Tardis Girl Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 OK, so I am debating about art... again! I tend to light up at everything new. Not a good habit. :/ Now my eye is considering the Home Art Studio DVDs before the sale is over on Dec 31st. I'm just wondering from those who have used it... are the projects too "cookie cutter" or craft-type projects (versus art)? I remember going to elementary schools and seeing 30 pictures in the hallway all of the same thing -- hence the cookie cutter aspect. And maybe that's not a bad thing if they have fun?? I know people are excited about this curriculum, so I don't want to insult... just honestly asking. If you use these, do you feel the curriculum teaches principles that your kids will actively apply to other creations? Thanks for your feedback! A bit of my background issues with art is below if you care to read on.... :) Background: My kids (7, 8, with a 4yob who would love to make a mess of things) like to do art, and I'm not very consistent with a lot of stuff. The older 2 went to the Barry Stebbing 3-day art seminar earlier in the month and loved it, so I was thinking I'd get "I Can Do All Things" with the DVD. But I've seen reviews about it being boring, etc., and I have to say that I've seen a lot of his instruction through various products tends to be quite redundant...although my kids really enjoyed him and his seminar (with some frustration because he moves quickly for the live seminar). And I do own a few art things that I just don't use. Ugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamato3 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 wondering the same thing . . . and do I go for 3 or all 6??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momsuz123 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I went for all 6 - it looked that good to me. Sure hope it is. I did search and found some great reviews on it. I can't wait to get my dvd's. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 OK, so I am debating about art... again! I tend to light up at everything new. Not a good habit. :/ Now my eye is considering the Home Art Studio DVDs before the sale is over on Dec 31st. I'm just wondering from those who have used it... are the projects too "cookie cutter" or craft-type projects (versus art)? I remember going to elementary schools and seeing 30 pictures in the hallway all of the same thing -- hence the cookie cutter aspect. And maybe that's not a bad thing if they have fun?? I know people are excited about this curriculum, so I don't want to insult... just honestly asking. If you use these, do you feel the curriculum teaches principles that your kids will actively apply to other creations? Thanks for your feedback! A bit of my background issues with art is below if you care to read on.... :) Background: My kids (7, 8, with a 4yob who would love to make a mess of things) like to do art, and I'm not very consistent with a lot of stuff. The older 2 went to the Barry Stebbing 3-day art seminar earlier in the month and loved it, so I was thinking I'd get "I Can Do All Things" with the DVD. But I've seen reviews about it being boring, etc., and I have to say that I've seen a lot of his instruction through various products tends to be quite redundant...although my kids really enjoyed him and his seminar (with some frustration because he moves quickly for the live seminar). And I do own a few art things that I just don't use. Ugh. I'm not really sure what you mean by cookie cutter. If you walked down the elementary hall and saw 30 projects that all looked the same...it's because that's what the assignment was, although I'm sure each kid had their own little twist on it. I guess the difference with HAS is that you'll have 2 art projects for each lesson that will look fairly the same. We haven't really gotten very far in the series yet (I think we've done 3 or 4 lessons), but Ms. Volin has taught about primary and secondary colors and how to mix them (she calls them the Super Hero colors and the Side Kicks). Seems like each project has some little technique that she teaches (how to curl strips of paper with you scissors.....how to make triangles quickly.....). Whether it's cookie cutter or not, I guess I can't really say. But, if it is or isn't....we love it. wondering the same thing . . . and do I go for 3 or all 6??? With the HSBC deal.....definitely get all 6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinyhappypeople Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I found it helpful to look through the gallery of student work. You can see the techniques that are being taught. At the kindergarten level I saw examples of using primary/secondary colors, color mixing, perspective, and layering. It inspired me to go for the full 6 DVD set. I can't wait for it to get here!! My older (9 yo) DD loves art and has asked to start at the very beginning :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I found it helpful to look through the gallery of student work. You can see the techniques that are being taught. At the kindergarten level I saw examples of using primary/secondary colors, color mixing, perspective, and layering. It inspired me to go for the full 6 DVD set. I can't wait for it to get here!! My older (9 yo) DD loves art and has asked to start at the very beginning :) Hey....my dd is 9 also and wanted to start at the very beginning too.....she didn't want to miss a thing. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamato3 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I went for all 6. Can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I went for all 6. Can't wait! :thumbup: I sure hope you'll like them. If not.....please don't blame me. :leaving: :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardis Girl Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 I'm not really sure what you mean by cookie cutter. If you walked down the elementary hall and saw 30 projects that all looked the same...it's because that's what the assignment was, although I'm sure each kid had their own little twist on it. I guess the difference with HAS is that you'll have 2 art projects for each lesson that will look fairly the same. <snip> Seems like each project has some little technique that she teaches (how to curl strips of paper with you scissors.....how to make triangles quickly.....). I like the sound of those little techniques -- simple, but things that wouldn't occur to me otherwise. Thanks for sharing that. I didn't realize there were 2 art projects for each lesson. So I watched the K-level sunflower lesson... she traced and cut out circles, snipped edges, cut stems, tore paper for leaves, glued, then finished it off with little dabs of color for the background which I think was supposed to be emulating an impressionist style. So was that "one lesson" just one of the 17 lessons for that level and would there then be a second project using similar steps? Would that be referenced in the PDF lesson versus on the DVD? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardis Girl Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 Forget to say re: the cookie cutter thing..... I used to have a very negative view of the cookie cutter thing. Perhaps even a "holier than thou" attitude that it stifles creativity and so on. And there is still something I don't like about that, particularly if it involves me shelling out a lump of money for the product. But I can see that my failed (or perhaps non) attempts to do anything at all with art are yielding "zero" amount of creativity and fun for my children. So really, any kind of cookie cuter approach (and I'm not saying that this program is) would be better than what I have right now. And then there's the not-to-be-underrated fun/enjoyment aspect besides just the learning component. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peregrine Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Part of me wants to cringe at cookie-cutter art projects. However, isn't most of what we're teaching in the grammar stage all about reproducing a model? "Copy this letter...Copy this sentence...Twinkle Twinkle Little star starts with two A's then 2 E's...1+1=2..." and so on. We're giving them skills so that later in life they can use them to be creative. Also, copying masters is a favorite exercise of college-level art students. The arts aren't 100% creativity; There's a lot of skill building that is requisite. I ordered all 6 from the co-op. My DS5 loved the video and has been asking for more since he made the sunflowers. I've also noted that there's quite a bit of subtle variation between each of the sunflower projects I see posted on the Home Art studio site. There's room in the project for a child to make choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I like the sound of those little techniques -- simple, but things that wouldn't occur to me otherwise. Thanks for sharing that. I didn't realize there were 2 art projects for each lesson. So I watched the K-level sunflower lesson... she traced and cut out circles, snipped edges, cut stems, tore paper for leaves, glued, then finished it off with little dabs of color for the background which I think was supposed to be emulating an impressionist style. So was that "one lesson" just one of the 17 lessons for that level and would there then be a second project using similar steps? Would that be referenced in the PDF lesson versus on the DVD? Thanks! Hi Stacey....I'm sorry if I said something that gave you the wrong idea. No, there aren't 2 projects per lesson. What I meant to say was that instead of looking down the hall and seeing 30 cookie cutter art projects from 30 students, you'll end up seeing 2 (possibly cookie cutter???) art projects from your 7 and 8 year old. They'll each be doing the same thing....yet they'll have their own little twist on it. Nobody's art projects will end up looking exactly like Ms. Volins...she wants the students to show their own creativity. I hope what I said before makes sense now and I'm sorry if that confused you. I mean....*I* know what I'm talking about....I need to remember that others may not have a clue what I'm trying to say. :lol: Yes, the sunflowers lessons were taken after Van Gogh's style with the dabs or bright colored paint all around the flowers (she talked a bit about Van Gogh and his style and his famous sunflower paintings). That was just one lesson. They are relatively short. Sometimes she'll break a lesson into two....doing the first steps....letting it dry, and then returning with a 2nd lesson to finish it off. We end up doing those lessons on the same day, because dd doesn't want to wait a week to finish it. Ms. Volin does refer to things that were taught before....like reminding about the Super Hero colors or the Side Kicks. I'm sure as the lessons go on, and as the levels advance, she'll be teaching more advanced techniques...not as simple as color mixing, glue dabs, curling paper, etc. We are still in the K level so I haven't watched any others yet. To be honest, I don't know what's on the pdf's....I haven't even checked those out yet. Yikes! I keep forgetting to do that. :blush: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Forget to say re: the cookie cutter thing..... I used to have a very negative view of the cookie cutter thing. Perhaps even a "holier than thou" attitude that it stifles creativity and so on. And there is still something I don't like about that, particularly if it involves me shelling out a lump of money for the product. But I can see that my failed (or perhaps non) attempts to do anything at all with art are yielding "zero" amount of creativity and fun for my children. So really, any kind of cookie cuter approach (and I'm not saying that this program is) would be better than what I have right now. And then there's the not-to-be-underrated fun/enjoyment aspect besides just the learning component. Well....that's the thing. I think the deal at HSBC is a steal! It will be like having your own art teacher and you can just provide the materials, step back, and let Ms. Volin teach. You can even take pics of their artwork and upload it to her site and she'll give the kids feedback. Even if it ends up being cookie cutter to you, your kids will probably love it. But, you know...this is just my opinion and I'm not trying to tell anyone they just have to get it and that they will for sure love it. Everyone is different. HAS is probably my most favorite thing we got this year. I just couldn't justify paying for Atelier, and when I heard about HAS I was thrilled. I think it's awesome that HSBC is offering such a great price for it now too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardis Girl Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 Peregrine -- Agreed! that's exactly the thought process I was going through as well. As I was questioning myself as to why I have this negative view of the "cookie cutter" projects, I was realizing that it was not dissimilar to an imitation in writing approach. Hi Stacey....I'm sorry if I said something that gave you the wrong idea. No, there aren't 2 projects per lesson. What I meant to say was that instead of looking down the hall and seeing 30 cookie cutter art projects from 30 students, you'll end up seeing 2 (possibly cookie cutter???) art projects from your 7 and 8 year old. AprilMay -- got it! Thank you for clarifying! When I reread what you originally wrote it makes perfect sense with what you meant... I just got carried away in my interpretation. ;) Thanks for the reply on that and for sharing all your other thoughts. I'm pretty set on buying something today... debating between a 3-pack and the whole 6-pack. I mean, a 3-pack would be a lot of lessons that would take quite a while, but then the 6-pack.... ugh. Oh, and then there are art supplies! :glare: I will have to go check threads for that. We do have some "quality" art supplies and I really wish she just used primary colors for paints and then mixed. Just sayin'.... lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicklepede Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 We have done the first 8 or so projects in the K leve (my kids are 3rd and 1st but didn't want to miss any) and I would that, on one hand: yes, they are "cookie cutter" projects like you are asking. On the other hand, so far on almost none of the projects have my kids turned out very cookie cutter. Here's an example. (These pics are on fb, so I *think* you'll be able to see them, let me know if gives a permissions error): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200090858503098&l=0ac46c154 Here, we are supposed to be doing a winter scene exploring concepts of foreground/middle ground/background. My son decided to go in a different direction. His different directions often involve Batman. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4806058118214&l=996bfc3d34 Here, we were doing organic shapes, specifically a germ. My son decided to do a Pirate Vampire Germ. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4604305234518&l=454c73c438 Owl? Bat? Why not. So ... yeah. Pretty much every project goes along in that vein. We watch the video, talk about the concept, and the kids either do exactly what is asked, or put their own spin on it. Usually their own spin. We do upload the pics of our completed projects (you can see ours in the K gallery), and Ms. Volin is quite encouraging in her comments of going your own way and making the project your own -- especially if you still manage to illustrate the concept the lesson is supposed to teach! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esse Quam Videri Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Thanks for posting about this! I'm ordering the first grade program since we are doing a world geography study next year. Excited that it will fit so perfectly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardis Girl Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 Love the input -- thanks! I'm starting a new thread right now about art supplies needed. Would love to get some input from those of you who use this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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