Have you ever been inspired to ‘give back’ to your community as a way to say “thank you” to those who helped you through a difficult time? I was touched by the story of Dan and Janean Toone, who started Young at Art in response to the care that their young grandson received while spending most of his first year of life in the hospital. As art lovers themselves, Dan and Janean … [Read more...]
Gratefulness Rocks
Gratefulness Rocks are perfect for Thanksgiving decorating, but equally fun to keep out all year! The Thanksgiving holiday seems to bring out the best in people, as we focus on family, friends, serving others, and gratefulness. Sharing what we’re thankful for is central to our Thanksgiving tradition, and to this project sponsored by Elmer’s! With Gratefulness Rocks, the whole … [Read more...]
Monarch Butterflies for K & Beyond
Each fall, one of our local State Parks becomes home to almost 100,000 migrating Monarch butterflies. The Monarchs gather in a eucalyptus grove that provides shelter from wind and harsh weather, while they wait for spring to arrive. On chilly days, the Monarchs cluster together in the trees for warmth. But on warm days, they flutter about like colorful confetti in the … [Read more...]
My New Favorite Pencil Sharpener
Usually, I sharpen pencils as needed, a few at a time, and don't think much about it. But this morning I sat staring at 9 dozen brand new pencils I needed for a workshop I'm teaching. I found myself procrastinating this simple task all week, just due to the sheer number of them. But once I got going, I was completely surprised by how quick and easy it actually was, so I had to … [Read more...]
Why Everyone Can (and Should!)… Learn to Draw
Explaining the importance of learning to draw to art educators is like preaching to the choir. We already believe! Yet we all have people around us, school administrators, parents, and even students, who don't share our enthusiasm. We need to be proactive in our art advocacy if we’re to avoid having to defend our programs on the chopping block! One way to educate and inform … [Read more...]
Illustrations with Surrealism
What better way to celebrate April Fool’s Day than with an image of Salvadore Dali caught in the act of pulling a prank??! Surrealism is a cultural, artistic, and literary movement which began in the early 1920’s. Founded by French writer and poet Andre Breton as a ‘revolutionary movement’, Surrealism is probably best known as a style of art featuring photorealistic images of … [Read more...]
How to Hold a Pencil 101
In drawing, as in writing, how you hold your pencil makes a difference! Over the years, I’ve seen some really unusual ways of holding a pencil. Many students arrive in Kindergarten with habits already formed that look awkward at best, if not painfully uncomfortable. No wonder some kids have trouble with writing and drawing! These early habits can be hard to change, but it’s … [Read more...]
Art with Math – How to Draw a Soccer Ball
What do you get when you combine geometry, art, and soccer?? A winning art lesson, that’s what! The excitement of the World Cup inspired me to come up with a creative way to teach kids how to draw a soccer ball. I was determined to develop a method that would be easy to teach and easy to learn, and would give kids a result they could be proud of. I ended up creating two … [Read more...]
Learning to Draw with “Echo Drawing”
Drawing is a vital skill for becoming visual communicators at home, at school, and at work. This is not about having natural talent or artistic ability.... anyone can learn to draw! Drawing is all about looking carefully at things and seeing the relationships between lines and shapes, and gradations of light and dark. We call this "learning to see like an artist". "Echo … [Read more...]
Surf’s Up! With End-of-the-Year Surfboard Art
The last few days of the school year can be a challenge.... students are super-excited and their energy level is high! Add in a substitute teacher and things could get crazy! So, I was asked to sub for a couple of classes on their last day of Art. I knew I'd need something special to focus their almost-summer-vacation exuberance! We live in a surf town on the California … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- …
- 12
- Next Page »