Any suggestions for a simple, inexpensive art project to do with adults!

Wine glass charms
Decoupage small glass candle holders (like tealight or votive holders) with translucent papers. This can be very pretty!

How about painting flower pots?

The small ones are usually under a dollar and bottles of acrylic paint are also cheap and can be shared as well as different sizes of brushes.

Even if they don’t want to plant anything they can be used for storing all manner of stuff around the house or just for decoration.

Thanks..decoupage…glue paper on and then varnish with pva glue?

Potato cannon? It would be a good example of gas expansion.

Along those lines you could also make thermite, it’s pretty cheap to make (just need the know how).... and it burns at half the heat of the sun, so that’s cool.

Oh wait, this is art projects… not science…...............

Also, see this question for lots of ideas.

Someone just told me today that you can make your own easels with scrap wood and have a fun painting day. Sounds like a good one to me!

Yea i agree with redpowerlady, i love to paint and have always wanted an easel. Everybody loves paper mache, and im the weird type of person to like masks and whatnot. Paint em into funky tribal faces.. Ooh that sounds fun..

It sounds like you’d have to keep the products pretty small, non-fragile and packable though. I’m assuming if they make something, they’ll want to bring it back with them in a suitcase.

@figbash Good point. Another option to is to donate what they make to local hospital or charity to brighten people’s day.

@snotty All you need is a jar of Modge Podge, which you can get anywhere they sell crafts. Paint it on the glass, put on a piece of paper, cover the paper with the MP, keep layering to get the look you want with a layer of MP between and on top of everything. When you are completely finished decorating, you need to apply 5 coats of Modge Podge for protection. There are also directions on the back of the MP bottle. I use the 1” foam brushes for some things and artist paint brushes for others.

The foam brushes are very inexpensive – I just bought 15 for $2.99 the other day for a project my committee is working on. Modge Podge is about $6 a bottle (several people can share one) and you can find the glass candle holders at the dollar store or any craft store for about $1.

BTW, you can decopage anything if you need it to be less fragile. Pencil holders, clipboards, trinket boxes, etc. You can use tissue paper, gift paper, newspaper or any decorative paper.

I agree with Clair, paper mache is a great medium & is reasonably easy for just about everyone. The creations can be finished with a coat of polyurethane & this will make them just about permanent. Great art projects for adults & children.

wow thanks so much everyone for your replies, you have been very very helpful!