Art Made Easy

Creating a portrait in elementary school is a natural part of any art curriculum. Over my 13 years as an art teacher, I taught thousands of kids how to draw portraits--whether of themselves, a friend or an imaginary person.

It may surprise you that teaching a child how to draw a portrait is not just about eye-placement or looking into a mirror, it's also about how to create a piece of art that captures the likeness not just through drawing but with texture and color.

In this episode of Art Made Easy, I identify key learning objectives for each grade level, detail what art supplies I love best plus how I select just the right portrait project that engages students at every grade.

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SHOW NOTES

- Information about the Summer Art Workshop with Patty, Palmer, Cassie Stephens and Laura Lohmann

- Do You Have a Hat? by Eileen Spinelli

- Fred Babb Art Go to Your Studio and Make Stuff (This is one of my all-time most inspiring poster books for art-making)

Do your students blurt out at random moments during your demonstrations? Do you have trouble getting kids to listen or take you seriously? Do you have children that always seem to be pushing your buttons? Does your clean-up routine border on chaotic?

I know that I've struggled with behavioral issues, stressful transitions and more than a few wild classes and I learned that unless I got those things under control, I wasn't able to be an effective teacher.

Although it may seem like achieving a happy balance between creating a consistent management philosophy and allowing freedom and creativity in your art room is next to impossible, I'm here to tell that it is completely doable.

Michael Linsin is the author of Classroom Management for Art, Music, and PE Teachers and the author of the blog, Smart Classroom Management has the magic touch. He seems to know intuitively how to transform chaos into calm.

A little word about the show...

Podcasting is not as easy as it may appear. There are lot of steps to setting up interviews, recording and ultimately producing each episode that inevitable something always goes wrong. In this case, I had a problem with the sound quality on my end of the recording. My podcast editor had to do some fancy tweaking to make this interview easy on your ears. So if you notice any weird transitions, you know why.

And as always, thanks for listening!

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IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:

Why a classroom management plan is necessary and the most important element of the whole teaching process

How good classroom management can free you to be creative

How body language can be used to set the right tone in a classroom

Why having expectations of your kids is absolutely essential to creating your dream class

Why the story behind the activity is more important than the activity itself

The truth why 95% of classroom problems will disappear  with an effective management plan

The surprising things teachers do that unintentionally encourage bad behavior

The #1 tip Michael has for all teachers looking to implement his system

Here is an interview with Michael on Deep Space Sparkle 

Classroom Management for Art, Music, and PE Teachers on Amazon

Join Michael's weekly newsletter here

If you teach art to children, no doubt that you’ve come across a child who is unhappy with their work. Some children become rattled by a torn piece of paper or even a color choice. What can you do to help these children work through the sticky points of art-making?

There is plenty of advice out there but sometimes the best way to help a child is to put yourself in their shoes.  In today’s show, I share my philosophy and how I approach frustrated artists, what I say and how I help children enjoy the creative process.

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SHOW NOTES

Beautiful Oops!

The Dot

Mistakes are a part of art. As soon as we can teach children this concept, the more fun you will have as an art teacher and the more creative the students will be. I can't say where children get this notion that everything must be done correctly, but it certainly resides in many children's heads.

Some children are wired this way. I can see the battles some children create in their heads; these are the children where life is black and white, lines are either straight or crooked. There is very little doubt in this kid's head that a drawing is correct or not. I don't consider this a wrong state of being, but rather a child expressing his authentic self. My middle son is very exact. Everything he views in the world has a purpose and most concepts and ideas are linear. There is a correct sequence for everything. He was like this at 6 and he is the same at 16. Is he artistic? Nope. Not at all. But so what? He still enjoyed art at school because he was able to set aside his wired state and have some fun with his drawings without judgement. He loved directed drawing lessons because well, they were directed. You either did them right, or wrong (in his opinion, not mine!)

So how do you see that mistakes are important to some children and that it's not a reflection of you? It's not easy, but I think it comes down to trust. I know my students. Well, the truth is, I often forget their names but I always remember their art and how they express themselves through it. I am gentle with my little kinders and first graders as art class might be their very first experience with art. I make sure I am in a relaxed state before they enter my art room because I want my energy to be positive and calm. Little kids can sense whether or not you feel they have made a mistake, so it's important that you block it from your head.

