This year we are studying art with Meet The Masters!
A couple weeks ago we completed the Art Portfolios preview lesson as we began working our way through Track A.
Meet the Masters is a three step program that begins with an online lesson “Introducing the Masters,” step two continues with teaching “Art Techniques,” and then in step three the children move on to the actual “Art Activity.” The project that the students complete for each lesson uses all the techniques they had just learned to create their own masterpiece inspired by each master artist.
Looking at the three levels available I decided to just use the lessons for Ages 10-Adult, simplifying the art activities for my younger children if necessary.
The tracks are available directly from Meet the Masters, but can also be found at a discount at Rainbow Resource and bundles are available at the Homeschool Buyers’s Co-Op. Rainbow Resource also carries Art Supply Bundles and we are using the Art Bundle for Track A.
During the preview lesson we were given an introduction to a number of master artists, who we will eventually study, including: Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Mary Cassatt, Winslow Homer, Piet Mondrian, and Pablo Picasso. We then went on to learn about “looking carefully” and “seeing differently” – complete with some optical illusions that the kids loved!
Our Art Activity for the Preview Tract was to design a Portfolio!
The instructions suggested creating the portfolios with construction paper, but for added durability we used large sheets of poster board folded in half and stapled together on each edge.
Everyone was provided with a blank palette to include on the cover of their portfolio. Instead of filling the palette with paint colors we either listed or included photos of all the artists we plan to learn about this year – including ourselves!
We didn’t follow the directions exactly (perhaps we would have if I had read them completely before starting!) but we all had such a great time, and the kids convinced me to create my own portfolio too!
Now we just have to get started creating some art to store inside our portfolios!
Up first is Vincent van Gogh… We will learn about him and then create our own “Starry Night!”
And what perfect timing with the publication of Katie and the Starry Night earlier this month!
I am sure I will be sharing some more of our “masterpieces” throughout the year!
Oh wow, I love this and will be adding it for next year! Thanks for all the great recommends!
How many art bundles did you buy? Trying to decide what to do…
I just purchased one art bundle. I figured it would give us the majority of the supplies we will need, and I can supplement with additional supplies (colored pencils, markers, paint brushes) from the supplies we already have or purchase a couple additional as we need them. I wish I had more advice, but until we complete all the lessons I really don't know how much we will use…
That gives me a place to start! Thanks!! If one is enough for you to get started, it'll work for me too.
Oh what a great idea! We might have to pull something like that together next week!
This program looks fun. I wish they offered a wider array of artists, namely a couple more from the renaissance.
That was my husband's first reaction: "Where are the Renaissance Masters?" 🙂
Eventually this program includes Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo (Track F & G), but I am sure we will be branching out with some of our own unit studies to include Fra Angelico and others!