Music. Art. Help.

[Sahamamama]

Every year at planning time, I do this. I beat myself up over the Art we didn't "get to," and vow to do better. I sigh and say, "Well, at least we did our best with music theory and instrument practice." Sigh.

 

I loved Art class as a child. As an adult, though, I can't find a way to relax when I think about Art. For a creative child, hey, it's fun! For a non-artistic adult, it's (unnecessary?) expense, (unwelcome?) mess, and my perpetual cluelessness. I also dislike how my girls seem to want to show me everything they do, and expect me to praise it. Something about that feels dishonest to me. What if I think the picture is terrible? A mess? Sloppy? Do I say so?

 

Even thinking about "doing Art" with my three girls makes me feel slightly ill.

 

I don't feel that way about Music. In truth, I don't know anything more about Music than I do about Art, although I took piano lessons for years, played an instrument in the band, sang in choirs for decades, and still enjoy listening to and making music. For some reason, it's easier for me to share and teach Music than it is for me to do the same with Art.

 

I've looked at Artistic Pursuits, Book 1 (K--3rd) for a long time now. I have everything we would need lined up on a wish list at Rainbow. We can afford it. Should I buy?

 

But when I try to do both Music (theory/instrument) AND Art at the same time, it feels overwhelming to me. Why?

 

I'd rather do one subject well, than both half-heartedly. I'm tempted to focus on only Music for now, then add Art when the girls are a bit older (9, 10, 11). By then they will need outside Music lessons, anyway, if they are to go further.

 

We do have Draw-Write-Now, and they LOVE drawing from those lessons. We don't do the writing portion, only the drawing. The girls get out the books and materials on their own and draw for hours. If they continue doing that, is it "enough" for Art (for us) for now?

 

How do you drop the no-formal-Art guilt?

[TraceyS/FL]

Have you looked at Barry Stebbing's stuff? He uses simple materials, and in fact they don't paint original paintings - they use cards, AND, there are DVD lessons....



Or you could look at DeepSpaceSparkle and pick 1-2 projects a month to do. 

Which sums up what art will look like here next year!! :lol:

But, it sounds like I Can Do All Things might be a better fit. He doesn't suggest that you start at the front and work your way thru the book in order, he recommends a couple of topics - say, drawing and painting, and do them at the same time. The kids could bounce around depending on what they were interested in that week! Hmm, I was going to cut/paste the list of topics but I didn't export that from my iPad yet.

[Sahamamama]

What do you all think about Atelier?

[athomeontheprairie]

I believe you can not do art and not feel guilty. :-)

this is what art looks like our house: we have several books on art that show full page reproductions of the Masters. we read a little bit about the master, then examine the pictures. what did the used to make it? how big was the original? if it was groundbreaking art, how did it change the way we view art? then we break a picture down into different elements, and the kids try and reproduce the masterpiece. Maybe that seems complicated but really it only takes us about 10-20 minutes before they start working on their reproduction. ideally we would do this every week, in reality its once or twice a month.

if you don't get to art don't feel guilty... :-)

[MusicMama]

I LOVE Artistic Pursuits!  It is so child friendly, and does not stress perfection, just a gentle, creative guide.  It was worth every penny.  I was able to go to a conference where one of the authors taught an art class to the parents and it was phenomenal.  Sealed the deal for me.  If you want to incorporate music without doing private lessons, I would look at Classics for Kids.  It's high quality, and free.   www.classicsforkids.com 

 

I have a set of sterilite drawers that contain all the art supplies, smocks, newpaper etc, so it is just grab and go.  The first several lessons in the Artistic Pursuits book us watercolor crayons, which aren't that messy.  Also, I know how you feel about the praise!  I choose an aspect that I really admire, and strive not to give fakey praise.  I'll tell them I love the energy, or the colors, or how they included a beloved toy or pet, or I'll admire how an aspect/technique has improved, or tell them that I really love flowers, too!  I avoid the blanket "I love it!", unless I really, really do.  But they will always leave with a positive remark from me.    

[Sahamamama]

Thanks for the feedback on Artistic Pursuits. I'm still deciding on what to do... ;)

 

I think we'll probably do one more year with just the Draw-Write-Now books, fully utilizing those with our art supplies. That's simple enough, even for me, LOL.

