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The Arts in the Everyday
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MarilynW
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Posted: July 21 2014 at 2:36pm | IP Logged Quote MarilynW

This is one of my last areas to plan - and is one of the areas where I have not been a good steward of my budget (time or money budget)

I want to do picture study and also some art. I have tried Artistic Pursuits (the first book) and I never used it enough to justify the cost. I have tended not to like programs that are online - I do not have an ipad or phone, so would have to set up my laptop somewhere.

I had planned on using the SCM Portfolios - we are doing Middle Ages/Renaissance so I had planned on using Fra Angelico, Giotto and Michelangelo. I figured that it would make my life easier to have everything there and I have heard good things about them. But they are quite pricey. I can take Venezia books out of the library too.(in previous years I have chosen prints, had to print out/purchase etc etc - and I am not sure I have time to do that this year

For artwork - I would so love a program that was all laid out. But I have a lot of drawing books - Mark Kistler, Nature drawing books, how to draw birds etc etc - so I could make a schedule for these. I also have links to a couple of free drawing books online (which look really good) Drawing with Kids has never worked even though I have tried - I just cannot seem to implement it.

The only other thing I have heard of is Meet the Masters - but it is pricey and online I think. Anyone used this and have any views on it?

Thanks so much for any suggestions.


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Mackfam
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Posted: July 21 2014 at 3:41pm | IP Logged Quote Mackfam

If you're looking to be frugal, limit purchases, and use what you have...

Why don't you just order one art portfolio from SCM for your 1st term of work and try it? If it works out, purchase another portfolio when you're ready for Term 2. If it doesn't work, you have time to brainstorm how you're going to approach it in an alternative way.

Then, set up a basket of drawing books and art media. Block out 2 hours once/week, plop your baskets of books and art supplies on the table, and let the kids self-propel. They can choose the drawing book they prefer.

And call it done.

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CrunchyMom
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Posted: July 21 2014 at 3:42pm | IP Logged Quote CrunchyMom

I do really like the SCM porfolios for ease and quality, but while we enjoyed the story about van Eyck well enough, we LOVED the story about Giotto, and it is from the Amy Steedman (we also love her Bible stories available both from Sophia Press and Yesterday's Classics in different editions) book, Knights of Art. You can join Ambleside Online's AOPrints yahoo group to find prints formatted to be printed inexpensively at Office Depot or Staples.

For art, it is not cheap, but we just love Home Art Studio with Lindsay Volen. The dvds are on sale at the Homeschool Buyers Coop for $18 a piece, and with the description of the individual grades, there is a link to the full supply list needed for the program that you can peruse to assess cost and what you might already have.

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MarilynW
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Posted: July 21 2014 at 3:55pm | IP Logged Quote MarilynW

Mackfam wrote:
If you're looking to be frugal, limit purchases, and use what you have...

Why don't you just order one art portfolio from SCM for your 1st term of work and try it? If it works out, purchase another portfolio when you're ready for Term 2. If it doesn't work, you have time to brainstorm how you're going to approach it in an alternative way.

Then, set up a basket of drawing books and art media. Block out 2 hours once/week, plop your baskets of books and art supplies on the table, and let the kids self-propel. They can choose the drawing book they prefer.

And call it done.


Thanks Jen - great ideas and kind of what I was thinking of. I do need to schedule the time otherwise it will not happen. During vacation - this is how I do it - just set out art books and supplies and everyone draws what they want.

I will probably go ahead and get just the Giotto portfolio and try it out. So much going on right now that time is in short supply and so it will be a relief for me to have everything in one.

Simplicity is my key word and using what I have is part of that....

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MarilynW
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Posted: July 21 2014 at 3:57pm | IP Logged Quote MarilynW

Thanks Lindsay for the suggestions. I hesitate to look at another art curriculum. Useless science and art curricula have been my downfall

I think just doing it is best - I get all perfectionist about doing it properly, and then never really get started....

