Plan an Observation Trip
Featured Article
by Brenda Ellis
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A successful observation trip is one that feeds information to the child and provides a rich feast for the eyes. You can make arrangements that allow for new experiences to happen. It is true that we get familiar with seeing the same things and begin to scan over them without really taking notice. This happens to children as well. When put into a new experience or rearranging an old one, their eyes can be reopened to the sights, the colors, and the details of any scene or subject. For a successful observation trip, first state the purpose of the trip. Let the children know that they will make art either on site or soon after they return from the expedition. Let them know what materials they will use to create the work of art, so that they have the form fixed in their minds as they search for subject matter. You may want to create an example, especially if they will be using a medium that they are unfamiliar with. The trip should be planned according to the weather and conditions the children will face. It is important that children be clothed comfortably and fed so that their attentions can be on what they see.
Trips should be centered around a theme such as "animals at the zoo" "fish at the aquarium" "trees at the park" "flowers of various colors and shapes in the park" "cows at the dairy" "race cars at the track" "players on the field or court" While there point out any specific element of art that applies to the subject. You might look for shapes of leaves, colors of flags, textures of trees, formations of rocks and so on. This limits the possibilities so that the child can focus on and notice more carefully the details. These details should show up in the artwork when the child has gathered enough information through careful observation of the subject. Guide a child who is having trouble applying the subject to his artwork, by asking specific questions about the subject at hand. The questions should help him see more details, and become more aware of the environment he is in. Help him to think through the answers rather than offering your interpretation. If difficulty persists, it is sometimes necessary to suggest another subject so that the child finds something in the environment that he feels a connection with. Look for the "ahha" moment when the child has pictured something in his mind and can begin to put it onto the paper. Some limitations to subject are important to the act of creating. If you limit the subject to cows in the field, then one child may notice the different spot patterns on each cow while another notices how the form changes as the cows stand in different directions. Another may emphasize the texture of the grassy field in which the cow enjoys its meal. Each is then interpreting the subject in a unique personal way and is enjoying the function of a true artist.
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Greetings!
It's been wonderful to talk to so many of you at conferences this year. We really appreciate those who stop by the booth to say how much your children enjoyed using the program this year. We've had so many say how informative the talk, 3 Keys to a Great Art Education, is and how they appreciate that it was not just a sales pitch. One gentleman in Cincinnati, Ohio walked into the talk by accident and found it was interesting enough that he stayed through the whole discussion, then bought one of each book for his family. We love the fact that those who are a bit knowledgeable in any creative field recognize the value of the type of art education we provide. I love the idea that just a few more children are going to grow up working with and understanding creative principles that they can apply to any endeavor!
- Brenda Ellis
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"Teaching in art is the technique of helping children to say what they want to say, in the terms in which they want to say it."
- Dr. Charles Gaitskell, art educator
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Your Question Answered
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When I place my order, how do I request additional supplies for a second child without ordering a complete second Art Supply Pack?
- H.H.
Artistic Pursuits does not sell separate items, but you can get them easily through Blick Art Materials. Go to our site at artisticpursuits.com and click on ART SUPPLY PACKS. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, past all of our art supply packs, then click on the Blick Art Materials button with the title of the book you wish to purchase supplies for. It will upload all the supplies we suggest and then you can choose exactly what you need from that list before placing your order with them. Our tote bag is not available from Blick Art Materials.
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| Early Art Education
| You can give your child an early start in art. The two factors to look for are the ability of the child to hold a pencil, paint brush, or other art tool without putting it in his mouth AND your willingness to let learning happen on its own. The child's first experiences with art materials may not look like what you expected. A child of two is much more interested in the tools than he is in the product of his experimentation. He may take his eyes off the paper and focus on dipping the brush into the hole in the cup. The task of dipping the brush may become the primary learning experience. The very young artist is in the manipulation stage of art. They learn what their hand will do, what their arm will do, what that brush will do. There is a lot going on that you won't be aware of. Common in children two and three is first the experience of paint on paper, followed by the identification of an object within the marks made. The marks are not purposefully being drawn to make an image or object. However if an object can be remotely identified within the marks on the page, the child is quick to point out and name the object. Within the marks below, this young girl identified a fish as she made an enclosure resembling a circle. Another time she identified a page full of green slashes as being dinosaurs, probably because of the color of the pen she'd picked up.
 There are many ways you can encourage the growth in young children's artistic abilities. Parents should point out real world examples and look and name objects, the parts of the objects, the colors of the objects, the shapes, the textures, etc. Information must go into each young brain before we can expect it to come out in the form of an artistic rendering. Awareness of the world is a huge step in the child's growth into the next stage we call symbolism. Offer your young child: washable paints, crayons, pencils, or washable markers. These can all be found on the shelves of your local Walmart, Target, or other major department store. For lessons for preschoolers look at The Way They SEE It, published by Artistic Pursuits Inc. The Way They SEE It, A Book for every Parent About the Art Children MakeIt includes a Picture Talk with every lesson (not currently shown on the site) This is a brief look at a work of art by the masters, followed by a project you can do with your child. It is written for short attention spans. It's Fun. It's Easy. It's the best of Art Education for the Very Young! Brenda Ellis Artistic Pursuits Inc. 2626 East 109th Ave. Northglenn, Colorado 80233 www.artisticpursuits.comTo Contact Brenda at Artistic Pursuits Inc. |
| CONFERENCES |
2012 CONFERENCESArtistic Pursuits is expanding its conference area to Florida for the first time. See author, Brenda, and her daughter, Ariel, at FPEA Florida Homeschool Convention May 24-27. Booth 1335. It is a long walk to the back but we'll make it worth your time by answering any art question you may have. Conference attendees can look forward to a 15% discount on our art supply packs with the purchase of a book. We also give out FREE portfolios with each book purchased at a conference.
Dan and will be heading to Edison NJ this weekend, then off to NCHE in Winston-Salem, NC on the weekend of May 24-26. Check our web site for more locations.
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