Glue guns for ALL! I love our low-temp hot glue guns that we have in the studio. So I will proudly allow most all ages use them because hot glue guns for kids is a game-changer.
Why? Well, for a couple reasons:
One, because they are an incredible tool for building. Sometimes, hot glue is SERIOUSLY the only thing that’s going to get the job done.
Cardboard Unicorn Craft made with hot glue
And, two, I love them…because they are slightly dangerous.
Risky, slightly dangerous situations provide important learning opportunities AND they create interest and excitement. Accomplishing (conquering!) that dangerous situation builds confidence. Children learn about their own abilities and sensibilities.
In the studio–whether its glue guns or power tools or hot wax for kids–we always review the safety instructions. And, we never make a student use something that he or she is uncomfortable using. But, given the opportunity and the proper guidance, you might be surprised what these young people are capable of!
The biggest complaint we hear from students is that observational drawing is boring. So, to beat the boredom, I’ve put together the ultimate observational drawing idea list for kids.
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The Purpose of Observational Drawing
Observational drawing is an incredibly valuable practice for young artists. It trains our eye and our hands to work together.
Keep in mind, the purpose of observational drawing is the process of drawing. PERIOD. The goal is not to create a winning composition. It’s not to create a beautiful piece of artwork to hang on the wall. Or to draw perfectly. It’s not even necessary to FINISH the drawing.
How do you know if you did it right? Well, if you looked at something and then put a pencil (or pen) to paper to try to replicate it, then you did it right. It’s that simple.
Observational Drawing Tips
Beyond simply doing your best to replicate something on paper, here are my best tips from years of experience in the studio:
Manage your expectations – it’s not always going to be pretty, and that’s okay.
Short 5-10 minute drawing is plenty of time – you don’t have to finish it
Draw something you find interesting to look at
Spend more time looking at the object than you do at your paper/drawing
Draw without an eraser – seriously, try it.
For younger artists, attention to details is the first goal. Don’t worry about scale or perspective yet.
Encourage your artists to change their view point to make their drawings more interesting.
Birds Eye View
A top shop like this one is a really common perspective that we see in contemporary still life photos on social media, especially Instagram.
birds eye view of cupcakes
Low Angle Observations
Getting your eyes low on your subject (1) magnifies the smaller object to look lifesize, and (2) changes the background of your composition.
low-angle view of a chess board
Close-up and close cropped drawings
Draw your object so that it fills the entire page and leaves very little background.
close-up drawing of sushi rolls
Use a Viewfinder to help you draw
A viewfinder is a tool used by artists to help narrow in on a subject. It creates a frame for the artist to see a two-dimensional composition in a three-dimensional world. It’s the same term we use to describe the window on a camera.
In my next post, I’ll show you my favorite viewfinder the best way to use this tool!
Well, what do you think? What am I missing from my “ultimate” observational drawing idea list for kids these days? Let me know in the comments and I’ll get it added!
Practice your watercolor skills with today’s poppies video lesson. Since poppies are one of the the few flowers that I can identify with ease, AND with Memorial Day coming up this weekend, I thought I’d film a demo of how I paint these wildflowers.
If you know me, you know that I love watercolors, and you might even know that flowers are one of my favorite subjects to paint! They are so fun and fresh and doodle-friendly. As some who appreciates the beauty of flowers but knows nothing about gardening or keeping plants alive, I’m usually just make-up my flowers.
In the video lesson, I’m using a set of everyday watercolor paints (nothing fancy) so you should be able to follow along no matter what supplies you have! Bare minimum, you’ll want a red and a green paint! Alright, let’s get on to our Watercolor Poppies Video Lesson:
Painting Lesson Supplies
Watercolor paper
Watercolor paints (pan, tube, or liquid)
Paper towel
Watercolor brush (I’m using a round #6)
Water jar (Or two. I like two)
Watercolor Video Tutorial
If you try this lesson out at home, I’d love to see your work! You can comment below, post it Instagram (and tag me @do_art_better_), or send it via direct message.
Why Poppies?
Every wonder why poppies are the symbol for Memorial Day?
The red remembrance poppy has become a familiar emblem of Remembrance Day due to the poem In Flanders Fields. These poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I; their brilliant red color became a symbol for the blood spilled in the war.
In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae, May 1915
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields
The pinch pot is the foundations for many of our clay handbuilding projects in the art studio. So, it’s important to understand how to make a clay pinch pot AND the best way to teach your preschoolers how to do it.
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Pinch pot clay pigeon made by a preschool artist
Video for Teachers and Parents
These are the steps that I take and the words I use to teach my preschool (and even grade school) students how to make a pinch pot:
Best Practices for Preschool Clay Handbuilding
If you’re teaching clay sculpture to young artists, I recommend allowing plenty of time for the kids to freely explore the clay before starting on a project.
Squish it. Roll it. Stick stuff in it. Really enjoy all the sensory benefits from this art material before moving onto any project-based goals. This is probably the biggest teacher tip that I can offer.
More tips:
Teach rolling coils and and shaping pinch pots with play dough first. It’s easier for little fingers to squish and mold.
