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Technical Meets Creative
I am always excited to introduce my students to the bike-drawing lesson in that I know they will be quite challenged, but I also know they are ready for the challenge because their Intro Art curricula...
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Batik 101
If you’re looking to shake things up in your art class or for a fun new project to try on your own, look no further than batik. This resist process is a fairly simple, age-old, Japanese tradition...
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Student Artist Spotlight: Tyree McBeth
Art teacher Caroline Cook is roaring with pride over her student, Tyree McBeth’s, cover piece, Luscious Lyon. The Patterson High School senior from Baltimore, Maryland, created the lion on...
View ArticleJackson Pollock Expressions: Art Lesson Plan
Jackson Pollock literally splashed onto the American art scene in the 1950’s, eventually becoming one of the best-known modern artists of all time. Known for his innovative drip, splash, and pour...
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New Marks New Discoveries
Every fall semester, one of the projects I try to do while the weather is pleasant is a perspective unit with my art foundation students. We start with a discussion of what perspective is and what it...
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ACMI 101
If you’ve ever wondered if the art supplies or craft materials you use in your studio or in the art room with your students are safe, wonder no more. The Art and Creative Materials Institute (ACMI) has...
View ArticleSign In and Shine On—Neon Verbs in the Art Room: Art Lesson Plan
Neon is actually a gas, grouped with the Noble gases, that is stable, colorless, and odorless. A neon light is a sealed tube filled with low pressure neon gas that emits color when electricity is...
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Tried & True Tips – September 2017
Welcome back to school! Like most of you I’m still wondering where the summer months went. Every year in June I make a mental list of all the things I’m going to accomplish in the summer, and every...
View ArticleFabric Design: Art Lesson Plan
Several years ago, a team of archaeologists unearthed evidence of the oldest fibers known to man. These fibers, found at a dig site in the Republic of Georgia, date back roughly 34,000 years old. Made...
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Paste Paper 101
A process honed by the bookbinders of yore to decorate a book’s face papers, paste paper has been used for centuries to create decorative paper pretty enough for greeting cards, wrapping paper,...
View ArticleSymmetrical Color Theory Designs: Art Lesson Plan
The concept of the circle predates recorded history. The first drawn circles likely represented the sun and were probably sketched in sand, using a stick. As man evolved, the circle remained a...
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Comics in the Art Room
Comics are so popular these days. And kids love them! Why not try a comic book art project? The perfect cross-curricular combination of drawing, writing and storytelling, creating comics is a fun way...
View ArticleCool Jobs: Finding a Job to Love for Life
We all know students who love art but may not excel academically. Many of them are in low-income middle schools with scant counseling services and decreasing art budgets, and they may see few post-high...
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Mat Cutting 101
Whether you’re mounting student work for an upcoming art show, framing your own pieces, or simply doing a bit of decorating around the house, knowing how to cut a mat is a critical skill for an artist....
View ArticleLesson Plan Ideas for Making Slime
There’s something exciting about an experiment, and taking ordinary materials and mixing them together to create something new is both fun and educational for young learners. We’ve gathered a few...
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Color Blindness in the Art Room
Since roughly 8% of males and 5% of females have some form of color blindness, it’s likely that you will encounter an art student with color perception issues. And, along with matching clothes or...
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3 Simple Ways to Fight Burnout This School Year
Did you know during the school year, the average teacher in the U.S. spends over 1000 hours in the classroom? That is a lot of time spent in just one space. It’s no wonder teachers feel burnt out! It...
View ArticleObserve and Invent – Creative Microbiology in Clay: Art Lesson Plan
If you haven’t spent time studying the beautiful world of microbiology, you’re missing out. A quick Pinterest search presents thousands of spectacular images, each boasting vibrant colors, unique...
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Art Under the Microscope
Nature is undeniably beautiful. An artist can’t help but appreciate the Fibonnaci-inspired perfection of a nautilus shell, the symmetry of a snowflake, and the colors of the sunrise. And, like most...
View ArticleArt Portfolios 101
Whether you’re looking for the perfect place to store your own work, submitting your art to a gallery or potential employer, or helping your students prepare their portfolios, compiling a portfolio can...
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