Living under the median doesn't mean that our children will never have the pleasure of seeing and experiencing great art. There are plenty of opportunities to expose your children to famous artists and allow them to try their hand at creating artwork for little or no money.
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| "Soul Warrior" - by: Daniel - age 13 |
Reflect on these quotes about the importance of art:
- Ralph Waldo Emerson. “Every artist was first an amateur”
- Henri Matisse. “Creativity takes courage”
- Pablo Picasso. “Every child is an artist."
- Ansel Adams. “You don't take a photograph, you make it”
- Hope Ware. "Great art touches your soul and changes you."
Let's take a look at how you can give your child an appreciation for good art without breaking the bank. I'll give you a list of some of my recommendations at the end of this post.
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1. The Public Library
Let's begin with what you all know by now is my favorite "go to" place for nearly everything - your local library.
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| My nephew, Josh, learning shading |
Stop by your local library and pick up their monthly activity guide or check on-line to download a copy. You can find plenty of chances for arts and crafts. My nephew enrolled in a series of art classes geared toward middle school students at absolutely no cost. Supplies were included too!
2. Books, Games, and DVDs
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| Games are the perfect tool for teaching children about great art! |
For years my older boys and I toted home large tomes of famous artwork from the local library every week. You can also borrow DVDs, which discuss the life and work of famous artists.
We have also bought inexpensive art books, supplies, and games at second-hand bookstores and garage sales over the years. We spent hours playing the board game "Masterpiece". It featured high-quality postcards of famous works of art. But, one was a forgery. You had to buy, sell, and trade art in order to find out which of your opponents was holding the dreaded forgery! Great fun!
We have a bookshelf dedicated to art books. There are books on drawing, art history, specific artists, and crafts.
Dover is a great source for inexpensive art books and postcards.
We have also bought inexpensive art books, supplies, and games at second-hand bookstores and garage sales over the years. We spent hours playing the board game "Masterpiece". It featured high-quality postcards of famous works of art. But, one was a forgery. You had to buy, sell, and trade art in order to find out which of your opponents was holding the dreaded forgery! Great fun!
We have a bookshelf dedicated to art books. There are books on drawing, art history, specific artists, and crafts.
Dover is a great source for inexpensive art books and postcards.
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| some of the books from my art shelf |
*A NOTE ON NUDITY.
Every family has their own opinions and standards on nude artwork. For the sake of modesty, I always previewed art books before my sons saw them. I found that simple, inexpensive paper clips sufficed to stick questionable pages together so that young eyes did not see what I did not wish them to see. There were plenty of other photos to look at together. I also previewed websites before we visited them and bookmarked the appropriate pages for them. However, in my opinion, there is an age at which nudity in famous art and sculpture can and should be studied in a mature and sober-minded manner.
3. On-Line Resources
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| ΙΧΘΥΣ (ichthys) - by Philip - age 11 |
My son, Philip, drew this symbol of the early Christian church using an on-line tutorial as his guide.
Google beginning art lessons and you'll find a plethra of information. There are videos, tutorials, and websites, which will vary in quality, but your kids can learn introductory concepts and techniques quite well for absolutely nothing.
You'll find information on the lives, work, and methods of famous artists. You can show your children everything from a simple color wheel to world famous masterpieces.
Most of the art tutorial sites are going to offer you the chance to sign up for a more extensive paid version. But, there is plenty that you can learn without opening your wallet.
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| This was harder than it looks! We all drew a ziggurat - following the on-line tutorial. |
4. Art and Sculpture Walks
There are two sculpture walks in our area, both with unique and interesting artwork. Generally you can either download a walking "tour guide" on your phone or there are printed guides available. Every year new pieces are brought in by new artists. So, this can be a FREE yearly event for your family.
5. Architectural Tours
Architecture is a part of art! Our town has a self-guided tour through our historical district, filled with grand, old Victorians. As you walk, you can read the history of the homeowners, the construction, and details about the homes.I see education as being very multi-faceted and very cross-curricular. So, really art can include math, architecture, history, and more! That's the beauty of encouraging a love of learning in children!
6. Free Museum Days
We have taken advantage of free days at both local and regional museums. Check websites for dates and times.
Yearly Museum Family Passes: When my children were young, we bought one premium family membership per year. One year it was the zoo, another a local wildlife park, and a couple of years it was a museum. At that time it was about $50 for a yearly family pass. It's at least twice that amount now. But, if you have a large family, it's worth it. You may consider asking Aunts, Uncles, or Grandparents for a membership as a Christmas gift. That way, the children can enjoy it all year long!
A NOTE ON CHILDREN AND MUSEUMS:
When my children were young, we took them to museums and artist open houses. We dressed them nicely, talked to them about manners in social settings, and kept our visits brief. We did not tax them beyond their ability to behave well.