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Posted: July 21 2014 at 4:10pm | IP Logged Quote pumpkinmom

Meet the Masters is an online thing. It is pricey too (unless you have several children and you actually use it )

I got it last spring (I think through Homeschool Co-op) and it turned out to be something I didn't like and neither did my son. My biggest complaint is that it was very time consuming. I also didn't like the way it was set up online. There was a slide show you had to click through while reading a script.

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Posted: July 21 2014 at 4:12pm | IP Logged Quote CrunchyMom

I know what you mean. I never tried Artistic Pursuits, but I had art supplies and books with projects we never used, and I am not overwhelmed doing these lessons. She has sample lessons available on the site if you want to try one to see how you like it.



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SeaStar
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Posted: Aug 12 2014 at 3:05pm | IP Logged Quote SeaStar

pumpkinmom wrote:
Meet the Masters is an online thing. It is pricey too (unless you have several children and you actually use it )

I got it last spring (I think through Homeschool Co-op) and it turned out to be something I didn't like and neither did my son. My biggest complaint is that it was very time consuming. I also didn't like the way it was set up online. There was a slide show you had to click through while reading a script.


I also did not care for the having to print the script out separately to be able to read from it while watching the slide show. I tried having the script open in a separate window, but flipping back and forth between the two made the presentation feel choppy.

My ds really disliked this program. We are doing well with the HomeArt Studio dvds.

Another resource we like is the "Can You Find It?" series. Our library has most of them, but they also can be picked up used fairly cheaply on Amazon. We used "Can You Find It America?" last year with our American history studies. My dc really enjoy the "I Spy" search for details approach.

Recently I picked up a copy of The Usborne Art Sticker Book really cheaply ($3-4) from BookOutlet.com. It was made in association with the National Art Gallery in London. We have been doing picture study for a few years now, and, frankly, I was looking for something to spice it up.

I was worried that my kids might find the sticker book format too young for them, but we are all enjoying it hugely. There is a good variety of topics, and it's just a fun change. We also worked through "Art Fraud Detective" (from the library), and that was also a challenge and a good change of pace.



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Posted: Aug 13 2014 at 2:36pm | IP Logged Quote Aagot

Hi Marilyn,
I think the biggest problem with using Artistic Pursuits is if you wait to collect all the art supplies until the day you want to use them. It is easiest if you just collect everything for the whole year at once and put it in a place where the kids cannot use it up before the lesson.

Another idea to consider is that you don't have to do every single art project. You could just read about the artist and the technique. This would be the same as the SCM portfolios and the Venezia books. If the kids seem really interested in trying the project, it could be self- propelled, like Jen suggested.

Since you have it- this would make it easy to use with no pressure to get all of the projects done.
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MarilynW
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Posted: July 06 2015 at 12:08pm | IP Logged Quote MarilynW

I am resurrecting this thread again. I am all set for curriculum for the next year - but stuck on the art question again. I am not happy with how art went last year - appreciation was fine, drawing etc was not.

I was thinking of revisiting Artistic Pursuits - mainly because we have our American History/Lit year next school year and I was thinking of using both 4/5 books which focus on American art.

But someone told me about the Atelier program - it sounds good but the $$$ are scary!!! Does anyone have experience of this. I would use one level with 3 children. I really want to make art happen in my house consistently.

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Posted: July 06 2015 at 12:20pm | IP Logged Quote MarilynW

Thinking out loud - the best would be to pull together my own drawing plans. During the summer we do really well - right now my kids are using selections of drawing books we have - some of our favorites are the free online ones. We really like What To Draw And How to Draw It. They have worked through the Drawing Textbook, Mark Kistler, Usborne etc There are other free ones such as all the Augsburg ones, Drawing Made Easy and The First Book of Drawing.

But I also want to watercolor and paint and do other things. We have the watercolor journal dvds.

Has anyone pulled together their own drawing/painting plans?

I would so rather spend the S$$$ on quality art supplies rather than curriculum.

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