Rain Painting Art Outdoors

Thick white paper or watercolor paper (regular paper gets too mushy)

Washable markers, liquid watercolors, or food coloring

A flat tray or cutting board to set the paper on

A raincoat for the artist

Wait for the right rain — a light, steady shower is perfect. A downpour will obliterate your art in seconds.

Use washable markers to draw bold dots, lines, swirls, and shapes all over the paper. Use lots of colors. The denser the marks, the more dramatic the rain effect.

If you prefer, skip the markers and drop liquid watercolors or food coloring directly onto the paper. Each drop will bloom when rain hits it.

Place the paper on a flat tray and set it outside in the rain. An open porch edge or the middle of the yard both work.

Stand back and watch. Each raindrop spreads a tiny burst of color. Colors blend where drops overlap. "Look how the rain is painting! The blue and yellow are mixing into green."

Pull the paper inside after two to three minutes — before it's fully saturated. Lay it flat on a towel to dry. The result is a one-of-a-kind watercolor created by nature.

Every rain painting is unique. The speed of the rain, the size of the drops, and the wind all affect the final piece. That's what makes it art, not a craft.

Do several sheets at once. Pull them in at different intervals — one after 30 seconds, one after 2 minutes, one after 5 minutes — and compare the results.

Thick paper is essential. Printer paper dissolves. Watercolor paper or thick card stock holds up much better.

Frame the best ones. Rain paintings look genuinely beautiful and make great gifts.