Handprint Art with a Thumbprint Heart Craft

Handprint art with a thumbprint heart is an easy handprint craft and keepsake gift idea that kids can help make, and parents and grandparents will love! Art with kids handprints and thumbprints makes a great gift for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Grandparents Day, Christmas, or Valentine’s Day.

Handprint art keepsakes make a great gift idea for mom, dad, and grandparents. Use a wood canvas to create gorgeous art with handprints.

Related: Four Seasons Handprint and Fingerprint Art

Related: Best Fingerprint Art Ideas for Kids

Handprint Art Craft Supplies

• 8in X 8in wooden board canvases or colored cardstock
• Liquid watercolors (optional)
• Acrylic paint or tempera paint
• Flat wash paint brush
• Varnish (optional)

Related: Salt Dough Heart with Handprint and Footprint 

How to Make Handprint Art with Thumbprint Heart

Step 1 – Paint Wooden Canvas (optional)

Use liquid watercolors and a flat wash paintbrush to paint the wooden canvases that you need to make handprint crafts. Allow the watercolor paint to dry before continuing on to the next step.

We used a small amount of red, brown, and turquoise-blue liquid watercolors diluted with a little bit of water for this handprint craft.

Alternatively, you can skip this step and use a piece of colored cardstock to make art with kids handprints. Colored cardstock will give you vibrant colors to choose from, and is sturdy enough to make art using handprints that can be given as a keepsake gift.

Related: Homemade Gifts Kids Can Make

Step 2 – Make Handprint Art

Use acrylic paint or tempera paint to make art using handprints. Use a flat wash paintbrush to paint the child’s hand, and then invite the child to make a handprint in the middle of the wooden canvas or colored cardstock.

Gently press each finger and the palm of the hand down onto the wooden canvas to make a nice handprint. Make sure you press each finger down as opposed to rolling the fingers. The handprint craft video tutorial below shows how best to complete this step.

If you are using the square wooden canvases they are made to easily hang on a push pin or a small nail from the sides, or, from the corner!

Related: Thumbprint Heart Keychain Charms

Step 3 – Stamp Thumbprint Heart (Optional)

Use thumb to stamp a thumbprint heart, or, use a fingertip to stamp a fingerprint heart on the palm of the handprint. We used acrylic paint to create the gorgeous handprint art and thumbprint hearts that you see pictured.

This step is also optional. You can choose to leave your children’s handprint art just as it is. If you would like to make a thumbprint heart the video tutorial shows how to complete this step.

Related: Fingerprint Flower Necklaces

Step 4 – Seal and Protect Handprint Art Craft (optional)

Seal and protect your handprint craft with varnish. Skip this step if you use colored cardstock. The varnish is only recommended if you use a wood canvas. The watercolor paint used to color the wood for this handprint keepsake can be easily damaged without it.

I don’t normally recommend a spray varnish, but it is necessary for this handprint craft. Varnish applied with a foam brush or paint brush can damage the handprint art.

Related: Shell Frames with Handprint Art

Handprint & Thumbprint Heart Keepsake Craft Video Tutorial

The video tutorial below shows how to make this simple homemade gift idea!

 

Related: Four Seasons Handprint & Fingerprint Art

Handprint Art Craft and Gift Idea Kids Make

Handprint keepsake crafts like this make a great gift idea for parents and grandparents. For more handmade gift ideas, pop over to have a look at this gorgeous collection of homemade gifts that kids can make. 

Learn more about Rhythms of Play HERE!

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