Art Club Fun: Let's Draw and Paint Like Famous Artists (Ongoing)

Are you curious about what it is like to be an artist?  Do you wonder where artists find their inspirations?  Do you like learning about the stories behind an artwork?  In this ongoing club we will explore the world of famous artists.  We will cover a diverse group of artists and a wide range of time periods.  Each week will be a new art history adventure! 

During class students will learn about an acclaimed artist and create their own masterpiece inspired by that artist.  I also love to share stories and facts from the artists' lives.  After a discussion about our artist and their artwork, students will be guided through a step-by-step demonstration showing how to draw and paint their own artwork based on our artist of the week.  Please know that this class is a little more challenging and faster paced than my Season by Season class.      

While my directions are detailed, and I want students to become familiar with our famous artists, I also want students to be able to express their own creative voice.  I encourage students to add their own unique details to make their artworks truly their own.  As students work, I make sure to provide feedback, encouragement, and additional instructions as needed.  If time allows, at the end of class our young artists will have the opportunity to share their artwork with their classmates.

**Although each demonstration will be finished by the end of class, students may want to continue working on their masterpieces after we have signed off for the day.  Everyone works at a different speed, and it's better to take our time than to rush!  I will post the artworks we learned about in class to our classroom page after each lesson for students to reference.

Upcoming Lessons (Please know lesson topics are subject to change): 

January 6 – 12 - NO CLASS
January 13 – 19 - Richard Friese Polar Bears
January 20 – 26 - Will Barnett The Sled
January 27 – February 2 - Xu Beihong Year of the Snake
February 3 – 9 - Franz Marc Yellow Dog in Snow
February 10 – 16 - Marie Laurencin Vase of Flowers
February 17 – 23 - The Snowy Owl by Charles Tunncliffe 
February 24 – March 2 - Trees by Allan Randall Freelon
March 3 – 9 - Maria Merian’s Butterflies
March 10 – 16 - Salvador Dali’s Butterfly Boat
March 17 – 23 Red Grooms Dali Salad
March 24 – 30 - NO CLASS
March 31 – April 6 - Wolf by Midnight Frederick Remington
April 7 – 13 Rabbits on a Log by Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait
April 14 – 20 - Spring by Rene Magritte
April 21 – 27 - Hundertwasser
April 28 – May 4 - Paul Klee
May 5 – 11 - Whistler’s Mother
May 12 – 18 - Suzanne Valadon
May 19 – 25 - Maurice Utrillo
May 26 – June 1 - Hiroshige
June 2 – 8 - Pomp at the Philadelphia Zoo by Henry Ossawa Tanner
June 9 – 15 - Andy Warhol

Supplies Needed:
- 9x12 Thicker white paper or watercolor paper (80lbs. weight or higher is usually strong enough to paint on; I like Canson watercolor or mixed media pads)
- Pencil with eraser
- Black permanent Sharpie marker (must be a permanent marker)
- Oil pastels and/or crayons (non-washable)
- A set of pan watercolors (I like Prang or Crayola because they come with a quality brush, but other brands are fine; please no tubes of watercolor paint as they can be harder for young artist to use)
- Watercolor brush (usually your watercolor set will come with one, make sure it is soft and pliable not stiff and plastic)
- Container with water (a container with a wider base or a bowl is less likely to spill)
- Paper towels
**You may also want a piece of poster board or large paper to cover the work area.