[athomeontheprairie]

, I know how you feel about the praise! I choose an aspect that I really admire, and strive not to give fakey praise. I'll tell them I love the energy, or the colors, or how they included a beloved toy or pet, or I'll admire how an aspect/technique has improved, or tell them that I really love flowers, too! I avoid the blanket "I love it!", unless I really, really do. But they will always leave with a positive remark from me.

This! There is SOMETHING good about their picture and I will term them so. I hate fake praise (which my mom gives for EVERYTHING), but I can find something praise worthyin their picture when they really try.

[MissKNG]

We don't do formal art or music. Art class for us is when the girls  make projects with the stuff in their craft drawer. Music happens when they are working on art or puzzles, etc and I play various genres of music in the background. And I report to the school district and they are fine with this!

 

At this age, imho, formal art and music are still "gravy" compared to the 3Rs (and science for us!)!!

[Sahamamama]

Here the 'problem' with art is giving and recieving feedback.

If I think dd could do a better job I say so.

 

What we will do next year is The Story of Art from Hillyer, it has an Art, an Architecture and a sculpture part.

You could read some , talk about it.

 

We give also Artistic Pursuits another try, grade 4-6 is more written to the student then K-3, so it takes me out of the lesson : I just make a schedule ;)

 

Loesje, thank you for posting! It's helpful to know that about Artistic Pursuits. We may hold off on it for another year or so, and work through what we do have. My girls are enjoying Draw-Write-Now, and we have all the books, so there's plenty of opportunity there. We also have Notgrass Learn to Draw, Notgrass Celebrate Thanksgiving, and Notgrass Celebrate the Savior (holiday craft books). If we do those, pull out the clay and watercolors, and read The Story of Art for the next year or so, that will be "enough." By then the girls will be ready for Artistic Pursuits at the 4th-6th grade levels. They'll also be better able to manage the supplies, the projects, and the clean up responsibly. Thank you.

[skeeterbug]

Home Art Studio? DVD based, inexpensive, short lessons. All you have to do is gather the materials. ;)

[WishboneDawn]

Completely different suggestion but madcaplogic.com is only about $15 per kid for a year of lessons all done online by the student. You can print off lessons with activities if you want our simply let them do the online portion and call it good. It's fun, engaging and good quality.

[baybedaul]

We are going to try Harmony Fine Arts this year (after totally slacking in art last year). Art and music appreciation laid out in a weekly schedule (whick I obviously need), but with flexibility in exactly how much you cover. Years 2 and 3 schedule an Artistic Pursuits book in one of the options. I understand the author is on these boards too. :)

[Aurelia]

I liked Atelier because, other than laying out the supplies, I had nothing to do with the lessons. I'd pause the DVD while DD would be working on the project and play music in the background to give her more time (otherwise she'd rush and it would look awful), but I really didn't find the lessons too messy. Last year she used Meet the Masters, which is similar, but incorporates more art history and appreciation. 

[Hunter]

There are only so many hours in the day. When we try to fit in more volume of tasks than can fit, it feels overwhelming. How could it not? Rearranging things, and spending more money, don't make it all fit in.

 

When children are self-educating in a subject, you don't have time to teach, let them do that! Later on when they are mystified about how to proceed further, THEN take some time to get more involved. You are fine.

[tabinfl]

I bought Atelier in the spring, we got theough one lesson (which I LOVED), and I spent two months avoiding getting out the paints so I am right there with you. They did a co-op arts & crafts class, but that was pretty fluffy.

 

Three weeks of camp at our local fine arts center over the summer, plus a week of performing arts camp (they made set & costumes), and I don't feel nearly as bad. :)

 

We are starting up for real in another week, and I WILL get the Atelier materials out again! I CAN clean up paint, right? Right?

 

They also do a half hour a week of music in our church kids' program / choir, and sing in church once a month. I have the Faber piano books (on recommendation from a professional violinist friend) that we WILL get out this fall as well!

