TAs I shared previously about my summer art class with my kids I wanted to show them different surfaces and mediums that they could use to create. (See more here – “Living with Art” Classes). This week we created a necklace using Shrinky Dinks and colored pencils.
This is one of my favorite go-to desserts because it is quick and delicious. It is equally good with any seasonal fresh fruit or berries as well as frozen and canned fruit. Today I am making it with fresh sour cherries, but also love it with canned peaches.
Not too long ago I shared with you that my art class was making lanterns out of wide mouth quart canning jars. (See post here Living with Art – Painting on Glass) Today I would like to share a pattern with you so that you can make your own lanterns and more.
For our third week of living with art we painted paper mache. Our first project was a pencil box for them to keep their pencils and other small supplies in. I let them paint whatever they would like using DecoArt Americana acrylics.
Our class is 2 hours and they had a half an hour left so I gave them a second project – a small paper Mache jewelry box.
Here are pictures of my students and their projects:
My older kids wanted to play with stencils so these are their projects:
I hope you are enjoying seeing all of creative fun. I hope it inspires you to share the love of creating.
Happy Painting,
Jane
Ps. If you would like to know more about our living with art series and the projects we already created go to the following posts:
If you have been following along, you know that I have been teaching some kid classes this summer where we are painting on different surfaces and using different mediums. (find out more here). The first week we created an art journal with watercolors that they will be able to work on all summer. (find out more here).
Previously I shared that I would be doing art classes over the summer with some young ladies (find out more here) and also my regular older students. For the first week I planned to started with watercolors and created an art journal that they will be able to draw and paint in all summer.
You could use any watercolors or journal. I got the Prima Classic watercolors for them. I like that they are small and easy to travel with and they are nice happy colors. For the journal we are using the Strathmore 90 lb. watercolor visual journal. It is 5.5″ x 8″ so it also easy to carry around. I also started them with a pencil, a mister bottle, a #7 round brush and a small container of salt.
There is something therapeutic about just touching and preparing your art supplies. To start class we unwrapped our watercolors, numbered them and painted our color reference card.
I had them draw a color wheel in the front of their book. We painted the Red, Blue and Yellow from the colors in their paint box. For the Orange, Purple and Green I had them mix the colors and paint them in their book. Not because we didn’t have the colors in their set, but I wanted to show them how they can mix their colors to create new colors.
I had them draw a square and then paint it with water and then come back and paint in the square to show them how to contain the color to an area. We also painted a square and sprinkled it with salt so they could see the pattern the salt created as it dried. I then let them free draw and paint in thier book.
I had taken a class from Juliette Crane where she started all of her characters by drawing the same basic shape – a circle for the head with a rectangle that is wider at the bottom for the body. Then, by adding different features, like arms and feet, she would create her characters. I had the students start with this little exercise to draw a few characters and then paint them. It gave them somewhere to start with their drawing. I then let them draw and paint whatever they wanted.
I also gave them the option of painting the covers of their journal. To do this we lightly sanded the cover, painted with a coat of gesso, and then painted with bottle acrylics.
Here they are with their covers:
Here is the cover that Sara my older student painted:
Here are pictures of their favorite page:
And these are my older students favorite page in their books:
With my older kids I let them play with watercolor pencils and crayons, and liquid watercolors. I also enjoyed playing with the products and here is a picture of my doodles.
When they were done we put washi tape on the edges of the pages they created. They loved doing this. I asked them to bring their book back each week and as they painted the pages they could add the washi tape.
A couple days after class I got a picture of my older students playing with their watercolors at the Hershey Rose Garden. That blessed my day.
On the first day of class when one of your students jumps out of the car and does cartwheels across your lawn to the front door, you know it is worth every minute you invest in their lives.
I encourage you to share the joy of art.
A big painting hug to you,
Jane
Link to products I used ( I am not compensated for suggesting these products):
Strathmore Visual 90 lb. Watercolor Journal
This summer I offered to have some art classes with some young ladies 8-9 years old. They all love art and love to create. Since they are younger, I did not want to weigh them down with drawing or painting classes. I wanted for them to just enjoy “art”, but I also wanted them to see how art is a part of everyday life.
So each week we will be doing art on a different surface and using different products.
The different surfaces we will be painting/creating on are:
And in the process we will be using these mediums:
And we will be making things that we live with, use and give as gifts.
Each week we will be doing a different project and I will be sharing with you what we are doing. I would love for you to be following along and creating with us and/or teaching someone else the joy of creating.
When I teach kids I have three rules:
I love teaching kids. They are always so happy with what they do, so each week they will be painting their own designs. I might give some suggestions but find that they have great ideas themselves.
I know not all of us feel that confident so I will also be creating some step by step projects throughout the summer that relate to the projects we are doing and I will do them as separate posts.
I do have another class of older student that I taught drawing and painting to last year. They will be doing the same projects, but I might be giving them a few extra things.
In this class I want my students to just enjoy creating. I hope that they will be able to see art in the things around them. But most of all I hope to give them a foundation and confidence to enjoy art for the rest of their lives.
I hope you will join us for this artful journey this summer.
Happy Creating,
Jane
Last week some of my art students brought me some fresh picked strawberries which made us hungry for strawberry pie.
Last post (Web Presence – Getting Started) we talked about how a good way to start marketing yourself is with a web site. Knowing what content you want on your site and how you want it to look is the first step. This time we are looking at some tools you can use to build a site.
Since Memorial Day is the official start of picnic season I thought I would share with you my favorite potato salad recipe which is from “The Perfect Recipe” by Pam Anderson. I would highly recommend this cookbook.
