underwater Wonders with Water Media

Dive into creativity! In this underwater-themed art camp, kids will explore watercolor techniques while learning about ocean creatures, coral reefs, and mysterious sea life. Campers will paint jellyfish, seahorses, dolphins, octopuses, and even imagined sea monsters as they learn about color blending, texture, and brushwork.

Each day combines playful instruction with lots of room for imagination. We’ll experiment with watercolor washes, salt effects, wax resist, and layering to create ocean scenes both realistic and fantastical.

This is perfect for kids who love to paint, love the sea—or both! No experience is needed, and all materials are provided.

Day 1: Meet the Ocean

• Theme: Intro to watercolor + ocean inspiration
• Warm-up: Paint a blue ocean wash using wet-on-wet technique
• Lesson: Basic watercolor techniques: wash, blend, drip
• Activity: Create an abstract underwater background
• Creative Challenge: Paint bubbles using salt for texture

Day 2: Coral Reefs & Colorful Fish

• Theme: Life in the reef
• Warm-up: Color mixing exercise – making vibrant sea colors
• Lesson: Wax resist and detail with fine brushes
• Activity: Paint a coral reef filled with colorful fish
• Creative Challenge: Invent a new reef creature and add it to your scene

Day 3: Jellyfish, Octopus & Texture

• Theme: Flowing forms & underwater movement
• Warm-up: Quick brushstroke shapes (tentacles, waves, curves)
• Lesson: Using brush control and water to show movement
• Activity: Paint a jellyfish or octopus using wet-on-wet and salt effects
• Creative Challenge: Draw a glowing sea creature with light or bioluminescence

Day 4: Deep Sea Exploration

• Theme: What’s in the deep sea?
• Warm-up: Value scale using one color
• Lesson: Layering watercolor for depth and darkness
• Activity: Paint a mysterious deep-sea scene
• Creative Challenge: Add a submarine, treasure chest, or strange creature

Day 5: Final Ocean Masterpieces

• Theme: Create your own underwater world
• Warm-up: Sketch ideas for the final painting
• Activity: Large final painting combining techniques learned all week
• Bonus: Write a short description or story to go with the artwork