Quiver0f10 Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 What should I include? If you have an area specifically for art could you share how you set it up? I am thinking of having various supplies in some kind of container or area they could have easy access to or something along those lines. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 (edited) We have an art shelf from Ikea--just one of their open-backed, wooden cheapies. We also have a shelf made of shoe racks that holds paper and our wooden drawer thing with colored pencils, crayons, stickers, sticky notes, etc. Dd can use the table we used to use for homeschooling to make whatever she wants. Our supplies are low at the moment. Here are some pics, fwiw--I didn't straighten up anything at all! At the top of the shelf, we have some art calendars and various curriculum guides in the boxes, and the figures (these are from Ikea, too! lol Love that place) The next shelves have various materials, like boxes of pompoms, crayon shavings, clay, glitter, stamps and pads, etc.; and our paint shelf has several kinds of paint. Next, we put a shelf of craypas, charcoals, brushes, and various other items. Under that, a shelf of baskets containing fasteners (rubber bands, tape, spray glue, Elmers, etc.), ribbons and yarn, fabric markers, and postcards of famous art. Then comes a shelf with our sticker maker, moon sand, stained glass (plastic!), and some work dd has done and wants to save. At the bottom is a small table easel and some other stuff. The next pic is just one of the art books we have tucked on one of the shelves, and then the last pic is our paper shelf and small drawers of drawing implements/scissors/stickers/hole punchers, etc. HTH. Ooo--couldn't load more than 5 pics, so the paper shelf isn't shown. Also, sorry the first pic is sideways. Edited April 20, 2012 by Chris in VA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 We have a desk set up with supplies and an easel. Keeping the supplies neat is a battle, and I've moved the whole mess to the basement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Keeping art supplies neat and available never worked for us. I signed my kids up for art classes instead. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdie Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 We have a bookcase filled with art supplies in our breakfast nook. We have some colored pencils, thick markers, thin marker, gold metalic pen (they use this all the time for card making), water colors with brushes, scrapbook paper, stickers, Modge Podge with foam brush, lined paper, regular paper, construction, google eyes (they use these all the time), cardstock cut in half to make cards, envelopes for the cards (get at Walmart 4 3/8" X 5 3/4"), self-inking stamps from dollar store, self-stick foam cutouts, yarn scraps, felt, and foam sheets. Every now and then we buy acrylic paint for something. I store those out of reach. We have slowly added these item over time. I labeled our bins, but the area still gets messy. You might want to add a monthly chore to your children's chore chart to straighten the art center! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IlluminatedAttic Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 In the homeschooled/playroom we have a small bureau next to the worktable. On top of the bureau is a basket with office supplies such as a stapler, hole punch, pencil sharpener, etc. The top drawer holds containers of markers, crayons, colored pencils, scissors and glue. The containers have lids and and can easily be brought from the drawer to the worktable when needed and then neatly stowed away when finished. The second drawer holds various types of papers; blank white, ruled and colors. The third drawer holds supplies I don't mind the children using on their own, such as beeswax, clay, stickers, glitter glue pens, collage materials, watercolors, wikki stix, etc. The bottom drawer holds the inevitable scrap pile - papers, coloring sheets, bits of string and ribbon, etc. that aren't finished products but still have use. I REALLY like using the bureau instead of shelves as it keeps everything looking so much neater and less cluttered! I have hooks on the wall next to the table to hold art smocks. The children are pretty good at remembering to don them when they are going to undertake a messy project. There is an easle next to the work table with one of those continuous rolls of paper. I often put paints out and let the children work freely, and I usually say, "Yes" if they ask for them to be restocked, but they are easy to put away if we are having company or I want to limit the mess. In an adjacent room I have a small space with shelves where I store the messier and more expenisive art supplies. This includes the paint, the "good" watercolors and watercolor paper, the potter's clay, certain collage materials and other items that I want the children to ask permission for before using. Also, in our mudroom we have a set of small recycling bins inside a cabinet. In here we keep various pieces of cardboard, paper tubes, yarn, fabric scraps, empty plastic containers, etc. The mudroom is also adjacent to the homeschool room so the children can easily raid the bins for items they need for their projects, but again the cabinet door closes to contain the mess! I bought several large, thick plastic art mats from Discount School Supply a couple of years ago. They are about 2' by 3' in size. These have been awesome at protecting the table and are sturdy enough to hold and carry most projects when the artist isn't finished but time dictates that we need the table for something else. Like, you know, schoolwork. :001_huh: I don't see them on the site anymore, but I have seen similar at Hobby Lobby and Michaels. By the way, I have been very pleased with just about everything I've purchased from Discount School Supply and buy almost all my regular art supplies from them. They have super fast shipping, good prices and good customer service. I recommend them especially if you want to make a large purchase, like a whole set of tempura paint colors and several colors of construction paper. They also sell large lots of collage materials and I will often go in on a purchase with another family or two and split the price and the quantity. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I have too many supplies to keep it all in 1 area in my tiny house. Recycled products for art, wood shapes, kits, fabric, clay etc are all stored on shelves in the basement. Paint, paper (lots of kinds fromcolored, to manila, to velour, to canvas to every type of art paper pad), scissors, various glues, containers of markers, etc in the cupboards in the backroom. Cups of coloured pencils sorted by color ontop of the school shelf inside is a bin of crayons. In my office space is a rolling cart that holds pastels, charcoal, conte, watercolor pencils and crayons, paint brushes, pipe cleaners, linoleum block printing materials etc. In my scrapbook cupboard is the shaped punches, paper cutters, and other tools needed for paper art. The easel is outside (it is a little tykes one, I am hoping to get a nice wooden one next year for the big kids). Of I had the room in my house I would not have an art corner, I would have a whole art room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 (edited) Similar to other posters... We have two tall sets of plastic drawers, pegboard, and a bookcase for our art supplies. Everything is labeled. Also, for the most part, everything associated with painting is together, everything used for cutting is together etc. For us, it's been worth the investment of space. Everyone uses the art supplies often. Edited April 20, 2012 by happi duck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 Thank you all for the wonderful ideas! I loved the pics, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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