Art-Making {Transition from School to Home}The first thing my kids want to do when they get home from school is get a snack and veg-out in front of the television. (Admittedly, some days, that exactly what happens.) But my favorite thing to do with them after school is paint. Paint is inviting. It's sensory. It's open-ended. Plus, they don't fight while they're doing it. AND, sometimes they actually tell me about their day while they paint!
I put together a collection of some of my favorite art invitations for after school. These are invitations that are require very little prep on your part. Some of these may seem "too young" for your big kids, but never underestimate the older kids' desire to finger paint. (And how GOOD it is for them!) Art InvitationsCheck some of these out. And, if you try one, or if you have your own favorites, tell me about it in the comments below!
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Come explore ART in an environment that encourages DISCOVERY, self-directed learning, and connections with others. Our Art PlayGroups and Art FUNdamentals classes are designed for our youngest artist...ages 8 months through Pre-K. We meet weekly in our studio for an hour of wildly colorful play. |
I love art. I could sit and make art all day. My very energetic son however, hasn’t really shared my enthusiasm or focus for getting consumed by a creative project. All through pre-k his teacher and I worked with him on slowing down. His idea of coloring was to frantically race the crayon back and forth and up and down on the page. Done! Now can we play, he’d shout. But then every once in a while I’d see this glimmer of hope. He’d get invested in what he was making. Maybe just for a minute or sometimes even two. And he’d be so proud of what he’d made. |
He loves Super Heroes. We were at Michael’s one afternoon and found a set of pre-colored 8x8 canvasses in bright colors. They screamed for Super Hero logos to be painted on them. We were both invested. We sat at the computer and looked at the myriad of Super Hero symbols that there were. We talked about which one would work on the red canvas, the blue, the green. We talked about how he wanted them to all match. He wanted all symbols not some symbols and some faces. |
Miss Sara is a founding team member at ORANGE EASEL. She is a mom, an amateur photographer, a children's church leader, a graphic designer, and a big kid at heart. She has a Bachelors of Science from Northwest Missouri State (Journalism, with an emphasis in Design). Prior to her career as a stay-at-home mom, she worked as the creative services manager at The Kansas City Star. |
Dear World, My young son starts to school today . . . It's going to be sort of strange and new to him for awhile, and I wish you would sort of treat him gently. You see, up to now he's been king of the roost . . . He's been boss of the backyard . . . His mother has always been near to soothe his wounds and repair his feelings. But now things are going to be different. |
Our first Open Art session, we chose metal stamping. I love painting, but there's something really special about working with metal. We choose basic zinc coated washers that you get from the hardware store. I also had some blank dog tags and copper squares that were left over from a previous jewelry project. The thinner squares and dog tags didn't stamp as well as the washers. |
Materials needed:The metal stamps that we have in the studio are from Harbor Freight and Hobby Lobby. They are relatively inexpensive (under $15) and come in a variety of sizes and scripts. |
The process:Step one: Pick out your washer and secure it to the bench block using the tape. We used our bench blocks on the floor. I felt like the kids had a better success rate working on their knees verses sitting in a chair. Wider base of support and better core stability = more likely to hit the target. Step two: Decide what you're going to spell and pick out your letters. You can get really technical on how to space your letters and do the math to make sure that your word is perfectly centered on the washer. With the kids, we were just happy to get the letters stamped clearly! | . |
The instructors here found that our artist were most successful at striking the post if someone else was holding it. We had them hammer it more than once in order to really make the letter "stick." Holding a metal post next to a metal block and giving a child a hammer sounds more dangerous than it really is. Keep your fingertips curled under and it doesn't smart when they miss. Really, my fingers are just fine. |
. | To those of you who know this story already: |
Thank you to everyone who attended our Open House on Friday night. This place was hoppin'! I couldn't have imagined a better way to kick off our new brand than to celebrate with 150 of my closest friends! We had some t-shirt winners. Congratulations to Jaxy Thorn, Jodi Boring, Sheryl Downs, and Adelyn Boyd...you all have "MAKE SOMETHING" t-shirts to pick up the studio sometime this week! Check out our slideshow of pictures from the event below: |
Some little ones don't know what to do with a marker and a blank sheet of paper.
Heck, some big people don't know what to do with a marker and a blank sheet of paper! If you've got a hesitant artist at home or one that doesn't draw for very long, uou can encourage different types of marks with sound games. In each of these games, the parent or caregiver is drawing WITH the child. I like to share a big sheet of paper, but you can each have you're own if you'd like. |
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Liberty artists are invited to help create a PERMANENT art installation on the walls of Orange Easel. We'll be throwing "paint balls" (cotton balls soaked in paint) at the wall. Many young artists have done this at Miss Allison's Art, but THIS time is different. We have no intention of washing it off! We'll be using an acrylic (NON WASHABLE) paint. Old clothes and shoes are STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. After the painting is complete, we'll share pizza and drinks provided by the Orange Easel team. |
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