Poppins Book Nook–Artist Studies from CGA Round Up!

This Year’s Co-hosts

Enchanted Homeschooling Mom - 3 Dinosaurs - ABC Creative Learning - As We Walk Along the Road - Brain Power Boy - Chestnut Grove Academy - Embracing Destiny - Every Bed of Roses - Farm Fresh Adventures - Growing in God's Grace - Kathys Cluttered Mind - My Bright Firefly - Peakle Pie - Preschool Powol Packets - Pray Species - SAHM I am - Stir The Wonder - Sunny Day Family - Sweet Silly Sara - Teach Beside Me - To the Moon and Back - Tots and Me - Tree Valley Academy - Witty Hoots

Picasso Artist Study

Each post listed above lists art project ideas as well as books we love for each artist! 

Review: ARTistic Pursuits (TOS Review)

We have really enjoyed using ARTistic Pursuits over the last several weeks in our homeschool.  We have been using Early Elementary K-3, Book 1: Introduction to the Visual Arts.

Art is something that is easily forgotten for us.  It’s so easy to just have it drop to the wayside.  We use to take paid art classes, but it got pricey and there were some other issues also.  So, we were excited to be able to give this art program a try.

We were provided only with the curriculum book, therefore I had to purchase a few needed items that we didn’t already have.

My kids really enjoyed these art lessons.  Each lesson features a piece of art, there is a dialogue to read about that art, questions to ask about the piece of art (observation) and then a project to do that is related to that art.  It’s pretty simple and straight forward.  You need not be an artist to implement this curriculum.

This is mostly an ART APPRECIATION with application type of curriculum.  It is not really an ART INSTRUCTIONAL.  There are some tips given for each project, but if you are looking for a HOW TO DRAW program, this is not it.  

My kids really enjoyed the projects.  They leave room for imagination and exploration, while still teaching about art.  I love that there are several different mediums used for the projects.  Some of the mediums we used were Ebony Pencils, Water Color Crayons, Soft Pastels and Oil Pastels.  There is also Clay work (which we haven’t gotten to yet). 

You can find several lesson examples HERE

To give you an idea, here are several of the projects we completed:
(Art cards pictured are not part of this curriculum)

drawing houses with watercolor crayons


drawing shells with ebony pencils


using watercolor crayons

using oil pastels

landscape with water color crayons

animals with soft pastels

portraits with oil pastels

My kids are ages 4, 5(almost 6) and 8.  All of them enjoyed this curriculum at different levels.  I was really surprised by their interest in and application of the lessons. My 1 year old joined in sometimes as well (she has to do what everyone else is doing!). 

We used the program about 3 times a week, doing one lesson each sitting.  Lessons could be done as often as you wanted.  The program is really flexible.

If art is something missing from you homeschool and you have been wanting to figure it in but didn’t know how, if you want something that’s flexible and fun, this is a great program for you!   I love the Charlotte Mason feel about it. 

This book is designed for grades K-3, but could work for slightly younger and/or slightly older.  The cost is $47.95, and as mentioned the required materials are a separate purchase.  They have several options to choose from, see what other TOS Members had to say about those!

Follow ARTistic Pursuits on FACEBOOK

The Lost Arts

I mean really LOST arts! I have the best of intentions when it comes to music and art, but they always seem to be put on the back burner! 

I’ve found some really great curriculums that have made implementing the subjects easier, but it’s still about finding the time!  Grr!

By the time we get the main subjects in, we are beat…and put art and music on hold for the day.

If you have some great tips to schedule in Art and Music leave a comment below, I’d love to hear from you!

In the meantime….here are some great products I have found for Art and Music lessons. (linked the their reviews when applicable)

Home Art Studio – for awesome art projects!

Adventus Piano Lessons

ARTistic Pursuits – Projects mixed with appreciation

Classical Composers – for great art and music appreciation lessons

World’s Greatest Artists and World’s Greatest Composer – by Confessions of a Homeschooler (art and music appreciation)

and Kinderbach (currently in the review process, but we are really liking it!)

