In Pennsylvania Dutch folklore, rabbits laid the eggs that they delivered to children for Easter. Johann Conrad Gilbert, a German-born schoolmaster working in southeastern Pennsylvania, painted this depiction of the Easter bunny — perhaps to delight a child.
Gilbert used decorations similar to the motifs he chose for the birth and baptismal certificates he made in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The rabbit’s colorfully decorated coat in this watercolor work can be the jumping-off point for a variety of techniques in colors, patterns and materials that spring from your imagination.
What You Need
- Wood, cardboard, canvas, poster board or paper — choose a medium for the rabbit that you like to work with.
- Pick your favorite craft paint colors.
- Tip: Use painter’s tape to protect your work if you are using several techniques.
Painting Techniques
Dry Brush
Dip the bristle tips of a 1-inch trim brush into the paint and pull the bristles across the surface.
Foam Tray Stamp
Cut strips of Styrofoam from a disposable tray or packing material, dip one end into the paint and dot the surface as if you are stamping it.
Finger Paint
Lightly cover the tips of your fingers in paint and press onto the surface. More paint covers more surface; less paint allows for a more intricate design.
Cotton Swap Stamp
Dip the tip of a cotton swab in the paint and dot the surface. A newly dipped swab creates a darker dot, and the dots become lighter as you keep dabbing.
Bottle Cap Prints
Dip the edge of the bottle cap in the paint and press onto the surface. Different sizes create an interesting look.
Sponge Painting
Lightly dip a clean sponge in the paint and dab onto the surface.
Toothbrush Paint Spatter
Lightly wet the bristles of a toothbrush with paint and drag your fingernail across the bristles to spatter the paint. For this technique, you may want to work in a sink, where cleanup is easier.
Paint Blending
You can add depth on your painting surface by blending colors. We used blue, green, yellow and cream, which, when combined, create various shades of green.
The Process
Find a pattern and a practice coloring sheet at colonialwilliamsburg.org/downloads.
Step 1
We used the Paint Blending technique for the blue basecoat.
Step 2
To decorate the blue bunny, we used the Cotton Swab Stamp and Foam Tray Stamp techniques.
Step 3
We used a paintbrush to add the white of the eye, the pink interiors for the ears and the black dots for the toes.
Step 4
We used the Foam Tray Stamp technique for the nose, the Cotton Swab Stamp technique for the eye and the Sponge Painting technique for the tail.