Tips for Organizing your Classroom

Classroom organization saves valuable time and maximizes efficiency, so it’s key to set up your classroom space in an organized manner right from the start.  These simple strategies will help you organize your room and keep it that way.

Tips for Storing Canvas

Proper storage of canvas is vital to its long life.  In order to protect this important and essential art material, as well as your finished paintings, follow these tips.

Treatment of Paint Stains on Clothing

As a general guide, it is recommended that paint should be removed from clothing while wet – if at all possible.  First, wipe off excess paint with a dry cloth  then place an absorbent pad under the stain and work color through with a dry or slightly moistened cloth, working towards the center of the stain to prevent spreading the color further.

Tips for Teaching Children to Use Scissors

Because scissors and kids don’t always mix, it’s important to teach them how to properly handle scissors before letting them snip away.  Below are some handy tips on preparing kids to use scissors.

Art Glossary

Acetate:  A transparent, somewhat brittle plastic available in varying thickness and surface textures.

Acetone:  A volatile, flammable liquid, C3H6O, used in paints and varnishes as a solvent.  Dissolves acrylic paint.  Can be used to clean dried acrylic paint from brushes and tools.

ACMI:  Art and Craft Materials Institute.  Independently certifies materials for toxicity, performance and quality.

Introduction to Art Movements

Abstract Expressionism
Emerging in the 1940s, this was the first specifically American movement to achieve worldwide influence and also the one that put New York City at the center of the art world and replaced Paris as the center for contemporary art.  Abstract expressionist paintings are marked by their use of texture and brushstrokes and large canvases.  Some of the key artists to emerge from this movement are Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline and Robert Motherwell.

Pastel Hints, Tips and Techniques

Information courtesy of Winsor & Newton™

Pastels, as we know them, have been in use for more than 250 years.  The great attraction for artists is the immediacy of pure pigment applied directly to the paper.  First popularized by Rosalba Carriera, it is perhaps the drawings of Degas which make pastels so very famous.  The earliest pastels were of quite a hard texture but as artists began to use more and more color, the need for softer pastels increased.

Drawing with Pastels

Information courtesy of Reeves™

The Nature of Soft Pastels
Pastels are very soft in texture, and can be easily blended, either with a finger or a cotton ball.  They come in a huge range of vibrant, strong colors and are water-soluble.  Pastels are ideal for creating quick, Impressionist-style work, and they are used for both drawing and coloring.  It is possible to use the length of the pastel to make broad slabs of color, or a sharp corner to draw, as you would with a pencil.  The technique does create a lot of pastel dust, and finished pictures benefit from being sprayed with fixative to seal them.  Choice of paper is an integral part of pastel technique.  Textured and colored papers will add interest to your work.

Drawing with Oil Pastels

Information courtesy of Reeves™

Unlike chalk pastels and watercolors, which have existed for centuries, oil pastels are a relatively new medium.  Whereas normal pastels can be diluted with water, oil pastels are soluble in turpentine, and can even be used in conjunction with oil paint.  The advantage of oil pastels is that they are completely dust free, and form a strong, durable bond with the paper.  This gives the finished piece a waxy sheen, which is quite different to the matte, powdery look of a traditional pastel drawing.

Tips for Drawing with Charcoal

Charcoal is one of the more simple art mediums to use for any skill level.  It’s perfect for students because it is easy to handle and draw with, but it is also great for advanced artists because of its unique ability to enhance the presentation of sketches and drawings, thereby making them more visually stimulating.  If you’re just discovering this fun and versatile medium, here are tips and hints to help you get started.