[DoubleAMom]

Loesje, thank you for posting! It's helpful to know that about Artistic Pursuits. We may hold off on it for another year or so, and work through what we do have. My girls are enjoying Draw-Write-Now, and we have all the books, so there's plenty of opportunity there. We also have Notgrass Learn to Draw, Notgrass Celebrate Thanksgiving, and Notgrass Celebrate the Savior (holiday craft books). If we do those, pull out the clay and watercolors, and read The Story of Art for the next year or so, that will be "enough." By then the girls will be ready for Artistic Pursuits at the 4th-6th grade levels. They'll also be better able to manage the supplies, the projects, and the clean up responsibly. Thank you.

 

I know this is an old thread, but I was hoping to get some feedback from Sahamamama on Notgrass Learn to Draw.  How did you like this book?  Do you think it would be appropriate for a 6 and 8 year old?  Does it teach the fundamentals of drawing or does it give in instruction on how to draw specific drawing projects?  I'm looking for something that will teach my kids the basics of drawing so they can apply it to drawing anything.

[...................]

My kids, for better or for worse, hate it when I have tried to "teach" art.  They did enjoy Discovering Great Artists, but even with all the fun we were having I only did four projects!  It was so weird. Here was a program inexpensive, inspiring, easy to use, the kids loved the projects we did, but I just bombed on it.

 

Then I decided to buy them the Rod and Staff Artpacs because at least I could check off that box in my mind.  They were so offended by these. They were like the kitsch of the art curriculum, to them, or worse because at least people appreciate kitsch!  The weird sentimental "mottoes," the adorable smiling caucasion children's heads to color or draw, the Bible verses and flowers to copy....my son took one look and just said, "no."  My dd did one project and then said she could be more artistic on her own.

 

Fast forward...my son is actually great at drawing, and has enjoyed for me to purchase special (sometimes expensive!) drawing books for him.  He has never been immersed in it, but a fit will seize him and he will draw for about a week and produce some rather shockingly good pieces.  I could let this bother me thinking, "If he really applied himself..." but really he has other more serious hobbies and talents.  So, it has been ok.  He did Calvert's History of Art Sculpture and LOVED it!  I do highly recommend those as art appreciatoin with a tiny dabble in the medium.

 

My dd is less talented when it comes to drawing but she also has produced some pretty stellar drawings when the mood has struck, everything from Dragons to My Little Ponies.  She also uses her ipad and an art studio thing and is always drawing and making amazing pictures.  She paints wooden items from Michael's, she sews (right now she is sewing patchwork stuffed animals which she hopes to sell at the park!), she did a little embroidery, some stenciling, and she loves to look at the Art Appreciation Books which are for children, and organize the great Artists by time period or genre.  She absolutely loved those, actually, and she can tell you a few genres just by seeing a painting.

 

I hope to get her into a pottery class somewhere, as she prefers the hands on mediums...but as you can see with no effort on my part except for providing materials and braving the trips to Michael's and putting out a little money for good pencils for my son, we have had some pretty good art success here, all things considering!!

 

So, my advice is to give your kids time, space, and materials, and see what happens.  Also purchase a few beautiful and inspriing Art Appreciation books.  

[angelmama1209]

any chance someone could post a couple of examples of discovering great artists? i can't find anywhere that let's me "see inside".

[wintermom]

I'm similar to you in that music education comes a lot easier to me than art. I'm just not into arts or crafts. I buy craft materials and let my dc go to it, but I don't tell them what to make or do. They are way more creative than I am, and enjoy doing their own thing.

 

I've used ARTistic Pursuits K - 3, and it was great as a supplement to our Ancient History cycle - at least as far as the examples in the book went. In reality, my dd did every single project with our cat as the subject, and my boys did Star Wars characters for every project they did. I still have their "master pieces" on the wall. 20 Star Wars pictures in several different mediums and 10 cats.  :lol:

 

Since that precious experience, I've avoided art curriculum for myself and out-sourced art education to co-ops and such. As much "fun" as it is for the dc, it's just not my cup of tea. ;)

[Sneezyone]

We really like Meet the Masters, mostly because the projects don't require a ton of supplies and it incorporates some art history/artist study. We save it for Friday "fun-days" and one artist a week. The lessons are scripted too so it doesn't require a bunch of prep on my part. Mondays we watch the online stuff, get to know the artist and on Friday we do a project 'inspired' by the artist. I really like artistic pursuits for developing artistic talent but didn't see the need at the elementary level. Neither of my kids are inclined that way.