March 29, 2010
by Bonnie Porter
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March 29, 2010
by Bonnie Porter
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ALL THE JOYFUL COLORS OF SPRING!
My favorite color is Spring Green. And my favorite palette is the colors of the garden. “All colors are harmonious when you toss in some blue.” Children must intuitively know this principle because they cannot seem to paint flowers without having some blue beckoning from their paint palette so they “toss it in” with abandonment!
March 28, 2010
by Bonnie Porter
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TULIP TIME! Spring is in the air. And tulips are a favorite subject matter for watercolor studies. One reason children are drawn to tulips is their “easy shape”—a big letter “U” with upside down “V” shapes on the top! Their long droopy stems and elongated leaves make them interesting to sketch and paint, too. Since each tulip seems to be a blend of several colors, we are prone to dip into every color in our paint palette with appealing results.
My KinderArt students concentrated on taking care to clean their brushes well every time they changed colors, but they worked quietly and steadily with loose brushstrokes to create a bouquet of flowers. While my Intermezzo ladies worked in deep concentration for over an hour to painstakingly produce a single tulip, more of a botanical study than a still life study.
March 22, 2010
by Bonnie Porter
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KANDINSKY’s “Squares and Concentric Circles” (1913). These squares were made by KinderArt students—each student made two squares, one to keep and one to contribute to our “group painting”. Using oil pastels (or wax crayons, not the “washable” crayons), draw fat rings, with bright colors, inside each square. Try to leave white space between the circles. Paint over the entire square with watercolor, using a different color for each square.
Try it for yourself! Fold and crease a piece of paper into three equal sections. Unfold the paper and crease it again in half lengthwise. The creases make six squares. You can add painter’s tape or masking tape around the outer sides of each square as you paint it so that the color for one square will not bleed into another square. Let each square dry completely before you tape and move on.
Tip: keep a puzzle game close by to play while you’re waiting for the paint to dry, or use a hair dryer to speed up the drying time!
March 22, 2010
by Bonnie Porter
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KITCHEN ART. Move the art studio into the kitchen! First, choose your icing palette. Primary colors, or three neon brights, or. . . ? Do not mix more than two colors together or you’ll get muddy brown (which your little brother might like). Take your time and care-fully spread the gorgeous gooey colors around. Swirls. Circles. Dots. Voila—you are an artistic cupcake designer! Let the party begin!
March 22, 2010
by Bonnie Porter
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CONCENTRATION GAME. Accurate, realistic drawing requires deep concentration. When pencil meets the paper, integrated learning skills are developed! Quality results are the payoff. I love to hear a child exclaim, “This is my best drawing ever”! At the same time, I enjoy watching a child struggle with his drawing because it indicates he’s taking a risk, he’s thinking and using both sides of his brain.