Homeschool Art Curriculum

We Have Enjoyed

I have found homeschool art curriculum that I have enjoyed using. I am intimidated by art. I feel that I cannot draw. But my children love to draw and do other creative projects. So I found self-teaching materials. The materials below I have used in my home and they have worked for my family.

Even though I have difficulty doing art I believe that it is important. Cutting, drawing, and coloring develop hand-eye coordination. Working with clay can help develop hand muscles. Pictures can also help us to communicate. Another reason for teaching art is that our children might be talented artists.

Preschool

We did a lot of crafts during my children’s preschool years. The curriculum I used had lot of hands-on projects. I also used a series of books called Fun Projects for Kids to Do by Better Homes and Gardens. I used Dandy Dinosaurs, Day and Night, Water Wonders, On the Farm, Bird Buddies and At the Zoo. Each book had several crafts that related to the theme of the book.

Some of the activities in Fun Projects for Kids to Do included;

• Making masks out of paper plates
• Doing scratch pictures using color crayons and paint
• Making items out of salt clay
  

Fun Projects for Kids to Do combine art, crafts, cooking, and science.

In preschool we also did a lot of coloring. I would buy coloring books from department stores. Today I would look at dollar stores for inexpensive coloring books or download pages from the internet.

Elementary Grades

We continued to do crafts during the elementary years. The Weaver had lots of hands-on art projects that we did.

We also used Art with a Purpose. It is a Christian homeschool art curriculum. We used Artpac 1 which is the first book designed for kindergarten or first grade. The lessons have references to praising God and being thankful.

My children learned how to;

• Color lightly and evenly,
• Stay in the lines, 
• And how to color vividly.
  

Art with a Purpose also included several cut and paste projects. Most of the cut and paste lessons are printed on colored paper. There is also a supply list for each lesson. You would need such things as scissors, glue, button, and cotton balls.

One thing I did not like about the curriculum was that the teacher needs to do the lesson. For this you would need to buy an extra Artpac. The company does not want you to photocopy the lessons.

We also used Drawing Textbook by Bruce McIntyre. I really liked this textbook. The first chapters discuss why people don’t draw.

When you use this curriculum you will not need many supplies. McIntyre suggests that you only need paper and pencils, or blackboards and chalk.
 
He states that if you know about the seven laws of perspective, position, and alignment you will be able to draw. The lessons use simple shapes to draw items. In the first lesson you are to draw a birthday cake using a foreshortened circle. I have done some of the exercises in the book.  I could draw most of the items I tried.

Drawing Textbook does not tell you how to use your new skill to draw other things. If I wanted to draw a dog or cat I could not do it.

High School

.My daughter used Artistic Pursuits High School Book 1 last year. It is written for homeschoolers. My daughter was able to do the lessons independently.

To use the curriculum you will need some supplies. You will need six drawing pencils, and sketch pad, and a vinyl eraser for the first eight lessons. In later chapters you will need charcoal, charcoal paper, a blending stump, kneaded eraser, and a chamois leather shammy.

Besides teaching art processes Artistic Pursuits has sections on art history and appreciation. The high school book covers European Art.

The first six lessons in Artistic Pursuits High School Book 1 are on the six elements of art. Each lesson focuses on one element of art. My daughter learned about space, line, texture, shape, form, and value.

My daughter found some of the lessons difficult. In the second lesson she was draw something round. She chose her cat’s face which is really not a round object. She did not think what she drew looked like her cat.

You can also find art books in your public library. My children have used several drawing books to learn different drawing techniques.

Teaching art does not need to be intimidating when you use self-teaching homeschool art curriculum.

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