Sam Gilliam Inspired Art Project

This Sam Gilliam-inspired art project uses two fun styles of painting to create a unique piece of art, making it the perfect project for any age! It’s messy in the best way, encourages kids to experiment with paint, and teaches them about a groundbreaking artist who changed the way we think about painting.

Sam Gilliam’s art is all about freedom, expression, and breaking boundaries. This project will let kids create their own cardboard stamps and scrapers to create patterns and move paint in cool and original ways, just like Gilliam did. The results are a one-of-a-kind masterpiece that’s full of life and energy. Plus, it’s easy to set up and works for kids of all ages—from preschoolers to tweens.

Who Was Sam Gilliam?

Sam Gilliam (1933–2022) was an African American artist known for his innovative abstract paintings. He’s most famous for his “drape paintings”, where he removed the canvas from the frame and let it hang, fold, or drape like fabric. These works were unique because they turned paintings into three-dimensional art that could change depending on how they were displayed.

Gilliam’s art was inspired by freedom and movement, reflecting the cultural shifts of the Civil Rights era. His work showed that paintings didn’t have to be flat or framed—they could flow, bend, and take on new forms, just like people’s ideas and identities. By experimenting with color, texture, and shape, Gilliam helped redefine what painting could be.

Why You’ll Love This Art Project

• No right or wrong way to create – This project is all about experimenting with colors and shapes.
• Encourages creativity – Kids get to explore new techniques by dripping, folding, and layering paint.
• Great for all ages – Little ones will love the messy fun, while older kids can explore more complex designs.
• Perfect for Black History Month – Introduce kids to an artist who broke artistic boundaries while highlighting that Black history is everyone’s history.

Materials You’ll Need

• Cardboard
• Scissors
• Yarn
• Hot glue gun or glue
• Tape
• Washable paint in various colors
• White cardstock

How to Create a Sam Gilliam-Inspired Artwork

1. Start by cutting cardboard into strips and into small geometric or abstract shapes. The shapes should be small enough to fit comfortably on your cardboard strip.

2. Fold the cardboard strip into a tent and secure the top with some strong tape. This will make the base for your cardboard stamp.

3. With your small cardboard shape, cut a slit on either side of the shape. Place the end of yarn in the first slit and start to wrap the yarn around the shape until you reach the end. Cut the end and place the end in the last slit.

4. Either tape or glue the cardboard shape wrapped in yarn on the base of your cardboard tent. Make sure it’s secure so that it doesnt come off while stamping and painting. Create between 3 and 4 different shaped stamps using this method.

5. Grab a sheet of cardstock and another scrap piece of paper. Also pour the red, green, blue and yellow paint on top a paper plate.

6. Carefully dip your cardboard stamp into one color and then stamp it a few times on the scrap piece of paper to remove the excess paint. You want your stamp to only reveal the paint on the lines. So stamp your stamp on a scrap piece of paper until you get that effect. Then begin to stamp it on your cardstock. There is no wrong way to stamp here! Make sure to use all the colors. Feel free to over lap colors but be careful of mixing colors too much.

7. Continue until the page is covered in colorful patterns.

8. Next cut a small square of cardboard and remove one side layer to reveal to corrugated inner part of the cardboard. You will use this to scrape the black paint.

9. Pour out black paint at different part of your page. Take your cardboard scraper and move the black paint over around the page in one fluid motion. Continue making long or short movements and in different directions. Try not to cover the entire page with black scrapes. Leave some part white or just with the colored prints for contrast.

10. Finally add some more colored prints over top the black paint for additional color and contrast.

How to Incorporate This Project into Black History Month

While this art project is great year-round, it’s an especially powerful activity for Black History Month. Sam Gilliam’s art challenges traditional ideas, just like the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement challenged the world to think differently. His work reminds us that freedom of expression is something to celebrate.

Ways to Connect This Project to Learning:

• Talk about artistic freedom – Discuss how Gilliam’s work represents freedom in both art and life.
• Pair with jazz music – Gilliam was influenced by jazz; let kids paint while listening to improvisational jazz for inspiration.
• Discuss what freedom means – Ask kids how they feel when they create something with no rules.