| Author | |
Becky Parker
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2582
|
| Posted: June 23 2005 at 5:46am | IP Logged
|
 |
|
Hi!
Any suggestions about what to do with my ds (11yo)for art? We will begin our 4th year of homeschooling in the fall and, except for picture study, we really haven't done much art because he's just not interested. I just think about how, if he were at public school he would have an art class and do art whether he liked it or not. I also know that some artistic skills, like drawing, can be of use in many occupations. I just can't seem to get him interested - he doesn't even like to draw in his nature notebook - and he loves nature study. I'm guess I'm really not sure if I should push the issue or let it go and have him do something else. What are your thoughts? Thanks!
Becky
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mary Chris
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 27 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2175
|
| Posted: June 23 2005 at 7:27am | IP Logged
|
|
|
No help here, my littles don't like art either. I took some visitors to the National Gallery of Art this week and my children refused to go! I am putting the blame on a bad kindergarten field trip. 
I will post later the names of some books I have and hope to use this coming up year.
One spring we got together with a friend to study an artist and do projects, it worked well until I broke my leg  . Maybe art with a friend will make it fun.
__________________
Blessings, Mary Chris Beardsley
mom to MacKenzie3/95, Carter 12/97 Ronan 3/00 and wife to Jim since 1/92
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
momwise
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 28 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1914
|
| Posted: June 23 2005 at 8:30am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Becky,
A lot of kids don't like to draw because they don't know how. Some of my kids can pick up a pencil and think of something to draw and put it on paper pretty well. Then there are others who wouldn't even dare try. They may have tried once and it didn't look like what they wanted to draw, so they determined they couldn't draw.
I think the Drawing Textbook by Bruce McIntyre is a great tool for these kids because there is a method that anyone can learn and remember and build upon. One incentive I can think of is to replace a math lesson with the Textbook one or two days a week. It does use geometry to teach depth and dimension.
Another idea is to move away from drawing and try collage or clay. One of my sons who doesn't draw loves to throw clay pots on the wheel. We found inexpensive classes through parks and rec. Another son will plot his lego models on lego paper before or after he trys them. And believe it or not, he can draw things on Etch-a-Sketch that he won't bother to try on paper (with shading!).
My strategy with art participation is to teach everyone how to make cards. We make homemade cards for just about everyone in the family. We make Spiritual bouquets. Everyone has to make a card and the one child who really doesn't do art at least has to try. I have card stock and a big box full of stickers, sequins, stamps and inkpads, glitter glue, etc.
One more thing most kids will enjoy is an interactive art site likeThe Artist's Toolkit
__________________
Gwen...wife for 30 years, mom of 7, grandma of 3.....
"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
BrendaPeter
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 28 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 981
|
| Posted: June 23 2005 at 11:11am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Hi Becky,
We are also big fans of Bruce McIntyre's Drawing Textbook. Most of my dc are not naturals at drawing but their drawing has really improved over the years with the help of this book. I use it as part of their school lessons and ask them to practice 2 drawings per day. After they have become fairly proficient with a lesson (6 drawings in each), then they copy the lesson into a small notebook. They probably weren't crazy about doing it in the beginning, but it's become part of their routine.
__________________
Blessings,
Brenda (mom to 6)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Becky Parker
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2582
|
| Posted: June 25 2005 at 6:20am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thanks for the suggestions. I actually almost bought the Drawing Textbook at a homeschool conference last weekend. Then I was afraid it was too technical - I can't draw well either! Maybe I should have looked a little more carefully. (I get bug-eyed at conferences - so much to see, so little time!!!) I know I can always order it though - it's fairly small and inexpensive if it is the same book I saw. Thanks also for the cool website Gwen. It might be motivating for ds!
Becky
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Kelly
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 21 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1211
|
| Posted: June 25 2005 at 12:35pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My dh always points out that his idea of Hell, growing up, was Art Class! Somewhere along the line there was clearly a bad experience
For the reluctant artist, you might try a portrait project, where you take a photo of the child, then enlarge it at kinkos to at least an 8 x 11 format, bigger if possible. You then draw a grid over the picture. Your student then gets a similar size piece of drawing paper, with the same grid (but lightly, so you can erase later) and using color pencils or a regular pencil (the latter is easier),copies the picture, frame by frame. They can add color later if they are inspired (tho that's trickier). I've seen some amazing portraits done this way, by little kids. It is very satisfying to them!
You can also take a photo, enlarge it, then cut it in half and place it on a piece of drawing paper. The student then draws the other half themself, using the photo model. This is a fun project to do at the beginning of your school year, then again at the end, to see how much your students have improved.
Another thing you can try is to let them look thru an art book until they find SOMETHING that interests them. Then, you take one aspect of that picture, say, a lion or a snake or a bird or something, and have them carefully copy it as best as they can. Avoid doing the whole picture---too overwhelming. We keep notebooks of these pictures, along with a photocopy of the original, and of course the title of the picture and the artist. Even the reluctant artists in our midst like looking back at their own artbooks and seeing how they've improved over time.
