Every fall I look for a new twist on a self-portrait project to start the school year. I like this … Read More
My Current Top Five Most Pinned Projects 1. Draw a Dandelion 2. Warm Hands from my PDF Shop … Read More
A little first grader made this beach drawing years ago. I love everything about it. I thought it was time … Read More
It seems to me that the study of insects needn’t be done in unexciting black and white diagrams. Students can … Read More
Here is how I made my cover art for a new paper from Strathmore. It’s very thick and black, perfect … Read More
I sometimes give my young kinder and 1st grade students a template to trace for the first step of a … Read More
My favorite alternative to art texture plates is plastic embroidery mesh from the fabric store. If you buy them large … Read More
Here’s my secret to keeping lots of student artwork organized – without taking up any of my valuable time. My … Read More
Some believe that you need to spend 10,000 hours to master a skill. Personally, I think that between teaching my … Read More
Paul Klee was one of the great colorists in the history of painting. I developed this project that imitates his … Read More
Have students start by tracing their hand, and then add all the details they can see. MATERIALS • Journal Page … Read More
Here’s another line art project, this time with Van Gogh’s amazing self-portrait. This photoshopped face of Van Gogh was originally posted … Read More
M.C. Escher was one of the world’s most famous graphic artists. He created many visual riddles, and an amazingly detailed … Read More
If you collect as much misc. stuff as I do, then you just might be a good candidate to make this recycled … Read More
When you leave a graphic design job to start teaching art, you just might find yourself making your own project materials. … Read More
I actually ran out of drawing paper recently and tried out this food wrap (dry wax paper) that was left … Read More
If you need a Japanese-themed art project, this works well even for kinders. In fact, I love the “wobbly” lines of … Read More
Carp windsocks decorate the landscape of Japan from April through early May, in honor of Children’s Day. I love these inexpensive … Read More
With our school’s science room filled with new bugs and worms, it seemed timely to have lady bugs as the … Read More
If you want to encourage kids to draw tall shapes, it helps to have paper cut to match. MATERIALS • … Read More
Drawing a page of ladybugs couldn’t be much easier if you start with a circle template. Draw with a permanent black marker … Read More
The idea of coloring with chalk over dried glue lines is not new to me, but trying it out on … Read More
When your fridge and walls are already filled with your child’s art, have them paint your light switch plates. MATERIALS … Read More
This is my favorite way for students to make a scratch art picture, first a black marker drawing, then layers … Read More
I find that paper is a good way to introduce kids to weaving as the patterns are more visible than … Read More
Here’s a combo make in art heaven — gold tempera and a King Tut painting project. Works great for history … Read More
Ton Schulton is a Dutch landscape artist, known for his amazing color work. I wish I knew who first thought … Read More
When you inspire young artists with the classic “Where the Wild Things Are” book, you get some really fun and … Read More
An overlapping lesson with Matisse-like shapes makes a colorful drawing exercise. Matisse didn’t start painting until he was about 20 … Read More
This how to cow face drawing was inspired by a funny painting I found in a home decor catalog. MATERIALS • … Read More
This Koi fish painting project has been one of my most popular pins on Pinterest since it went up years … Read More
Try this abstract watercolor still life when you want young artists to learn about overlapping shapes. If they paint the … Read More
I have tried this house drawing project every year with kinders and have loved the results. This year I just … Read More
Here are our paper mache bowls, made with the help of dollar store colanders. I love how the inside is … Read More
Diversity Day is approaching, so I’m trying to integrate each classroom’s chosen country into their art lessons. No small task, … Read More
I knew there was a way to mix scratch art and earthworm studies. Just make your own scratch art paper … Read More
If you mix kids with yarn, it’s only a matter of time until things get tangled. It just occurred to … Read More
Save your old food magazines for this bug collage project. The shiny and colorful fruit, for example, has a whole … Read More
Turns out the best way to draw a caterpillar is by starting with a bunch of lines. I found this … Read More
I’ve found a way to make a picnic table with mini craft sticks. Maybe the base for a miniature food … Read More
Frank Stella is an American painter who fully embraced the idea that sometimes a painting can just be flat. In … Read More
Two circles get this simple cat drawing off to a good start. If you begin by tracing a roll of … Read More
This super simple bug painting is great for really young artists. You can’t get much simpler or cuter that this. … Read More
Pete the Cat seems to have a lot of fans these days, so I thought I’d make a tutorial on … Read More
Earth Day is coming up on April 22nd. It’s easy to decorate if you start with my Doodle Earth Day … Read More
I like how this tutorial helps students fill their paper, and just focus drawing part of an elephant. MATERIALS • … Read More
Big, overlapping eyes make almost anything look funny. Especially cartoon fish with big goofy lips. MATERIAL • Cartoon Fish PDF … Read More
This amazing Van Gogh Iris mural comes from Coral Schober in Ontario, Canada. She’s a volunteer Art Image Teacher at … Read More
Don’t throw away old, un-decomposable CD cases, turn them into gifts instead. They make great little terrariums, especially with a … Read More
Here’s what one 4th grade class did with my Endangered Animals Mural. I love seeing art used in real classroom … Read More