One of the first times I took my two older boys to a museum my oldest son, James, reached over and touched a 200 year old quilt hanging on the wall! I leaned down on eye level with James and said, "When we touch things in a museum we leave the natural oils from our fingers on them. It can damage fabric items over time. You could also accidentally knock something over or put a hole in it. That guard is here to make sure that everyone can enjoy seeing these items for a long time to come. You don't want to make him nervous and anxious that you may touch something." After James told me that he understood and I had him apologize to the guard for touching the quilt, we left. I wasn't angry. I told James that we would go back another day ... and we did! Each time we went, we were able to stay a little longer. But, for a long time, our visits were short and sweet, but frequent.
7. Virtual Museum Tours
My oldest son introduced himself to our local historical society staff when he was 15 years old. He procured himself a year long internship, cataloguing and entering information on artifacts on their on-line data base. Basically, he was creating links for anyone in the world to be able to see what our historical society had to offer.
Thanks to the internet, you don't need to leave your home in order to experience the thrill of visiting some of the most famous museums in the world! Art appreciation is available at the flip of a switch and the stroke of a keyboard. Just Google, "Virtual Museum Tours" and you will find a whole host of possibilities right before your eyes!
Need help getting started? Here are a couple of links:
My oldest son's favorite for quite a while was the British History Museum's on-line suppository.
8. Artist Open Houses
Yep! Take your children to actually meet the people who do the work
that they admire. My children have love the opportunity to interact
with enthusiastic, creative, and genuinely nice artists in our
community.
9. Art Festivals
These events are often less formal than an artist open house. Often outdoors, they have an almost "fair-like atmosphere" and often offer art booths for children to make something to take home with them. There is a huge art festival in our town on the riverfront every year. Admission is generally very reasonable to these family friendly events.
10. Low Cost Classes
Check the following places for art classes. You can find drawing, painting, and sculpture classes for all ages. These are great fun and often you can take the classes as a family, so everyone goes home with a momento of your time together!
- Local Park Districts
- Local Art Guild
- Local Pottery Shops
- Local Art Studios
- Art and Craft Stores
As you can see, there are many ways to create, experience, and enjoy good art with your children and you can do it even while living .... under the median!
I own The Art Book for Children - Book Two. (Ages 4-12)
Art Masterpieces to Color. Dover is a wonderful company! Their coloring books are absolutely top notch for a very reasonable price. Here's an example of their art masterpieces coloring book. What a great way to give your children a primer on artists and artwork!
We own the first book in this series, "Art Fraud Detective". Sadly, it is no longer available new. However, there are a lot of copies available used and it's such a great book that I wanted to be sure that you were aware of it. You can find copies on the used market.
*Keep reading! The second volume in this series IS available new and I have a link for you below!*
We loved, loved, loved this great mystery book. We spent hours pouring over the pages. Here's the set up. One of the paintings in the art museum is a fraud. As you go through the book, you must look very closely at the original artwork, comparing it to the exhibits in the museum to figure out which painting is a fraud. Along the way, you learn about the artists, their techniques, and their most famous works.
Here's the second book in the series, The Great Art Scandal, which is available new and is priced at under $10.00!
Sister Wendy's The Story of Painting. Published by DK press, this book is on the expensive side, but you could easily use it for junior high school high school. I love the way it is laid out and it contains a LOT of information. You'll refer to it again and again.
*You can easily find a copy of this book used for a more economical price.
Other posts in this "Love Learning" series:
This is the third in a series of posts on how to help your children fall in love with learning.
Be sure to also read:
My Recommendations:
*NOTE: I take great care in making recommendations to you that are good value, high quality products. I have personally used each of these art products and my children have enjoyed them.
I LOVE the Draw and Write Through History books! They are so well done! These photos are of my personal copy of the Middle Ages book.
There are several books in the series. So, no matter what time period of history you are delving into, you can find a Draw and Write Through History book to supplement that study. The illustrations and steps are super easy to follow - even I can do it. (Ages 7-13)
The Art Book for Children is a great introduction to famous artists and their works! It encourages children to look for details in paintings.
I own The Art Book for Children - Book Two. (Ages 4-12)
Art Masterpieces to Color. Dover is a wonderful company! Their coloring books are absolutely top notch for a very reasonable price. Here's an example of their art masterpieces coloring book. What a great way to give your children a primer on artists and artwork!
We own the first book in this series, "Art Fraud Detective". Sadly, it is no longer available new. However, there are a lot of copies available used and it's such a great book that I wanted to be sure that you were aware of it. You can find copies on the used market.
*Keep reading! The second volume in this series IS available new and I have a link for you below!*
We loved, loved, loved this great mystery book. We spent hours pouring over the pages. Here's the set up. One of the paintings in the art museum is a fraud. As you go through the book, you must look very closely at the original artwork, comparing it to the exhibits in the museum to figure out which painting is a fraud. Along the way, you learn about the artists, their techniques, and their most famous works.
Here's the second book in the series, The Great Art Scandal, which is available new and is priced at under $10.00!
Sister Wendy's The Story of Painting. Published by DK press, this book is on the expensive side, but you could easily use it for junior high school high school. I love the way it is laid out and it contains a LOT of information. You'll refer to it again and again.
*You can easily find a copy of this book used for a more economical price.
Your turn!
I'd love to hear your ideas about how to introduce children to great art and artists. Leave your thoughts in the comments section.
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Do all to the glory of God,
Hope
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