Annabel has always loved to pick up a paint brush. For me, this is such a gift because now that I am nearby, we can paint or draw or mush about with oven-baked clay every week or so. At two, just making circles with the paint brush was an adventure. Now, at five, she wants to paint a butterfly or a snail, she is more aware of the different colours and every picture has to have that big yellow sun in the corner.
Last painting visit, we went into the garden with the magnifying glass and found all sorts of little flowers on shrubs and hidden in the grass that she hadn't noticed before. The bugs were still hidden, otherwise they would have been brought inside with the flowers.
With a little help, some rough shapes were made and she painted in the colours. The teacher's mantra "I do it, we do it then you do it" works sometimes, but mostly she is impatient to get going faster. It is important to me to leave the control of the artist's work in the hands of the little artist. I do not draw the outline of the picture and I resist my urge to put my own hand on her brush - but I am trying to coach her about the lines and the shapes. She seems to have her own instinct about mixing the watercolours and she is learning about keep a nice point on her brush.
We were both thrilled with Annabel's version of An Edwardian Woman's Journal for a day in early April. I hope the painting doesn't get lost!
If you wish, it would be great to hear about your experiences of painting with children, or even your own memories about how you started with a pencil or chalk.
Last painting visit, we went into the garden with the magnifying glass and found all sorts of little flowers on shrubs and hidden in the grass that she hadn't noticed before. The bugs were still hidden, otherwise they would have been brought inside with the flowers.
With a little help, some rough shapes were made and she painted in the colours. The teacher's mantra "I do it, we do it then you do it" works sometimes, but mostly she is impatient to get going faster. It is important to me to leave the control of the artist's work in the hands of the little artist. I do not draw the outline of the picture and I resist my urge to put my own hand on her brush - but I am trying to coach her about the lines and the shapes. She seems to have her own instinct about mixing the watercolours and she is learning about keep a nice point on her brush.
We were both thrilled with Annabel's version of An Edwardian Woman's Journal for a day in early April. I hope the painting doesn't get lost!
If you wish, it would be great to hear about your experiences of painting with children, or even your own memories about how you started with a pencil or chalk.