With older students, I am honest. If a child isn't doing their best, I push them. I know many art teachers rarely offer comments or even praise, but I do. If you pay attention, you can tell  pretty quickly whether or not a child is proud of her work. I build upon that notion, even if they did something completely opposite of what I taught. On the other hand, it's just as easy to sense when a child is totally frustrated. A child might need encouraging words to push through an art project until it's completed. This is hard for an eight-year old to understand. I can't tell you how many times I looked at one of my pieces of art and grimaced at what I saw. But by working through the process, I sometimes found that in the end, the piece turned out better than I had initally thought.

Frustration might be the emotional response but in some cases, a feeling of helplessness can result.  If I sense this, I just cut straight to the problem. I'll ask a few questions to see what the child doesn't like about the painting and then we'll brainstorm ways to fix it. Don't assume that a child will be hurt because you recognize that the bear has five legs but only needs four. The kid wants to know how to get rid of the leg! Telling him that the bear looks fine, is often frustrating. I'm a creative thinker so we'll come up with a couple of options for the kid and the kid will choose. And yes, I know what you are all thinking...what's wrong with a five-legged bear? Nothing, but it's not me that matters. It's the child.

Kathy Barbro was one of the first art educators to offer online art resources through her site, Art Project for Kids.  No doubt you have seen or purchased her wonderful artist-inspired collaborative murals for your students to color. After speaking with Kathy for the first time in January, I realized there was so much more to Kathy than how-to-draw handouts.

Kathy is a busy gal.

Not only does she teach full-time in Southern California and manages her blog, but she runs a thriving after-school art program. This is where we spent some time. Kathy shares her story of how her after-school program works, how she manages the time and how the financial benefit of the after-school program has changed her life.

This episode is for anyone wishing to learn more about the logistics of operating an after-school art program as well as teaching tips from one of the best art teachers around.

Kathy is truly the most wonderful, giving people I know.  I hope you enjoy getting to meet her.

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IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:

- How Kathy came up with the idea to sell art murals on her blog Art Project for Kids- What Kathy does to be able to teach art all day, teach an after-schoolprogram and run a successful online business- How to add more variety and keep kids engaged in your after school art program

- How Kathy uses Model Magic to engage her students- What a typical after school program art class looks like for Kathy- The steps to starting an afterschool program at your school- Why it's so important to do what you enjoy when teaching art projects- Kathy's thoughts on focus time for kids, and the perfect length for each lesson- What kept Kathy motivated with her blog, and the best blog platform for someone just starting out- How to incorporate social media into your business and a resource that can help you do this

Did you enjoy this episode of Art Made Easy? If you did, I would LOVE if you can add a review or a rating in iTunes.

It's super easy: just click on the aqua Subscribe in iTunes button in this post above, Click the blue VIEW in ITUNES, a new window will open and this is where you can add a review. Thank you!

Megan Schiller is the founder of The Art Pantry, a design studio specializing in children’s creative play spaces. She is a former Reggio-inspired preschool teacher and art educator and her mission is to encourage creative independence and learning through inspired spaces. Megan works one-on-one with people in Northern California looking to set up creative play spaces in their homes or schools She has launched a series of DIY guides that are available through her site.

In today's episode, Megan talks about her evolution from a preschool art teacher to offering art classes in her home to a designer of creative spaces.  This show is for anyone who wants to learn how to set-up creative spaces for children and learn the pros and cons of a creative blogging career.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

- What is the Reggio Emilia approach to art

- How Megan used her passion for art to start a business and introduce a new concept to her neighborhood

- The online program that both Megan and Patty used to successfully develop their businesses

- How Megan takes everything that she learned as a preschool teacher and art teacher, and merges it with interior design

- Why it’s important to have art supplies accessible and in the view of young children

- How Megan sets up art with an invitation to create focus and how this can be incorporated into a classroom setting

- Clean-up hacks you can use

- Why you don’t need to blog everyday

- Megan’s advice on starting a small business that can save you time and money

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DOWNLOAD MEGAN'S FREE GUIDE:

SHOW NOTES

The Art Pantry website

Rachelle Doorley's #Creativetable Instagram challenge

How to Clean up Messy Art  Post on The Art Pantry or watch this video

Marie Forleo (B-School)

Smart Passive Income podcast with Pat Flynn

Jess Lively Podcast

The Good Life Podcast

Family Adventure Podcast

You can connect with Megan through her blog, The Art Pantry and on Instagram and Facebook.

Have your colleagues ever told you how well you explained a lesson? Or how creative you are? Do people always ask you for advice?

If any of these questions ring true for you then you need to listen to this episode.

