Lenten Coffee Filter Silhouettes

The watercolor stained coffee filters make a beautiful background for these Lenten themed silhouettes.    There are three suggestions for making these silhouettes, taking into consideration the age of the students.  You can add sayings to the frames, or let them plain. 

Supplies:

• Black construction paper  (cut 9”x9” square)
• One half sheet of black construction paper
• One white sheet of paper (cut 9”x9”)(This will be behind the filter)
• 9”x9” piece of scrap paper to print circle cutout template
• Circle cutout template (Pattern)
• Praying man and Praying Hands (Pattern)
• Boy Praying at Cross and Holy Spirit dove (Pattern)
• Jesus’ Mother kneeling at the cross and the Risen Christ (Pattern)
• Coffee filters (mine were 6 ¾” in diameter when flat)
• Watercolor paints, brush and water
• Tinfoil  (I use this under the coffee filters when I paint them)
• Paper towel
• Scissors, glue stick, tape
• White charcoal pencil

Directions:

Painting the Coffee Filter

Lay a coffee filter on a piece on tinfoil, brush water on the filter so the it lays flat.  Brush watercolonts onto the filter, using colors of your choice.  If a color gets too dark, just add a little water.  Lay the painted coffee filter on a paper towel to dry.

Preparing the frame:

Carefully cut the center out of the circle cutout template.  Center the cutout template on the black square of construction paper.   Trace inside the circle and cut the center out of the sheet.  This is the frame for the Lenten art.

Lay the circle cutout template on the white back and make a dotted line around the inside of the circle.  This will be your guide for gluing down the coffee filter.

Cutting out the Silhouette

For 5^th and 6^th grade students:  Carefully tape the image you’ve chosen onto the half sheet of black construction paper.  You can then cut the black silhouette at the same time as cutting the pattern image.  For the tiny cutout spaces, use a craft knife.

3^rd and 4^th grade students:   If you want to print the images onto the black construction paper, be sure to trace over the images with green marker.  Then you will be able to see the printed image. 

For younger kids:  I would print the images on white construction paper and have them carefully color the images with a black crayon or a black marker.  Then have them cut the colored images out.

Finishing the Coffee Filter Silhouette Pictures

Center the prepared painted coffee filter over the dotted lines on the white 9”x9” paper.  A tiny bit of glue from a glue stick will hold the filter in place.  No need to apply glue over it all. 

Apply glue in a few spots on the back of the cut silhouette image and place it on the coffee filter.  The bottom of the image should touch the bottom of the coffee filter.

Place the black cutout 9”x9” construction paper over the white sheet sandwiching the coffee filter and image between.  Glue around the edges or on the corners.

If you wish to add sayings to your art, write on the black frame with white charcoal pencil or a white painter.

Suggested Sayings:

Whatever you ask the Father in my name He will give you.      Jn. 16:23

I love you   Your name is written upon my heart

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”   Proverbs 16:3

I will always forgive you

Come, Holy Spirit   Be my strength

His arms were stretched wide….   Jesus says, “I love you this much.”

Without sayings written on the art picture.

 

 

 

 

 Easter Projects Gallery: