ExcitedMama Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I am not artsy at all and haven't really done much with DS. I have been thinking maybe I should add in something formal like Artistic Pursuits. Any recommendations if I should start with that program or a different one? If you recommend that one where should I start? They have the preschool program and the K-3 one, since I haven't done much with DS should we start with the first program or is that too young for him? Does the program ever go on sale or should I just buy from Rainbow? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aiden Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I can't recommend from experience, as I'm in the same situation as you, but I've decided for now that we're going to start with ARTistic Pursuits, the preK one. We haven't really done a lot of art projects, so I think starting from the very beginning will be good for my daughter (only 6 months younger than your son), and I noticed that for grades K-3, they only have 3 books listed. I figure if we do preK in K, then that'll leave those 3 books for grades 1-3, assuming we like the program. I'll be interested to hear from those who are more experienced than I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 We really liked Evan-Moor's Teaching Art to Children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Our family has been using the free website Arttango. They have at lessons laid out for K-5. We're using grade 4, since that is where most of my students are. The lessons build on each other, which is nice. They are free, also nice, and material costs so far have been none. The lessons are not too involved which works well for my audience. One possible "con" is that because you done have to pay for it, it might not get done as regularly. I also dislike it's scripted nature, and since it is written as a big block of text I find it difficult to edit on the fly. I just point out my problems with the script and move on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 We only afterschool so I could be missing the point, but can't they just enjoy the feel of fingerpaint and go to the museum on family day at that age? What are you looking for in a curriculum specifically? I don't even know that Michelangelo started formal instruction (in anything much less art) before seven... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsWeasley Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Drawing with Children Hanging reproductions of famous art works at the child's level (we frame quite a bit of postcards since they are cheap and then we can rotate frequently) There are so many good books about children's art A well-stocked art cabinet A membership to an art museum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellalarella Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 This blog by an art teacher provides step by step instruction. Such an enjoyable website. Quality content. http://artprojectsforkids.org. If you click on the Daily Blog tag, you can search by grade level. I have Artistic Pursuits and I have used it for a range of ages. It's OK, but the artprojectsforkids blog is free and the lessons turn out lovely to look at. artprojectsforkids basically sets up how to draw/paint something in proper proportions. The task is geared for the age. WIth Artistic Pursuits you have a lot of free drawing (nothing at all wrong with that) but often I've found that kids prefer to have someone show them very specifically how to draw something and end up with a nice looking picture. At least in the beginning. Spend money on good liquid watercolors, good brushes, good construction paper and good oil pastels. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rutheart Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 For kindergarten this year, we're using The Usborne Big Drawing Book once a week, to build confidence with drawing. Twice a week we do an age-appropriate project taken from deepspacesparkle.com or Pinterest, etc. On Fridays, we sit down with her older sister and just color together while listening to a Pandora station. They enjoy that I'm doing something alongside them, and it helps us relax into the weekend. When I polled them about how to do school next year, both my girls requested that we keep the Friday coloring time. FWIW, I would rather spend money on quality art supplies than on curriculum. I am not artsy, but I am a planner. If I plan out an art schedule in advance, it gets done. Over Thanksgiving break, I planned out art projects for the rest of the school year, and that was the key for me to make art happen on a regular basis. Buy a curriculum for art if that is the only way it will get done at your house. You know yourself best. Ruth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teneo Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 We have used The Way They See It by Artistic Pursuits with my non-artsy son. It's made such a difference. We are finishing it this week and beginning book 1 of the k-3 series by Artistic Pursuits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My4arrows Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 We used HomeArt studios for K and 1 and really liked them. I liked that they were DVDs and she guides them through the projects. The kids enjoy them too. right now they aren't learning anything specifically about art. I guess some perspective, color mixing, etc but they enjoy it. At an early elementary level I feel they are very appropriate. We will probably also get the 2nd grade dvd. At our co-op they use meet the masters which they learn about the different artists and then I believe learn the techniques and do them. My kids are going to take that next year so I'm not sure of all the details, but it may be something to check into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapper4life Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 We'll be using the Usborne book also. I got it on amazon for under $10. I am also going to do the art appreciation activities suggested by MFW and SCM, which are meant to be done in 10 mins or so - totally fits my non-artsy little guy. So these aren't suggestions from experience yet, but just what I decided to use after looking at many options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinivanMom Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 We didn't do a formal art program for kindergarten, but I love Artistic Pursuits for my older kids. I'm currently working through the K-3 books for the third time. I'm not artistic at all, but I had great art instruction in elementary school and wanted my kids to have something similar. Artistic Pursuits has every fabulous project I remember doing as a kid (with the added bonus of art history). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Another vote for Arttango. Great lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecclecticmum Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Books by Maryann Kohl or the Oxford First Book of Art, or both :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 I have one big art lover here. We have used several books/programs. Artistic Pursuits, Discovering Great Artists, and Mark Kistler's on-line stuff to name a few. At that age I used Oxford's First Book of Art. Artistic Pursuits was just meh. It is well done, but my art loving kid I think felt kind of stifled by it. He loves drawing books in particular. There are tons of them out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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