Kids spend so much time in the car! It's easy to reach for a movie or electronic game to fill the time on long trips... or even short errands around town. But why not take a break from technology and just reach for a sketchbook instead? "Almost all artwork, no matter what the final form, begins with drawing because drawing is the artist's fundamental tool." ~ Mary Blair, … [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...]
A Colored Pencil Test
When it comes to buying art supplies for your classroom, how much does your budget influence your buying decisions? Do you sometimes choose your cheapest option just because, well, it’s the cheapest? There’s such a range of quality when it comes to student grade colored pencils and the difference in price doesn’t always make up for the difference in quality. The next time you … [Read more...]
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Parents often tell me about the artwork their kids did with me that they have framed and hanging in their home. And this is the project that most often earns a permanent place on the wall! While there's nothing like adding new lessons to keep your curriculum fresh and exciting, we all have projects that we go back to year after year because they are so successful and are so … [Read more...]
Read Aloud and Respond with Art!
March 5th, 2014 is World Read Aloud Day! Every year, on the first Wednesday in March, Litworld (a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting literacy around the globe) mobilizes children and adults everywhere to advocate for literacy as a basic human right belonging to all people. Reading aloud is a natural way to celebrate the written word and to share it with … [Read more...]
Learning to “Draw with a Light Touch”
January is the month for New Year's Resolutions.... for examining our habits and thinking about changes we should make. Kids hear adults talking about this so it's not a new idea to them. This means we can seize this opportunity to talk with students about their own habits that may not be serving them well and suggest ways they can change these habits to improve their … [Read more...]
Day of the Dead – Ofrenda Painting
The popular Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead (or Dia de Los Muertos), gives us many opportunities for colorful art lessons combined with learning about another culture! True confession time.... when I moved from a small town in upstate New York to go to college in California, I had no idea what Day of the Dead was.... I had never even heard of it. I (wrongly!) assumed it was … [Read more...]
Feed Your Creative Soul – with a Sketchbook
Most art teachers I know struggle to find time for pursuing their own artwork.... so if that's you, you're not alone! Summertime provides a great opportunity for teachers to do things they otherwise set aside during the school year. But if we're trying to teach our students how important art is, should we really be putting off our own art until summer? (I'm speaking to myself … [Read more...]
Oil Pastel Still Life Inspired by Vincent Van Gogh
Students will be surprised to learn that Van Gogh was not popular as an artist during his own lifetime.... a great example that the opinions of popular culture do not always prevail! This project usually takes 2-3 fifty minute sessions to finish, and the results are frame-worthy! Vocabulary: • Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) - Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh is one of the best … [Read more...]
Monochromatic Snow Scene with Markers
Here's an easy, wintery snow scene, perfect for those days when you need a lesson without much prep or clean-up. The week before Christmas break is that time for me! Materials: 12 x 18 white construction paper Crayola Washable Markers (you only need the gray, red, and orange) Spray bottle filled with plain water Directions: Use your gray marker only to draw a … [Read more...]
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