I'm no artist (tho my mother, my aunt, my sister, my cousin were all professional or quasi-professional, and three of them were/are sculptresses! How did I miss out??  ) BUT I always tell my reluctant artists, that when it comes to art, you tackle it like eating an elephant: one bite at a time.
PS I second...or third...the Bruce MacIntyre book.
Kelly in FL
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Becky Parker
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2582
|
| Posted: June 26 2005 at 7:23am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thanks for the suggestions Kelly. I remember drawing the other half of my photo when I was in school. I'll have to try it. A question about your suggestion above using an art book from which they draw an aspect of one of the pictures they enjoy...Did you mean a book of art works from great artists or more of a learn to draw book? Thanks again!
Becky
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
BrendaPeter
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 28 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 981
|
| Posted: June 27 2005 at 6:32am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Hi Becky.
Just another thought. Do you know about the book "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards? (There's a website - http://www.drawright.com) Also, there's "Drawing for Children" by Mona Brooks. I was able to get both books from the library.
I'm planning to implement the techniques in "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" with my 2 oldest (& mom!) this summer. Has anyone else done that? with any success?
I'll try to remember to post the results!
__________________
Blessings,
Brenda (mom to 6)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Courtney
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 796
|
| Posted: June 27 2005 at 7:22am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Brenda, I took a summer class at college one year that was based on this book! It was really interesting how much better my drawings became when I used the techniques in this book. I pulled the book out not too long ago and thought about using it with my dd. I think you'll like it!
__________________
Courtney in Texas
Wife to Mike since 3/94 
Mom to Candace 10/97 ,Christopher 4/00 and Connor 11/11
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
juliecinci
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 20 2005
Location: Ohio
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 294
|
| Posted: June 27 2005 at 1:10pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
"Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" is one of my favorite books. I learned to draw using tha tbook at 22. I've got the revised version now and also "Drawing on the Artist Within" (which is a book that uses drawing for stimulating the creative process). I used many of Betty Edward's principles in the development of my materials.
Betty explodes the myth that drawing is a gift or talent that can't be learned. I found her exercises very helpful and have used her books with my older kids. We also have "Drawing with Children" which I am not as pleased with. I loved it at first... but later felt that the results between various children were all too similar and therefore a bit too formulaic.
For drawing resistant kids, I like to buy really high quality prismacolor colored pencils and begin with nice Dover coloring books. I used to lay on the ground with my oldest when he was two and three and we'd just color together while watching videos or TV.
I've found that coloring with kids helps them to enjoy it more. Quality drawing tools make a huge difference. Crayons just don't have the control or the color range or smoothness.
Julie
__________________
Julie
Homeschooling five for fourteen years
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Genevieve
Forum All-Star
Joined: April 02 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 529
|
| Posted: June 27 2005 at 1:22pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
juliecinci wrote:
I've found that coloring with kids helps them to enjoy it more. Quality drawing tools make a huge difference. Crayons just don't have the control or the color range or smoothness.
Julie |
|
|
I agree completely with Julie's observation. My son is not naturally inclined to suggest painting and other art activities, but when I pick up my own sketch pad and crayons (I actually enjoy using this medium, among others), he's gleefully right there with me. And since he absolutely has to use whatever materials mom uses, and mom prefer a certain quality or medium, my son naturally uses better (not necessarily best) quality tool too.
__________________
Genevieve
The Good Within
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Marybeth
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 02 2005
Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1277
|
| Posted: June 27 2005 at 7:32pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
It is probably not the best way to introduce art, but my ds has really enjoyed using stencils. He will sit and stencil and when ready begin to draw his own ideas. I have stencils from when I was teaching so he has a huge bag readily available to him. I think the best advantage for him with enjoying art is having a fully stocked art cabinet which is accessible and his own!
Marybeth who is not at all artistic and hated hated hated art class in elementary school
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Kelly
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 21 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1211
|
| Posted: June 27 2005 at 10:57pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Becky,
I use books of great art for inspiring my mixed clutch of aspiring and not-so-motivated artists. All ages have really liked art books on "Art of the West", as well as art books on N.C. Wyeth. We recently went thru a Rubens phase, lots of lions and doves-depicted-by-the-Holy-Spirit and so forth, which garnered a good deal of attention. They also found Hieronymous Bosch very interesting---super wierd, but interesting (and the art is simple to copy, what parts you might LET them copy!!!). Primitive American Art might be a good bet, too, because it is also easy to copy, and most kids seem to like it.
Also, I highly recommend Prismacolor Pencils. They are so superior to most other brands in quality that you don't mind the huge price differential (well, not too much, that is). Once we switched over to Prismacolors, even the little children quit using crayons of their own volition and switched to the colored pencils.
Have fun.
Kelly in FL
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Marybeth
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 02 2005
Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1277
|
| Posted: June 28 2005 at 8:56am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I know Usborne books has many "How to Draw" and other art activity books which are very popular. I saw some for sale at our local bookstore the other day.
Marybeth
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4Real Forums : The Arts in the Everyday
Topic: Art for a child that does not like art?
