Painted Teacher Appreciation Clipboard

Make the classroom a little more colorful with a custom painted clipboard for your favorite teacher!

It's back to school season, and I love sharing fun and simple gift ideas that you can make for your favorite teachers! Not only is this clipboard a budget-friendly teacher appreciation gift idea (I found mine at the dollar store!), but it's a lot of fun to make using Kwik Stix Tempera Paints and can easily be done by kids or parents. It would also be sweet to pair this creative gift with a hand-written letter from your child to thank their teacher.

To make your own Painted Teacher Appreciation Clipboard, you will need these supplies:

• Recycled Wood Clipboard
• Kwik Stix Tempera Paints
• Pencil
• Clear Sealant

Because the front of the clipboard will be covered with papers, I think the back is the best place for artwork to shine! Turn the clipboard over and sketch out a design using a pencil. Start with a light hand to begin with, and then darken the lines once you get it looking how you want. If you don't feel comfortable drawing something yourself, you can print a design from the computer and transfer it over to the clipboard using the pencil transfer method.

For best results, I would recommend using simple designs (like coloring pages), and thicker/bolder fonts.

Imagine coloring with a tube of lipstick. That is EXACTLY what it feels like to paint with Kwik Stix tempera paints! The semi-solid paint comes in a variety of vibrant colors, goes on smoothly, and dries in just 90 seconds. Simply uncap the tube, twist (like a glue stick), enjoy mess-free painting. No need for paint brushes, smocks, or water cups!

Twist the Kwik Stix up a little, and start by coloring the smallest areas first. For example, I colored in the letter outlines first, then the letters themselves, etc. When painting on darker objects like wood, I would recommend applying multiple coats of lighter colors of paint for a more even and solid finish. Just make sure the first coat is dry before applying another coat.

The last color I used was the dark/royal blue, and it went on beautifully. However, I didn't love how dark it the color looked from the wood showing through. Not a problem though - I had an easy fix!

I went over the dark blue with a lighter blue, and it just made the color pop! I really like how some of the dark blue is peeking through a little bit and gives it a chalkboard-like look to it.

I love how the clipboard looks after painting, and how it has a sort of hand-drawn comic book look to it. If you have any small areas that need touching up, here's a helpful trick: scrape some of the paint onto a cotton swab and then paint it on.

To give some edges a little more definition and to complete the comic book style, I outlined all of the shapes with a black permanent marker. Once dried, give the clipboard a couple coats of clear sealant to protect your work.

This Painted Teacher Appreciation Clipboard was such a fun project to make. I just know teachers are going to LOVE receiving one as a gift for Teacher Appreciation Week or back to school night. As always, I would love to see your creations! Share yours on Instagram, Facebook, or leave a comment/photo on the project pin on Pinterest! #AFMCrafts

Want more colorful back to school inspiration? Check out these adorable projects that Laura and Beth made using Kwik Stix paints! Beth from Creatively Beth made adorable Crayon Bulletin Board Printables, and Laura from Me & My Inklings created a sweet kids journal!  

Looking for more back to school inspiration?

Check out this collection of OVER 100 creative back to school craft ideas!!

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