Teach Art to Your Children v 2.6

iPhone photo

Girls are coming to art class now asking me about supplies and listening to my every word and watching each demonstration intently..it's very exciting! This week, focus not only on the technical aspects of the lesson, but the delivery..here's what happened:

My plan was to teach the students how to make watercolor skins which we will cut out next week (once they dry) and affix to an underwater seascape that we painted yesterday. The skin process is a little complicated, in fact, my partner and I teach it to adults in our online workshop series, but I simplified the process for the 6 year olds and they were eager participants.

We swirled and mixed artist grade acrylics onto a non-porous surface. I will cover that mixture with medium once it is dry, and when THAT dries, we will have a plastic "skin" to work with.. the students will cut the skin into fish shapes.

Today we paintined the seascapes. Instead of looking up fancy seascapes online to show them, I grabbed a Disney "Arial" book and low and behold, underwater seascapes. The students painted seaweed floating in the current, learned perspective and blended beautiful underwater backgrounds.

Get those books out- Spiderman, Princesses...whatever.. study the illustrations with your child and help them understand why some items are smaller (because they are far away) and some are larger (in the foreground). Also notice the colors. Plants are not only "Green"..they have many shades of green and probably some blue and brown. Your kids will eat this up when they notice it in their story books!

So you don't want to take time to make skins...that's ok. The lesson will be in the painting. They can easily embellish their paintings with stickers. Don't have fancy paints? That's ok too! Pick up a set of student grade acrylics at the craft store (use a coupon). They are better than craft paint.

Try it! I'd love to hear from you..let me know what you are creating with your kids.

Comments

[Holly Dean]

How exciting!!! You are bringing such a sense of creative awareness to these kids' everyday lives. And encouraging them to make art a natural part of it too. Fabulous! I haven't created anything lately with my 29 year old ;) But she makes sure she lets me know how proud she is of her artist Mom...

[Chris]

My kid won't keep her paws off the paper towels and her hair gets on the canvas because she won't clench.

It's hard to teach an old dog.

[Patty Cross]

One of my goals is teaching my granddaughters how to create freely and with abandon. They are four now and sponges when it comes to creativity. Thank you for the inspiration and suggestions.

You are an inspiration, Julie. Thank you!

[Zorana]

I want to be a kid in your neighborhood...