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Art Explosion

Cub Scouts · Adventure, Elective

Printable worksheet (PDF)

Art Explosion lets you try lots of ways to make art. You'll sketch with pencils, play with photos, paint, and mix materials together. There's no wrong way to do it, so experiment and have fun.

Why it's worth it

Artists see things other people walk past: the shadow under a cup, the colors in a puddle. In this adventure you'll try four kinds of art, from pencil shading to digital effects to mixed media. You might find a style you love, and you'll learn that experimenting and making mistakes is how real artists get better.

Start this week

  1. Grab a pencil and draw your shoe three times: once with lines only, once with shading, once with cross-hatching.
  2. Look around your home for art supplies and odd materials like yarn, fabric, magazines, or bottle caps.
  3. Ask your adult if you can use a phone or tablet camera to take five photos of interesting textures.

Requirements · 4

Every official requirement and part, numbered to match Scouting America, in plain language. Sign off against the official wording (opens in a new tab).

  1. Requirement 1

    Make a piece of art while trying out different pencil drawing techniques

    Tip: Try shading, cross-hatching, and smudging with your finger. Draw something simple, like an apple or your shoe.

    For example: Draw an apple with light from one side. Press hard where the shadow is darkest, softly where light hits, and smudge with your finger to blend. Try cross-hatching on the shadow it casts.

  2. Requirement 2

    Use a digital image to see what filters do, changing it with different editing or in-camera techniques

    Tip: Snap a photo and try filters or effects on a phone or tablet with a parent's help.

    For example: Take a photo of a flower or your pet, then try black-and-white, a color filter, and a blur. Compare them side by side and pick the one that changes the feeling the most.

  3. Requirement 3

    Make a piece of art with paint

    Tip: Paint anything you like with watercolors, tempera, or acrylics. A landscape or pet is a good start.

    For example: Paint a sunset with watercolors by letting yellow, orange, and purple blend while wet, then paint dark tree shapes on top after it dries.

  4. Requirement 4

    Make a piece of art that combines at least two media

    Tip: Combine things like paint, paper, yarn, or photos into a collage or mixed-media piece.

    For example: Make a collage of your favorite place: paint the sky, glue on magazine pictures, use yarn for a river, and draw details on top with marker.

Places to visit

Ask an adult to set it up, and go with your family, den, patrol, or crew.

  • An art museum or community art center

    Seeing real paintings, sculptures, and photos up close gives you ideas for your own work.

    How: Have your adult check the website for free days or family programs, or ask if a docent can lead your den on a short tour.

Talk about it together

  • Which kind of art felt most like you?
  • What happened when something didn't turn out how you planned?
  • What did you notice about the world while you were making art?
  • If you could make art about anything, what would it be?

Helpful reads

For leaders & parents

  • Set up stations so scouts can rotate through different media in one meeting.
  • Hold a mini art show for families to celebrate the den's work.

People & places that can help

Pairs well with

Counts toward

More Webelos adventures

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Tips, examples, and questions are ideas from experienced leaders, not extra requirements. Your unit leader or counselor decides when a requirement is complete.