Jennifer White shares how she went from teaching during the day and working as a cashier at night to making $14K in her first THREE months of selling her craft products on Teachers Pay Teachers. Crazy, right?

I know I sound like an informercial, but I guarantee you that Jennifer is humble yet strategic about her success. I loved talking to Jennifer and appreciate her willingness to help you create the side job of your dreams.

This episode is for anyone who is thinking of selling digital products on Teachers Pay Teachers or wishes to make a bigger impact with small easy tweaks to existing products.

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IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN

- Jennifer’s strategy for teaching a directed line drawing

- How this type of drawing can be used as a confidence booster for kids

- A technique you can use to keep the little ones on track, and on the same page

- How Jennifer got into Teachers Pay Teachers  and the effect this website has had on her life

- Jennifer’s best tips for navigating the site

- Advise on designing a new product to sell online, and how to “breathe new life” into an older product that you’re offering

- Who should pay for advertising on Teachers Pay Teachers

- How to discount and hold a sale, the right way

- Whether or not you should sign up for a free account on Teachers Pay Teachers, or become a premium member

Jennifer spoke at the most recent Teachers Pay Teachers Conference in Las Vegas and wants to share her conference presentation download with you! To access the download, just enter your email and your name. The guide will be delivered to your email address.

Note: By entering your name, you will automatically be subscribed to the free DSS weekly newsletter, but know that you can unsubscribe at any time. 

You can connect with Jennifer on her blog at First Grade Blue Skies, through Instagram and Facebook.

Despite the fact that I said amazing about twenty times during this interview, if this show inspired you in any way, please subscribe to Art Made Easy in iTunes and leave a rating or review. This helps the podcast get recognized by more creative people like yourself.

Thank you so much!

Have you ever wondered how art teachers come up with so many fabulous lessons? Today I talk to Laura Lohmann from the blog, Painted Paper, on her strategy for designing & implementing her amazing school-wide thematic units.

She walks you through the steps she uses to select a year long art theme, strategies that go into designing the curriculum and how she creates the projects with her students.

You can download a free worksheet that will help you design the art curriculum of your dreams!

This episode is for anyone who wants to learn how design a thematic art unit from the early research stages to implementation in the art room. 

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IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:

- How Laura sets up her art room for multi-class mural making

- How many students Laura teaches and what her schedule looks like

- Laura secret to high engagement in the art room

- The brand of paint Laura swears by

- How to make painting work in your classroom and the secret that will make the process effortless

- How Laura structures her art class

- How Laura plans her curriculum and when she starts (this might surprise you!)

- Tips for teaching art from a cart

- Tying in the elements of art and state standards

- Literacy connections

- Clean-up strategies

SHOW NOTES

Alisa Burke

Kezz Brett

Texture Tools from Lakeshore

Blick premium Tempera Paint

Crayola Premium Paint

How to Create a Mural

A few Mexican Inspired Projects

A few Art Projects inspired by India

If this show inspired you, please subscribe to Art Made Easy in iTunes and leave a rating or review. This helps the podcast get recognized by more creative people like yourself. Thank you so much!

You can find Laura through Instagram @paintedpaperintheartroom, through her blog Painted Paper and her amazing store on Teachers pay Teacher

How do I gauge if a lesson is too easy or too complicated for an age group?

I get asked that a lot. And Heaven's knows, I've tried to answer that question myself on more than one occasion. But here's the thing: judging whether a lesson will work with your little charges gets easier and easier. Still, I resort to a framework that I established by about my fifth year of teaching.

These are my very general guidelines as to what kids in a K-6 art room are comfortable learning while at the same time challenged enough to promote artistic growth. And that's what this episode is about. How to determine whether or not your class will be up to the challenge of a particular art project.

This episode is perfect for everyone who wonders whether that art project you're eyeing on Pinterest will suit your class. 

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SHOW NOTES

KINDER

Kandinsky Paper Cutting Lesson

Play Doh Project

Crayola Air Dry Clay

FIRST

Fancy Fish Collage Art Project

What are Liquid Watercolor Paints

Eric Carle-Inspired Butterflies

SECOND

Paper Weaving Projects

THIRD

How to Color with Markers

Tropical Fish Watercolor Art Project

FOURTH

Castle Art Projects

FIFTH

Clipper Ship Projects

Perspective Lesson

SIXTH

Ceramic Tile Murals

Sketchbook Projects

Faber-Castell Watercolor Pencils

DOWNLOAD MY CHECKLIST OF GRADE LEVEL ART EXPECTATIONS

If this show inspired you, please subscribe to Art Made Easy in iTunes and leave an honest review. This helps the podcast get recognized by more creative people like yourself.

