Folk Art Painting

Acrylic - 4th Grader

This Kid's Art Workshop embraced layering. As I watched the classes I was surprised by how uncomfortable layering was for most of the students. The idea of painting something like the shape of a house and then painting over part of it with the trunk of a tree was difficult. Some students left a hole in their drawing for the trunk of the tree. It was fascinating. 

I remember as a young painter studying paintings as if they were puzzle pieces or that I had to break my idea into a coloring page to fill in. Layering paint was a foreign concept. I'm so happy to expose my young artists to this painting technique. And look at the wonderful results.

Acrylic - 3rd Grader

Acrylic - 2nd Grader

Acrylic - 4th Grader

Acrylic - 4th Grader

Acrylic - 6th Grader

Acrylic  - 4th Grader

The Age Range in an Art Class

I've made an interesting observation within my last few kid's art workshops; an age range in class is beneficial to the creative process.

Now, I haven't done any scientific, psychological studies or anything, but I do spend a lot of time with children and their art. It seems that around third or fourth grade children start to fear creativity. They begin to feel anxious about being right versus wrong (understandably in our test-crazy educational system.) Some have a hard time with the whole trying and not caring if it's perfect. It is almost as if they have begun to define themselves as artistic or not-artistic.

Kindergartners are fun to watch doing art. They are boundless with their creations, happy to mix a paint color and never actually apply it to a canvas. Exploring and trying to do something as simple as drawing a star can give them immeasurable pleasure, and upon their success the gratification is the joy of being able to guide their mind and their hand together.

A parent asked if I was going to start splitting up my classes by age. I respect that question and certainly someone in upper middle school and in high school might have a hard time in the same class as a first grader that doesn't comprehend in-depth instruction. But, after I thought about it I figured that first graders in the same art classes as seventh graders could actually benefit both parties.

The free-flowing creativity of younger students and the detail orientation and calm of older students are a great combination in an art classroom. The energy rises and falls and ultimately, they inspire each other.

Falling Leaves - celebrating the changing season with art

My favorite part of the workshops happens after everyone leaves and I'm left to stare at the creations. Don't judge:) I mean the statement in the best possible way.

During a workshop I get caught up in the intensity and energy in the classroom as students work on their pieces. I love it. And then when it becomes quiet and empty I organize the drying paintings and view them one at a time. It never fails. I'm repeatedly amazed at what is before me. Every piece is beautiful. Every artist shares a little bit of their magic and paints something only they could paint, and what a gift that I get, to witness that moment.

Acrylic - Fourth Grader

Acrylic - Eighth Grader

Acrylic - First Grader

Acrylic - Fourth Grader

Watercolor - Fourth Grader

Acrylic - Third Grader

Watercolor - Second Grader

Acrylic - Fourth Grader

Acrylic - Second Grader

Watercolor, Resistant - Fourth Grader

Acrylic - Fourth Grader 

Acrylic - Fifth Grader

Acrylic - Fourth Grader

Acrylic - Third Grader

Jelly Fish Paintings

Acrylic versus Watercolor

During this workshop, the kids dedicated almost all of their time to creating amazing pieces. While their acrylic painting base layer dried they started their watercolor pencil and crayon resistant part. Both pieces subject matter are jellyfish. It was a perfect opportunity for the students to see how different the mediums worked with the same subject. A jellyfish is a water animal, so painting it with a more fluid medium really works. But, you'll be impressed by the acrylic results as well!

Second Grader - Watercolor

Sixth Grader - Acrylic

Sixth Grader - Watercolor 

Second Grader - Watercolor

My Acrylic Example

Fifth Grader - Acrylic

Seventh Grader - Acrylic

Fourth Grader - Acrylic

Fourth Grader - Acrylic

Fourth Grader - Watercolor

Fourth Grader - Watercolor

Second Grader - Acrylic

Fifth Grader - Acrylic

Fifth Grader - Acrylic

ARTitude Painting Workshop Examples

Here are the types of examples a student might accomplish in a three hour painting workshop! They are all acrylic. The method is teaching the students to work their painting in layers, and not looking at a painting as though it is a flat paint by numbers project.

I create a new painting for each workshop, mostly because it is fun for me to create the example:) But I also create the example so that I know how to teach it. I love how giving students some boundaries help students stay focused so that they can explore their own unique take on a subject matter. It can be overwhelming for young minds to sit down and have to start something from scratch.

