Art Masters
Another good resource to help kids appreciate art is Artext. This unique program features up to one hundred 3x5 or 8x10 glossy prints of famous artwork. The accompanying book, Learning More About Pictures, explains a bit about each painting and artist. Supplying schools andhomeschool families since 1921, Art History is an excellent introductory program for all ages. Auditory learners will enjoy Lives of the Artists:Masterpieces, Messes (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull. From Da Vinci to Warhol, this collection of miniature biographies of the great artists will keep kids entertained while theylearn about art history. (Two 2-hour audiocassettes) When you visit a gallery or museum, suggest that your family ask themselves,“How do I feel about this artwork? What do I like or dislike about it?” Of course, there are no right or wrong answers, andit’s fun to observe each other’s preferences. Find museums in your region, ortake a virtual tour from the comfort ofyour own home. How about a visit to the Louvre, homeof the Mona Lisa? When your visit to the museum is over, Culture Smart! by Susan Rodriguez will keep the creativejuices flowing. This colorful book features 120 art projects, complete with a materials list and step-by-stepdirections a good way for your kids to create a few masterpieces of their own!
Art Book for Younger Kids
Drawing for the Artistically Challenged
After reading and re-readingDrawing with Children (the revised and expanded tenth anniversary edition), I made the appropriatecopies of pages to be used as practice sheets, bought the recommended supplies, gathered my kids, and began the program. I watched in amazement as my daughters went from drawing scribbled stick people to makinglovely, colorful birds and lions, surrounded by identifiable palm trees on a beautiful shoreline. Theirnow-framed and proudly hung artwork often elicits comments from visitors who tell me how “talented” they are! My drawings? Well, I haven’t progressed as rapidly as they have, but enough that I secretly say, “Hey, that’s pretty good!” Producing beautiful artwork isn’t the only benefit. According to Brookes, “Schools are reporting up to a20 percent increase in reading, writing, math, and language skills for students who are exposed to theMonart program.” Creative expression appears to aid and foster critical thinking skills. Once you have mastered the lessons inDrawing with Children, you can continue with Brookes’ Drawing for Older Children and Teens. This book covers perspective, shading, and the differentstyles of drawing. (You can also start with Drawing for Older Children and Teens; one book is not a prerequisite for the other.)
Special Needs
title: “Art For Homeschoolers” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-16” author: “Shelly Warren”
Art Masters The best way for kids to understand and appreciate art is for them to observe art. It’s never too early to start visiting galleries and talking about what you see. Before we visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art, my kids spent a few months looking at art books, focusing on a different artist each week. We borrowed books from the library and purchased several others from the “Getting to Know the World’s Great Artists Series” (ages 5 to 9) by Venezia. Auditory learners will enjoy “Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (and What the Neighbors Thought)” by Kathleen Krull. From Da Vinci to Warhol, this collection of miniature biographies of the great artists will keep kids entertained while they learn about art history. (Two 2-hour audiocassettes) When you visit a gallery or museum, suggest that your family ask themselves, “How do I feel about this artwork? What do I like or dislike about it?” Of course, there are no right or wrong answers, and it’s fun to observe each other’s preferences. To find museums in your region or take a virtual tour from the comfort of your own home. How about a visit to the Louvre, home of the Mona Lisa? When your visit to the museum is over, Culture Smart! by Susan Rodriguez will keep the creative juices flowing. This colorful book features 120 art projects complete with materials list and step-by-step directions. A good way for your kids to create a few masterpieces of their own! Art Book for Younger Kids The Oxford First Book of Art by Gillian Wolfe contains an eclectic collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures, and textiles. For parents who want their younger kids to appreciate art, but prefer a book with no nudity, the Oxford book fits the bill. You’ll find beautifully reproduced artwork as well as activities, quizzes, and facts about both well-known and unknown artists. Drawing for the Artistically Challenged Would you love to be able to draw? Better yet, draw and be able to teach your children how to draw? Most parents believe they suffer from lack of artistic talent and could never learn this skill. Drawing with Children author Mona Brookes disagrees. She believes that the Monart method, outlined in her book, can help everyone learn to draw. Skeptical, I decided to give it a try. After reading and re-reading Drawing with Children (the revised and expanded tenth anniversary edition) I made the appropriate copies of pages to be used as practice sheets, bought the recommended supplies, gathered my kids, and began the program. I watched in amazement as my daughters went from drawing scribbled stick people to making lovely, colorful birds and lions, surrounded by identifiable palm trees on a beautiful shoreline. Their now-framed and proudly hung artwork often elicits comments from visitors who tell me how “talented” they are! My drawings? Well, I haven’t progressed as rapidly as they have but enough that I secretly say, “Hey, that’s pretty good!” Producing beautiful artwork isn’t the only benefit. According to Brookes, “Schools are reporting up to a 20 percent increase in reading, writing, math, and language skills for students who are exposed to the Monart program.” Creative expression appears to aid and foster critical thinking skills. Once you have mastered the lessons in Drawing with Children, you can continue with Brookes’ Drawing for Older Children and Teens. This book covers perspective, shading, and the different styles of drawing. (You can also start with the Drawing for Older Children… book; one is not a prerequisite for the other.) Special NeedsChild Art Therapy: Understanding and Helping Children Grow Through Art by Rubin is a very comprehensive guide for all special needs teachers and homeschooling parents. Though rather costly (about $75), parents working with their special-needs kids will find the book invaluable.
