Art Class

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My yearly post, giving the run-down of our curriculum choices may not happen this time, but I do want to share a few snippets.  I gave my thoughts on high school science last week. and now I want to discuss art.  

Some years we've chosen to focus more on art than other years.  Some years we've done a picture study of fine art.  (Go here to see how we did that for free!)  Other years we did crafts and hands-on projects.  This year it is a little of both.

Gavin (9th grade) is studying art history.  We are using Short Lessons in Art History and the accompanying book of exercises and activities.  (I bought both books used on Amazon.)  Since we are studying the modern era in history this year, we decided it would be meaningful to study the more modern era of art, too, so we began midway through the book with Monet.  Our first weeks of art history were rocky as Gavin enjoys the art part far more than the history part, but we soldiered through and he is learning to make this course his own.  He can't skip the history part but once he finishes the reading which he finds dull, he can spend as much time as he likes on the art projects.  

Maddie (7th grade) and Owen (5th grade) are using Draw and Write Through History: The 20th Century.  The book is divided into chapters, each with topics that closely mirror what we had already planned to study in our study of modern history.  Tuesday is art day and they work on their drawings a little each week, turning in a final product on the last week of the month.

In August, they both drew the Titanic, and this month they are working on Antarctic animals that Shackleton may have seen on his expeditions. 

Ben (3rd grade) and Alaine (1st grade) are taking online art "lessons" at  The Art Club Online.  They just finished a series of lessons on drawing faces.   They have inspired their older siblings to get in on the action, too.  This week, four kids (instead of two) gathered around the coffee table for the week's lesson. Next up is drawing animals.


How do you teach art in your homeschool?
Are you more an art-appreciator or an art-doer?