Create Spooky Halloween Party Invitations
Use Invisible Writing and Pictures to Decorate Cards
Sep 14, 2009
Add a fun, personalized touch to Halloween party invitations or greeting cards with invisible designs that children draw onto the card. The recipient gets to see the design when they brush watercolor paints over the card.
Creating Secret Writing and Images With the Crayon Resist Technique
Children draw secret images onto the card using a white crayon or a white wax candle. The person who receives the greeting card or invitation should be instructed to paint over the card. The paint will adhere to the paper while the wax will prevent the paint from sticking to those portions of the card.
Parents and children can creatively plan out the cards, combining simple computer clip art or hand drawn images with the crayon resist technique. For example, with a bit of watercolor paint added to an image of clip art pumpkins, the recipient of the card can discover ghosts lurking in the pumpkin patch – or even jack-o-lantern faces drawn on the pumpkins. Incorporate the directions for painting the card into the text for the card or on a piece of paper slipped into the card.
Avoid trying to write too many words with the crayon as it is difficult to keep the writing neat. Simple words and phrases, such as “Beware,” “Boo,” “Spooky,” and “Happy Halloween” are all simple enough to write out. Also avoid complex scenes that are done completely in white crayon.
Making Halloween Invitations
If parents and children are sending out invitations to a party, it will be easiest to start with the information about the party printed onto a piece of cardstock. White cardstock is best to hide designs created using a white crayon or wax candle. Printed information will save a lot of time and ensure that the guests can read the information. The card can be designed to be cut down to fit into the desired sized envelope.
Include a line on the invitation about painting a portion of, or the entire card, with watercolor paints. Parents have the option of including a compact watercolor set, such as the type found at party favor stores, in the envelope with the invitation.
Making Halloween Greeting Cards
Because the crayon or wax candle will resist the watercolors added later to the card, it is impossible to write or sketch out the design on the card. After wax has been added on top of the penciled lines, it will be impossible to erase them. As with the invitations, select some portions of the card that will be created on the computer or drawn by hand, and some sections that will be enhanced with spooky, hidden images.
With some planning, the designer of the card can direct the person who receives the card to paint certain sections specific colors, such as, “Paint the center of the card orange. Then, paint the bottom of that image green and the top of the center image orange.”
Parents and children can work together to create Halloween cards and invitations with hidden words and images draw in white crayon and revealed when recipients decorate the card with watercolor paints.
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