I manage to get some Art and Music in at co-op every other week, but I would love to work in some more…some where….some how!

So what do you use?  How do you use it?  How do you ensure it gets scheduled and done?

Comment below!

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Monet Study

Display of Monet's pieces

This is the art that resulted from our field trip to the Buddhist Temple, we used water color pencils, and then used a water brush on them after we got home.

Tissue Paper Water Lillies from The Usborne Art Treasury

Other resources:

  

Claude Monet Art Book from Montessori Print Shop

Play Art app - $3.99
artDatabase - FREE (you can download Monet Sample for FREE also)

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Classical Composers Monthly - Review

What is one of the most time consuming things about homeschooling?  For me it’s research and lesson planning!  I’m sure many of you would agree.  It’s always great when those things are already done for you, and many people even choose ready made curriculums for that exact purpose. 

Classical Composers Monthly is EXACTLY that in regards to classical music and art appreciation.  All links and material provided have been screened and are considered family friendly and of high quality.

For $14.95 you can subscribe to one of the 3 collections listed below (LIFETIME Membership).  Which gives you access to a wide variety of materials for each composer or artist listed. 

Composers included in Collection 1:
Franz Peter Schubert
Antonio Vivaldi
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Franz Joseph Haydn
Johann Sebastian Bach
Peter Tchaikovsky
Carl Maria von Weber
Felix Mendelssohn
Ludwig van Beethoven
Bela Bartok, plus Bonus resource:  Paul Hindemith
Frederic Chopin
Johannes Brahms

Composers included in Collection 2:
Igor Stravinsky
Darius Milhaud
Edvard Grieg
Franz Liszt
Gustav Holst
Camille Saint-Saens
Dmitri Shostakovich
Johann Strauss II
Erik Satie
Claude Debussy
Antonin Dvorak
Gabriel Faure
Sergei Prokofiev

Collection 3 includes a combination of composers and artists
Composers:
Debussy
Bach
Verdi
Rossisi
Puccini

Artists:
Renoir
Ruisdael
de Hooch
Seurat

Each collection has a variety of items including ebooks, activities, lesson plans, videos, playlists, etc….

You can preview their layouts with an artist FREEBIE (MONET) and you can also subscribe for a composer FREEBIE (HANDEL).

They are doing the best they can to make the lesson pages IPAD friendly, which is nice!  We use the IPAD a lot for schooling, this is a bonus for me!

If you are really looking for a wide variety of activities and resources to use in your Classical Music and Art Appreciation studies, this is a GREAT resource, for a reasonable price. 

We have studied Handel, Mozart and Monet thus far, and look forward to continuing our studies with this resource!

DISCLAIMER:  I received a FREE copy of Collection 1 to preview in order to write this review.  Because I feel this is a worthwhile product, I have also become an affiliate for the company.  These factors do not affect my review of the product.  I only provide honest reviews and only support/promote products I believe in. 

Pollock & Handel Studies

Each month we focus on an artist and a composer here are the activities we have done in October on these topics.  We spend a total of about 6 days in the month with these studies.

JACKSON POLLOCK

Display of Pollock pieces

Painting with marbles. He picked several colors, we put dabs on the paper of each, then we added marbles. He moved the tray around and the marbles did the painting. It was a great, mess free way to splatter paint!  We used a wooden crate from a Melissa and Doug purchase (at some point, can't remember what I save them all), but you could also use a cardboard box, any size....just cut the paper to fit.

       

These were made with a splatter art app - Action Painting

We read:


Other materials:
Jackson Pollock Art Book from Montessori Print Shop
Impressionist Paintings Cards from Usborne Books (sticker book also available)

GEORGE HANDEL

We read:


We listened:


Other Resource:
Classics for Kids - About Handel
Classics for Kids - Hear the Music

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