I first fell in love with kids’ art long before I ever became an art teacher…. I think I’ve always been attracted to it. Truth be told, I prefer kids’ art to most of the art that adults make! I love its spontaneity, its expressiveness, and its honesty. Kids’ art is charming, original, and delightful…. except when it’s not. We’ve all seen art made by kids that looks like a … [Read more...]
7 Tips for Successful Student Art Displays
Displaying student art throughout the year, and not only at your end-of-the-year art show, pays dividends in so many ways. From promoting your program to building student pride and self-esteem, it's worth the time and effort it takes to show off the wonderful art that your students are creating! Look for spaces to display student work not only in … [Read more...]
Learn Art History with the Khan Academy
"You only have to know one thing: You can learn anything." That's the motto of the Khan Academy! If you're not familiar with the Khan Academy, and you have an interest in Art History (for any reason - whether you're a parent, student, teacher, or lifelong learner) you'll be amazed by the education that's available to you for free! The Khan Academy, founded in 2006 by educator … [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...]
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...]
Evernote: Digital Organization for the Art Teacher!
Summer is a great time to tackle something you've been wanting to do all year, but haven't had time for.... like getting organized! When asked, most people would say that they'd like to be more organized. And getting organized can be especially challenging for us right-brained, creative people! We need a system for keeping track of all the notes, ideas, projects, lists, and … [Read more...]
Summer Online Art Ed Conference
The Art of Education is hosting their next online art ed conference on July 17th and you won't want to miss it! If you've attended one of their previous conferences, you know how fun and inspiring these are! This is where over 20 thought-leaders in art education deliver fast-paced, 10 minute "TED Talk" style presentations, full of practical art room ideas and strategies. … [Read more...]
6 Tips for Watercolor Success with Kids
Watercolor is a great medium for kids! It's affordable, mixes well, cleans up quickly, and (usually) doesn't stain clothing. Here are six tips to help you and your younger students find success when learning to work with this classic medium: Choose a good quality student paint. Good quality doesn't have to mean expensive! Before buying a class set of any art … [Read more...]
How to Sharpen Colored Pencils
If you've ever been frustrated by colored pencils that break as you sharpen them, you're not alone! Colored pencils are prone to breakage whether you’re using inexpensive student grade pencils or high quality artist grade pencils. Colored pencils are fragile by nature. The core of a colored pencil is made of pigment mixed with either a wax-based or an oil-based binder that … [Read more...]
10 Mistakes Every Art Teacher Can Avoid
Over the years, I've made more than my share of mistakes.... and many of them more than once! We all make mistakes, but we can learn from each other and at least avoid some of the common ones. Here are some lessons I've learned the hard way! 1. Doing for your students what they can (and should!) do for themselves. From passing out supplies to washing brushes at the end of … [Read more...]
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