After our Monet study we spent last week looking at landscapes. We discovered this great series 'Come look with me'. The one we used this week was 'Exploring Landscape with Children.' by Gladys Blizzard. The example given in the Amazon preview is for Pieter Buel the Elder's 'Hunters in the Snow' (1565), it also gives the other works of Art included in this book.
Each painting has background information which we read together and questions to encourage thought and observation. I really appreciate the guidance it give a parent (like me) without a lot of art knowledge. More importantly, it engages the kids. Although it is aimed towards older kids, once Mini Piwi saw Miss K pointing out parts of a painting she wanted to be involved too.
Another great resource was the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery's kids website. .They offer interactive activities to explanation the horizon line and different perspectives. You can also make your own digital landscape. It is great to be able to instantly see the what happens when you change the horizon line of your painting and/or add different features into the foreground, middle or background.
After a few days of looking at Landscapes, the Piwi's were ready to paint their own. Before she painted I asked Miss K to ponder these questions.
- What materials would you like to use for your art?
- What mood will your art have?
- What kind of weather will it show?
- What time of day is it?
- Will your landscape include people or animals?
She chose to paint with Tempera on Acrylic paper. Her landscape is of grassy meadow on a Spring morning. It shows a deer resting in a patch of Flowers.
I had intended on letting Mini Piwi just paint but she thought the questions I gave Miss K was a game and wanted some too! I asked to position her paper like Miss K's to make a painting of an outside picture.
Her questions were:
- Would her picture show Sun or the Moon?
- Would there be leaves or flowers or trees?
- Are there animals there?
- Is it a noisy or quiet place?
Mini Piwi painted flowers and a sun. Later she told Daddy it was Mickey and the Sun. An artist can chance her mind!
I was so proud of the creativity the Piwi's showed! Next we moved onto another Artist study.