The students mix their own paints and draw their own piece, but are following an example, so every single painting is really an individual masterpiece.

During the painting process we discuss composition, variation, rhythm, balance and technique.

Fifth Grader

First Grader

Fifth Graders

Second Grader

Fifth Grader

Third Grader

Fourth Grader

Coffee Cup Painting - ARTitude Workshop for Kids

The coffee cup acrylic paintings were so much fun. I had eight girls all between 11-12 years old in this workshop.

I gave them my example and they each ran with it. I love that all of their color choices were different, their designs were different, their coffee cup shapes were different. And the best part, they all seemed to have a blast doing this project.

Things that I learned to explain better:
1) The importance of layering color. We had to do two coats on the background, and two coats on the cups. Using a hair dryer to speed up the process only makes the paint crack.
2) Using color as an outline. This is supposed to be a flat painting, without shading or depth.
3) Practicing drawing the cup shapes was important before doing it on the canvas paper.

I'm planning on repeating this project tomorrow. I look forward to seeing the unique results and posting those next week.

Arty-Kind-a-March

Megan - 2nd Grade

Clare - 3rd Grade

I've spent a lot of time doing art with kids this month. The more I do it, the more I enjoy doing it. But I still get frustrated with myself when I don't explain things well, when I see kids not knowing what to do. I'm still figuring out the best ways to help children explore their creativity. And of course every child is different, so learning how to work with so many different personalities is exciting and challenging.
I base my success as a teacher on whether or not my students enjoy doing the project I present to them, and then their emotional response to their finished piece. If they don't enjoy the class, if they're frustrated, I feel like I've failed them. I've learned that that kind of thinking doesn't help anyone.

Ultimately, my job is to guide, challenge and offer suggestions for improvement, and then the rest is up to the artist. I keep in mind that I had to draw and paint a lot of things to figure out my artistic interests. Perhaps, that's part of my role with these kids, helping them determine what inspires them, and what doesn't.

Pears
I love the fact that the pears are all different. I required that the pears were the compliment colors of the table they sat on, but they could choose what color family the pears would be. I also noticed that younger children tend to make objects small in relation to their paper. I reminded these students that the painting is not about the table and its background, but the pears. I suggested at least one pear had to be larger than their fist, and that seemed to help with size and space issues.  

Hayden - 4th Grade

Gabi - 5th Grade

Kids Painting Workshops

I ended up doing four different painting workshops for kids grades 2nd-6th. From the comments I've received from parents, it sounds like the workshops were a success! I thought I'd pick a few from the three I haven't posted. The students had 2.5 hours to complete the task. We only used tempura paint on canvas paper.

The Second Workshop

Becca, 2nd Grade

Erin, 4th Grade

We used the sponge technique for the background. The color palette was yellow, blue, white, and brown for the background. I wanted it soft so that the silhouette of the branches and bird would stand out. The kids had to do two coats of the black paint. For the composition I asked that the branches cross each other.
What I learned: It is really hard for the kids to paint the branches, making them fat to thin. We blow dry the layers to speed up the process, but too much heat cracks the tempura.


The Third Workshop

Collin, 6th grade

Megan, 2nd grade

I decided for the third workshop to go with a holiday theme. We did a sponge painted background again with greens, browns and yellows for glowing lights. Then we used shapes, and talked about how to make them look more three dimensional by shading and highlighting it. After they painted their ornament objects then they used dot painting to create patterns.

What I learned: For the younger students, three ornaments they had to think about shading was a lot. For them, I should have had them focused on just one ornament.


The Fourth Workshop

Madison, 5th grade

This one was fun and I had different results. My morning class took at least two hours to finish. My afternoon class, which had a younger age average only took one hour. Sponge water background required that I explain you add small amounts of color to white to make light colors, not the other way around.

Zoe, 1st grade

I then gave templates of three fish and two lily pads. They played with their composition by moving the templates around the page. I explained that if the elements all lead the eye out of the painting, people will naturally not take the time to look at the detail inside the painting.

Rachel, 2nd grade

I showed the students several different artists interpretations of koi fish. They were given freedom of the fish coloring and patterns.

What I learned: Have a back up plan for those students that finish early. I did directive draw, free draw and paint, and finished with pictionary. I am always surprised by how different each child puts their personality into their work, no matter their age. I love that!