Have a wash bucket and towels nearby for artists who don’t like the feel of the dried clay on their hands. Give your students the power to wash-up whenever THEY feel like they need to.
Use good stuff. in the studio is from Discount School Supply. It comes in a 25lb block and will last for a good long while. In a pinch (get it?!), I’ll use.
Clay Pinch Pot Project Ideas
Now that you’ve learned how to make a clay pinch pot with your preschoolers, what do you do with those pots?
The possibilities are almost endless!
We have Pinterest board to inspire you. Notice that some of these finished projects are still bowls but others are totally transformed!
Pin pinch pot video and tips for later
Pin this for easy reference later!
Clay Videos Classes from DoArtBetter.com
If you’re looking for clay classes, we’ve got ’em. Check out our video classes for preschool artist, grade school artists, teens, and adults. No kiln needed! All of our clay videos use an air-dry clay.
Today, I wanted to share with you one of my favorite clay art project for preschoolers. We do this project every May. Since May is sculpture month for our students, this clay handbuilding lesson ties into the hilarious story Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Williams.
This post contains affiliate links.
Colorful Clay Pigeon with Feathers and Googly Eyes
Preparing for Class
In preparations for our clay art project with our preschoolers, we measure out equal-ish chunks for clay, set them out on a tray, and cover the tray with plastic wrap.
If you don’t want to use acrylic (non-washable) paints with your students, I highly recommend these tempera ones. They cover really well, dry with a glossy finish, and look amazing on clay!
Beginning the Class
After reading the story, we always have journal time. By reflecting in our journals with drawing materials, we could talk about the parts of a pigeon (head, neck, body, eyes, beak, etc). In our discussion, we looked at the illustrations in the book and noted the shape of each of these pigeon body parts.
This type of discussion makes our clay art project easier for preschoolers!
Preschool Clay Sculpture Lesson
Step One: Making the Body
We gave our students ball of class about the size of a golf ball and invited them to squish around and warm it up! This is called conditioning the clay and it makes it easier to work with. We like to give them plenty of time to just PLAY with the materials before we do any kind of demonstrating.
The golf ball sized piece that they have will becoming the pigeon’s body. We teach the kiddos how to make a pinch pot by sticking their thumb into the clay ball (like a popsicle!) and slowly opening up the hole by pinching with their other fingers on that hand.
We’ve created a video to show you the words we use and how to teach young artists this handbuilding technique. You can also check out this blog post for more on pinch pots.
VIDEO: How to make a pinch pot with your preschoolers
Step Two: Making the Head
To make the head, hand out another smaller ball of clay to each student. Like the size of a large marble or a ping-pong ball.
We show the students how to pinch the clay to make eye sockets and a beak shape. We also show them how they can “erase” their face by rolling the ball on the table and returning it to a perfectly round shape.
Step Three: Making the Neck
We twisted pipecleaners together to make the neck. If you have young preschoolers, I would recommend doing this step for them before class. Pre-K-ers can usually accomplish the bending and twisting with a little help.
We use a whole pipe cleaner and bend it in half three times (so it’s 1/6 of it’s original length). Give it a twist each time you bend it so that it stays together.
This ensures that your neck can support the weight of your pigeons head.
Step Four: Googly Eyes and Feathers
Now, it’s time for the fun part! We offer feathers and googly eyes for the kids to bring their pigeons to life! I love having a good selection of different eye balls to choose from.
Some of our Favorite Pigeons
Colorful Clay Pigeon with Feathers and Googly Eyes
Mix together the salt and flour first. Then add the water alittle bit at a time. It might take the full cup and it might not! If you add too much water and it gets sticky, simply add more flour and salt.
Dump the dough onto a flour surface and knead for 3-5 minutes until smooth.
No-Cook Playdough
Ingredients:
1 C flour
1/2 C salt
1 T cream of tartar
1 T vegetable oil
boiling (or really, really hot) water…1/2-3/4 cup
Tip: If you want to add coloring to you playdough, mix it into the hot water.
Directions:
Mix together the dry ingredients and the oil. Then add the boiling water until a dough forms. Mix well.
Once it’s cool enough, turn the dough out onto a flour surface and kneed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Don’t skip this step!
Want to make the most of this beautiful spring weather? Try taking CREATIVITY outside today! Here are three ideas to get you started:
? DRAW OUTSIDE – any drawing materials will work. We like sketchbooks because then the papers don’t blow away! Draw “big”, like the scenery you see in front of you. Or, draw “small”, like the details of a tiny flower you find or a small bug
? FIND TEXTURES – take a sheet of paper and a crayon or charcoal stick and find different textures. Place the paper over a tree trunk and then rub with the long side of the crayon. Next try the sidewalk, or the picnic table. Or a leaf! How many textures can you find? See if your friends can identify the textures!
? TAKE PICTURES – take the camera outside with zero pressure of making a great picture. Just have fun. Zoom out. Zoom in. Go on a treasure hunt. Teach the kids how to use the camera and notice how different their perspective is!
What will you do to be creative today? (Inside or outside!)