Today is episode 5 of Art made Easy. I promised you back in November that if I decided to host a podcast, I would commit to at least 6-months. The learning curve has been steep and the investment of time is immense, but I love having conversations with creative folks in our industry. I'm learning how a podcast works ( as many of you are!) so please bear with me as I learn how to interview, talk into a mic and carry a conversation for 45-minutes. That's the fun part; moving past comfort zones and learning new things.

Today I talk with Rachelle Doorley of the blog Tinkerlab and the author of the book, Tinkerlab: A Hands-On Guide For Little Inventors. Rachelle is a former costume designer turned art educator turned blogger and author.  She shares a vast amount of information about creating art with younger children in both her blog, book and now this show.

This episode is perfect for anyone who is creating art in a home environment especially with preschool children and for those who are interested in how to cultivate creative growth. 

IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN

-How Rachelle's childhood influenced her career path

- How to develop and honor a child's creative development

- Questions to ask before the start of an art activity or play experiment

- How to set up a self-serve art & activity station

- Basic art supplies for little makers

- Ten Tinkerlab Habits of Mind (you can download the PDF below)

- How technology plays with creativity

- How to embrace mess and workarounds

-  The concept of failing forward

- What Art Education means to Rachelle

- Reggio Approach to student learning

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SHOW NOTES

Tinkerlab: A Hands-On Guide for Little Inventors

The Creative Table

The Best Playdough Recipe 

DSS Play Doh Color wheel

How to make Goop (Oobleck)

Stop Motion Animation

Beautiful Oops!

Mouse Paint

Howard Gardner

Keri Smith Wreck This Journal 

The 5-Minute Journal 

Don't Move the Muffin Tins: A Hands-Off Guide to Art for the Young Child

DOWNLOAD TINKERLAB'S TEN HABITS OF MIND

If this show inspired you, please subscribe to Art Made Easy in iTunes and leave an honest review. This helps the podcast get recognized by more creative people like yourself.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

Thank you so much for all of your support during the launch of Art Made Easy. I was super excited to see my logo in iTunes New & Noteworthy section of the podcast page (Kids & Family) and as the TOP podcast in iTunes Education (k-12) Category. What a thrill! And it was all because you downloaded the show and subscribed in iTunes.

Today may be the best show yet. Cassie Stephens takes you inside her art room and shares her teaching strategies from how she teaches directed drawing, how she handles early finishers, and the process she uses to create collaborative murals and thematic units.

If you are action oriented, grab a notepad and pencil because this show is going to offer amazing tips. But for me, hearing how Cassie transformed herself from an overworked, stressed out art teacher (hard to believe, right?) to her carefree, colorful persona is not only remarkable but inspiring.

SUBSCRIBING... 

To listen on your iPhone, download the free PODCAST AP, then subscribe to the show in iTunes. Your app will update automatically when new shows are published.

If you have an android phone, you can subscribe to Stitcher Radio and download their free app.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:

- How Cassie Got her start as an art teacher

- How fashion created engagement with her students

- The story behind Cassie's Andy Warhol inspired Campbell Soup dress

- The benefits of keeping a positive attitude in the art room

- The steps to make collaborative projects work for all grade levels

- How long it takes Cassie to make and hang a mural

- How Cassie teaches painted paper techniques

- How collaborative projects benefits her art program

- Cassie's strategy for implementing rules and procedures

- Call and response strategy

- Directed drawing tips

- Why mini-white boards are a teacher's best friend

- How Cassie deals with frustrated artists

- One paper policy

- The big question Cassie asks herself before teaching a lesson

- How Cassie plans a thematic art curriculum

- Cassie's advice to a new art teacher (what she says here is GOLDEN!)

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Photo courtesy of Cassie Stephens

SHOW NOTES

Cassie's famous Campbell Soup Dress

Henri Rousseau Tiger in a Tropical Storm Surprised! Painting via Wikiart

1st grader Jungle Mural and Collaborative Projects

Roy G Biv Video

Book Recommendation for New Teachers:

Drawing With Children by Mona Brookes

Children And Painting by Cathy Topal

Professor Pin Cushion's Website

You can connect Cassie through Instagram at cassie_stephenz and on Facebook