Draw, Paint, Sculpt and Explore Art History! Art for Homeschoolers - Level 1

This fun weekly art class is perfect for a full art curriculum for homeschoolers or any young artist seeking art enrichment with a variety of art media! Over six weeks, learners will explore a variety of artists such as Kandinsky, Van Gogh, and Andy Goldsworthy, and art forms such as drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture! This series introduces students to different art media, art history, vocabulary and artistic skills that form a strong foundation of knowledge for young artists to progress in their creative development.  I have designed these projects in conjunction with my other classes to provide learners with a comprehensive art curriculum from ages 5-15 that is fun, process-oriented, and fosters personal expression and creativity! For a full semester, students can enroll in two of my "Draw, Paint, Sculpt" Series. Although I have labeled these classes by general age "levels," they do not need to be taken in a particular order.

The Level 2 Series can be found here: https://outschool.com/classes/draw-paint-print-sculpt-and-explore-art-history-level-2-ages-6-9-hixSx00o?usid=TNvmfhVz&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link

     I focus on building skills, self-confidence, and personal artistic expression in all of my classes.  My teaching style is fun, easy going, patient and encouraging and all levels of artistic ability and experience are welcome and celebrated! 

Day 1: Lines and Shapes Paintings Inspired by Kandinsky
Our class will begin by looking at and naming different types of lines.  We will use crayons or oil pastels to create a variety of lines on our papers, including zig zag, spiral, dotted, and wavy lines. We will then look at the art of Kandinsky and see if we can find some of the lines that we learned about in his paintings and briefly discuss what other objects we may see with our imaginations in his artwork.  We will finish our art by adding many colors, like Kandinsky did in his paintings, using watercolor paint while discussing basic watercolor techniques.  Learners will be encouraged to use their imaginations and personal creativity in their masterpieces!

Day 2:  Line Sculptures Inspired by Andy Goldsworthy
We will begin our class with a demonstration of the difference between 2-D and 3-D art, and a brief exploration of a variety of sculptures and the art of Andy Goldsworthy.  We will then work together step-by-step to create paper sculptures which include curved, zig zag, and spiral lines as well as a variety of shapes such as circles, squares, triangles, and even hearts (for those who like a challenge!)

Day 3: Primary Color Mix Paintings
Our class will begin with a discussion about the primary colors and how to use the color wheel.  We will work step by step as a class to create the secondary colors with our paint and will then create beautiful paintings using all of the colors in the rainbow!  Learners will be encouraged to share their paintings with the class.

Day 4:  Circle Prints (1) Inspired by Kandinsky
We will briefly look at the paintings of Van Gogh, Grant Wood, and Kandinsky and search for circles in their artworks.  We will discuss how a print is different from a painting or drawing and how to use cylinders to create a print like Kandinsky's "Several Circles."  We will practice mixing different primary colors together as we work step by step to create our circle prints.  Learners will be encouraged to use their imaginations and make deliberate decisions about their compositions when creating their prints!

Day 5: Circle Prints (2)  Adding Patterns and Blending Colors with Oil Pastels
We will briefly review the artists and concepts from the previous day and then discuss how to use the color wheel to make decisions when mixing oil pastel colors together.  While adding color and detail to our circle prints, we will also learn how to create patterns and to blend colors together to make them lighter or darker. Students will be encouraged to use their imaginations and to share their art and their ideas with the class! 

Day 6: Leaf Prints Inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe
We will begin our class by looking at the beautiful leaf paintings of Georgia O'Keeffe and discuss briefly the ways in which her paintings were unique at that point in history. We will review the difference between a print versus a painting or drawing and learn a new way to make a print using leaves. We will work together to create our leaf prints with oil pastels and watercolor paints and then share our beautiful masterpieces with the class! 

Please Note:  Class times may run longer than 45 minutes for children that work very meticulously.  I'm always happy to stay in class longer with these learners as they complete their projects!