There’s a little artist in us all, just waiting to be let out. Some are more timid than others, though. We just lack the confidence that what we create can be called “art.” Sometimes all it takes is just a little guidance. That’s what I found with the Faber-Castell kids’ projects. They offer just a little guidance, but leave room for your own creativity.

I love to Color, go ahead laugh, but I do. It’s relaxing and it’s something fun that I can do with my kids. We’ve done all types of coloring projects, and most of them are numbered so you get the colors right. Assuming you want your picture to look like the example on the box, that’s great. I’ve found a couple of problems with this though. One is that even when you color over the number, you can often still see it. Also, there are the times that maybe you don’t want to follow the rules. Maybe you want your flower to be purple instead of orange. Try coloring over the number in the “wrong” color and it really stands out. So, in comes the Faber-Castell Foil Fun Color by Number kit, and I’m blown away. We’ve done foil art before too, and it’s usually a mess. With this kit, the foil part is done for you. All you have to do is color around it and you end up with a nice shiny accent to your picture. And the numbers? There’s a separate sheet of paper for that. It has the picture on it, numbered with the suggested color scheme. That’s right, the numbers aren’t on the final picture itself.

While I’m on the topic of Faber-Castell, let me tell you about their Word Art set. Depending on your or your child’s readiness level, this may be an even better project than the Foil Fun Color by Number. With this set, you get sketches that you can color (e.g. an elephant, a bee, a light bulb). You also get a book with directions on how to write in different fonts, including cursive, and how to make block and 3D style letters. The kit shows examples of how one could choose words to go with the picture, and write them in varying fonts within the lines of the sketch. It sounds complicated, but there’s no expected outcome. Use the book to practice writing, and maybe just label each picture when you color it, or try writing a word or two in the shape of the object. Of course, on the other end, you could see how many related words you can fit within one picture.

So, once the masterpiece is finished, what do you do with it? Does it hang on the fridge until the edges curl? Do you toss it in the box of artwork? Do you go buy a frame for it or tape it to the wall? Another thing I like about Faber-Castell projects is that they come with mounting and hanging supplies. It’s not really anything fancy, but it makes the whole endeavor feel special and complete when you can see it hanging nicely. It also makes them good for giving as a gift.

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