Our Methodology
When you teach the visual arts you are really developing an individual's ability to see (perceive) relationships; in other words to measure accurately one thing to another.
The word art, from its Latin/French base literally means "to fit together." Examining this meaning, we can see that drawing and painting can be likened to cooking. Just as the culinary artist fits together ingredients (parts), so does the visual artist. In order to make a drawing of an object or thing, one needs to see its individual sections (how it is constructed). To draw, a person learns to examine and isolate each part back into a whole.
Watercolor
Watercolors have been used throughout history, but have steadily gained popularity since the 1800's in England.Watercolors are finely ground pigments mixed with a binder, allowing artists to achieve (among other techniques) luminous, sketch-like effects.
When teaching the use of watercolors, there are two distinct elementary activities being taught. The first is conveying basic technology of painting with a brush. This activity includes teaching specific terminology, brush manipulation, brush utilization and care; color mixing, color application and clean-up.
The second separate activity taught is the use of watercolor as a particular medium. This activity consists of its own terms and skills to be learned. Words like "dry brush", "wash", and "glazing" are names of techniques students will become familiar with during this section of the course. Painting is actually drawing with a brush. Therefore drawing skills are continuously stressed. Students progress from simple linear subject matter to the more three dimensional or complex subject matter. The better students draw, the better they will paint.
Acrylic Painting
The impetus for the invention of artistic media has been the search for permanency and durability. Generally, the solid pigment or coloring agent is the same in all paints. The variable, and that which gives each paint its distinct characteristics, is the liquid binder or vehicle. Materials such as water, oil, or egg yolk holds the color so that it can be spread along a surface.
The binder in acrylic paint is a plastic; a synthetic. Therefore, acrylics dry quickly and are water soluble. This allows clean-up free from the disadvantageous smell of other media.
Painting is to represent by application and manipulation of a material. To paint, one must have knowledge of the medium and develop the skills to use it. The learned sequences of method and procedure begin with brush and paint care, arrangement of colors on a palette, mixing specific hues, paint application, brush techniques and clean-up. Simple steps form a complex activity. Thus painting is quite an undertaking; teaching tenacity as well as technique. Lessons learned in acrylics remain generally valid for all mediums. Glazing, wet into wet, underpainting are just a few of the terms and skills students will become familiar with at this level. Depending upon students manipulative abilities, their program may include still-life, animals, landscape, and copying of the great masters.
Crayons, Oil Pastel, Color Pencils and more
Other than the watercolor and Acrylic Paintings, the kids will try their hands on drawing, sketching, shading, using different medium as crayons, oil Pastels, color pencil, charcoal etc.
