Charlotte's own schedule – what's the difference between printing and writing?

Creative writing, perhaps? 

I also thought it refered to cursive/joined writing versus printing/unjoined.

Inky, if I understand my reading of CM, this brush work served as a time of drawing instruction and improved head and hand work.

Charlotte’s students used brush drawing in their nature journals because Charlotte wanted them “drawing from the round,”  meaning from the object itself rather than a linear representation of the object, and she felt that brush-drawing was better suited for this work. She stressed that the goal of the nature journal is to enhance the child’s powers of observation and their appreciation of nature and was not meant as a vehicle for formal drawing instruction. During nature study, the object is more important than the rendering of that object so their instruction in brush drawing took place in another lesson.

On a personal note, my boys did not love handwriting, even five minutes of handwriting. We incorporated brush drawing into our schedule three years ago and my boys were thrilled (and their handwriting even improved as a result). I know there is a Parents’ Review article on the technique but in short, here is what I do:

Place a couple of objects on a bookshelf for them to choose to “draw” with their paints/brush. Make sure the objects are close enough for them to see comfortably but far enough away so they aren’t distracted by the detail.

Instruct them to use just enough water on their brush to pick the paint up with but no more so they are able to draw with the brush.

The child chooses from the objects to paint.  For example, it might be an lemon, a book and a coffee cup.

Lessons are kept short – the same amount of time as their writing lesson.

Have fun!

Richele

http://barefootvoyage.blogspot.com/2009/09/handwriting-brush-painting.html

Oops, I hadn’t actually meant to post that link, I’d remembered writing something about it before and went to see the pics of my kids 🙂  Thanks teachme2learn, it’s fun to be back among you all.

Charlotte shows it in her timetable for Form I (approximately our grades 1-3). After that, I think art instruction took place in the afternoon for a fee but I’m so very open to correction on that as that’s just what I’ve gathered from available PUS material. In those early years Charlotte says the children find their own way with form and color so it really was as simple as putting the objects up, instructing ever so slightly with holding the brush and the amount of water to be used and how to rid the brush of water if too much was added.

We work with Japanese inks as well (obviously not a part of Charlotte’s schools) but the whole process is incredible from the careful laying out of the brushes to the grinding of the ink and cleaning up. Remember, no mistakes – only possibilities.

Inky, while I’m not Richele, I had the same questions as you so I Googled dry-brushing for CM methods and this is what I came up with.  Maybe it’ll help get you started.

The mother who learns to dry-brush

Dry Brush Technique for Nature Study

Techniques of Dry Brush Painting in Nature Study by Sandra Zuidema

i know this is an old topic, but does anyone recall where the DVD (?i believe?) is that one can purchase explaining/showing dry brushing… by, perhaps, ummmm… Eve Anderson?????

only a small glimmer of a lightbulb going off over my head. it’s been years that i remember hearing of this dvd so i may not have the name correct whatsoever. does it ring a bell with anyone?