Expressive Arts Beneficial to Education
In
1990 the Association for Childhood Education International stated
that music, drama, visual arts in early education:
*
Foster "learning from the inside out," authentic learning
that changes behavior and encourages reflection.
*
Enhance the child's ability to interpret symbols.
*
Are associated with growth in all areas of development, including
academics.
*
Regard the child as a meaning maker and constructor, a discoverer and
an embodiment of knowledge rather than a passive recipient of someone
else's ready-made answers.
Right
On!!
Getting Started
You
and your child can gradually collect supplies for his/her use as
needed when inspiration flashes. A child will get into the habit of
keeping materials organized and in place if they know it is expected
of them from the beginning!
Supplies for the Budding Artist
Drawing
Utensils
___ Pencils
___ Crayons
___ Chalks
___ Markers
___ Colored pencils
___
Pencil sharpener
___ Ruler
___ Erasers
Scissors
Adhesives,
etc.
___
Tape
___ Glue sticks
___ Elmer’s glue
___ Stapler
___ Paper fasteners
Paints,
etc.
___ Water colors
___ Finger-paints
___ Poster paints
___ Brushes
Keep
Paper Supply Varied
Paper
plays a most important role in your child's art experience. There are
numerous different kinds of paper out there, judged by weight,
texture, strength, color, thickness, and opaqueness. It may be made
of cloth rags , wood pulp, or recycled paper. Exposure to a wide
variety of paper provides lessons in texture, absorbency, permanency,
transparency, sturdiness, and attractiveness.
A
Few of the Basics:
- Manilla paper is inexpensive. It is best used for drawing and painting, but becomes brittle with age.
- White drawing paper is available in many qualities and weights (e.g., 60 lb. is adequate for general use, 80 lb. is of excellent quality) It takes paint well, is good for cutting, crayoning, pasting, folding, and similar activities.
- Construction paper is excellent for general art work. It is smooth, colored, usually 80 lb. It comes in a wide array of colors and hues, including multicultural skin tones, but has a tendency to fade. There are fade-resistant brands of construction paper but the cost can be prohibitive
Butcher
paper, or freezer paper is great for finger painting (buy coated
finger paint paper only if it is of excellent quality: otherwise
substitute), It also works for ironing onto the back of fabric to
stabilize it (and protect furniture!) when painting or using fabric
markers. It comes in rolls of various widths, and is available in
grocery stores.
- Brown wrapping paper also comes on a roll in varying widths, available in paper and office supply houses. It is good as background paper for murals, and for over-sized drawings and paintings. In addition, it emphasizes lighter colors that often get lost on white paper.
- Newsprint is available as end rolls from newspaper companies, or from educational, stationery, and art supply stores. It's great for use when you don't want to use the good stuff!
Note:
Keep in mind that there are many sources of free or inexpensive
paper. Keep your eyes open, and use your imagination!
Did
you know???
Coloring
books stifle creativity. A child comes to believe that s/he cannot
draw independently. When a child says, "I can't" or "I
don't know how", respond with, "Try! I'll bet you surprise
yourself!!"
Setting Limits
As you provide
opportunities for your child to experiment and discover his/her
creativity, it is essential to set guidelines. This is what is
expected of the children in this classroom:
- Tools must be handled with care.
- Materials must not be used for touching or hitting other people
- Art materials are not to be wasted. They are used only for creating artwork.
Art materials must not be thrown, deliberately spilled, or destroyed.
- Do not put paste, paint, glue, chalk, or any other materials in your mouth- they are not for eating, drinking or tasting.
- Art materials are to be kept in the art area, and cleaned up when they are no longer in use.
- Work only on your own project.
- Work only on the paper you are given.
- Clothing and children are not for painting or cutting or gluing.
HINT:
Set limits early on. Make a space for the children to keep and use
their arts and crafts independently, with the expectation that they
clean up and put their things away each time they use them. If you
show them by your attitude that you sincerely trust them, they will
be careful. *
Artist
Tells All
Encourage
discovery and process by talking with your child about his/her
artwork. Avoid judgment. Ask open-ended questions:
- Tell me about your painting.
- How did you make such a big design?
- What made you decide to paint the grass purple?
- I see the painting is brown. What colors did you use?
- Did you know what it was going to be when you started, or did it surprise you?
- You have dots and squiggles on that! What were you thinking about when you painted that?
- Look how straight you made those lines!
- The way you draw people is very different from when you were younger.
Let
your child know you are interested and marvel at your his/her view of
the world!
Children Experiment with Color
A
Few Discoveries We have Made
- When certain colors are put together they seem to bounce: Mix two of the primary colors (red, yellow and blue) and place that color with the third (e.g., orange on blue, yellow on purple, green on red).
- It is very difficult to mix a pretty purple!
- We may have a "favorite" color, but it could change, or we might not be in the mood to use it sometimes!
- Mixing different colors of play dough is a blast! And it smells good too!
- You can make your own paint!
- Evergreen branches make great paintbrushes
**********
Cornstarch
Paint
Materials:
Teaspoon
Baby
food jar with lid
Vinegar
Cornstarch
Food
coloring
Paper
Paintbrush
Art
Process
1.
Mix one-teaspoon vinegar, one teaspoon cornstarch, and 20 drops of
food coloring in the baby food jar.
2.
Shake the ingredients to mix.
3.
Make several different colors in different jars.
4.
Dip a paintbrush into the cornstarch paint and paint on paper as
with tempera paint.
Variations
- Paint on hard boiled eggs.
- Paint on wood scraps.
- Experiment painting on other surfaces.
Hints
- You may double or triple this recipe if you will need a large supply of this paint.
- Substitute cream or paste food coloring found in cake decorating departments for a brighter paint that goes farther.
- Food coloring can stain clothing, so have soapy water and towels ready. Cover children and table surfaces to prevent spills and stains.
from
Preschool
Art by
MaryAnn Kohl
**********
BOOKS!
- Bjork, Christina. Linnea in Monet's Garden.
- Brenner, Barbara. The Boy Who Loved to Draw.
- Carlson, Laurie. Kids Create!: Art & Craft Experiences for 3-to 9-Year-Old
Carroll,
Colleen.
- How Artists See Animals.
- How Artists See People.
- How Artists See Weather
- dePaola, Tomie.
- The Art Lesson.
- The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush.
- Dionetti, Michelle. Painting the Wind: A Story of Vincent van Gogh.
Gibbons,
Gail. The
Art Box.
- Green, Donna. My Little Artist.
- Henry, Sandi. Kids' Art Works.
- Johnson, Crockett. Harold and the Purple Crayon.
- Kohl, MaryAnn.
- Preschool Art.
- Discovering Great Artists: Hands-on Art for Children in the Styles of the Great Masters.
- Mayhew, James. Katie Meets the Impressionists.
- McPhail, David. Drawing Lessons from a Bear.
- Micklethwait, Lucy. Discover Great Paintings.
Press,
Judy.
- Art Starts for Little Hands.
- The Little Hands Art Book.
- The Little Hands Big Fun Craft Book.
- Walsh, Ellen Stoll.
- Mouse Magic.
- Mouse Paint.
- Wellington, Monica. Squeaking of Art: The Mice go to the Museum
- Wolfe, Gillian. Oxford First Book of Art.
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