Paint and draw

Make a Protest Poster

Make a sign to say what you care about and put a positive message out into the world!

The idea

Bob and Roberta Smith
Make Art Not War (1997)
Tate

Letters and words are great! Words are powerful. They can create amazing new places and characters.

Many artists use words to express themselves. Bob and Roberta Smith make large sign-like artworks to say what they care about.

Letters are made out of lines and shapes. We are going to think about letters in new ways and see if we can find letters in the world around us. We are then going to make our sign.

Step 1

Cover of Alphadoodler book by Jan Bajtlik

Practice your letters!

Download these activity sheets by Jan Bajtlik. Who’s Jan Bajtlik? He’s a designer who made the very cool children’s book, Alphadoodler. He shows you how you can draw, scribble, cut and design your own letters!

The letters you create can be made from paint splats, can be completely original...or can even be fish food!

Step 2

Edward Ruscha
DANCE? (1973)
ARTIST ROOMS Tate and National Galleries of Scotland

Think about what you care about is it art classes in schools? The environment? Animal welfare? Girl power? It can be anything!

It could just be a kind message you want to put out into the world. (Like wanting people to be happy and to dance!) Remember it has to be a short, bold sentence to fit onto your card!

Grab your card and draw your words in pencil on it

Step 3

A group of kids making their sign

Photo: Hannah Kemp-Welch

Paint your poster or sign. You could use thick felt tip pens to make your sign bright and eye-catching!

Step 4

Homemade banners and signs

Photo: Hannah Kemp-Welch

Put your poster up, place your sign next to a wall, give it to someone you care about...or stage a parade in your back garden!

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