ARTistic Pursuits

Ahh, art. I just love it. It's one of those subjects that relaxes me, soothes my spirit. It might be anything from painting and drawing, to collage and sculpture. It feeds me.
I don't even necessarily need to be the artist either. Flipping through a beautiful art book, or walking through an art supply store can provide the same effect for me. So you'll be able to understand why I was thrilled to have the chance to get a sneak peak at the new  K-3 Book 3 Modern Art and Sculpture
brought to you by a very favorite company of mine, ARTistic Pursuits .

This book is geared for the early elementary student, grades K-3rd, as the title reveals.  It's a wonderful all in one curriculum for anyone who might feel intimidated at teaching art, either its history, technique, any or all of it.
The writers lay out exactly how to use and present the material in the first pages. The lessons are just the right length for a young student's attention span too. Short, but clear, and to the point.

There is also a convenient list of art supplies that you will need up front. I kept a copy of it in my purse so that when it was time to move on to a lesson with materials I might need to purchase, I had a handy little copy with me when I was out and about.

Getting back to the lessons now, each one gives an overview of a particular artist, theme/subject. A famous painting is featured, and students are encouraged to identify various aspects within it. I like this a lot, as we can and did (and do) take as much or little time as we want to with this, depending on the kids' interest on a given day.

Then comes the best part - hands on art fun! The lesson ends with a short demo of an art technique, and then you're off to create your personal work of art. Forget the crayons and glue, you'll be working with the big girl supplies - watercolor paints, oil pastels, gouache paints. . .oh, the joy of it!

At about a month into the lessons, we are all loving it. Our main medium right now is gouache watercolor paints, and the girls have made some pretty cool paintings. They've done some portraits, still lifes, and have experimented with a few different painting techniques using lines and shapes.
They just finished up a series where they paint an object in 3 different seasons to contrast the look of it.

And while we're enjoying the gouache, the girls are looking forward to getting through the book a little further, as that's when the sculpting begins. Can't wait!

I think this book is great for the targeted age range, and there is enough direction and information offered to provide a nice foundation in art. The grunt work has been done for you, as far as the lesson planning is concerned, making it quite teacher friendly. All you really need to do is purchase the supplies and get to it.

I can also say that seeing these famous and lovely works of art has inspired me to expand on the lessons and take a field trip to the Art Institute. Check them out, and see if you don't become inspired too :)



ARTistic Pursuits

Early Elementary K-3 Book 3 - Modern Painting and Sculpture

Ages: K- 3rd Grade

Price: $47.95


There are other wonderful books in this series, and you'll want to read about them too so. . .

Click here to read more reviews from the Schoolhouse Review Crew