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Need opinions on Art Programs from How Great Thou Art……..
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I have been looking at and reading on the How Great Thou Art website lately. I would really like to find some art instruction for my dd8 who loves to paint and draw. I would like to find something that starts from the very basics. As of right now her drawings and paintings are very abstract and she often gets frustrated if she can’t get it to look how she wants. I think with the right instruction she would really excel in this area because it is something that she loves to do.
Have any of you used any of the How Great Thou Art programs? There are so many different ones Im not sure which one to start with. Please give your opinions.
Also, if anyone has used Creating a Masterpiece, could you tell me how many lessons are in one DVD and if it starts with any basic instructions before doing the main project. Is this program appropriate for an 8 yr old who has no formal instruction so far?
Here’s a link to a thread I posted on a while back about Creating a Masterpiece. http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/art-instruction-thomas-kinkade-artistic-pursiots-or-how-great-thou-art#post-81031
Here’s quick answers to your specific questions. Each CM Dvd has between 3-6 lessons – but even some of those lessons can be divided into shorter lessons to keep them closer to 30 minutes – we found the lessons in their entirity would take about an hour to complete. Yes, some of the lessons do start with more basic instruction before moving into the project, but even the ones that start immediately with the project are teaching general skills needed to complete many projects – not just the one you’re working on. Yes, it’s a great program for both a young beginner as well as older more expereienced students – you’ll want to start with the level 1 DVDs, but my 6 year old has done several of them (even the level 2 pastel) and has done fine.
Blessings,
Rebekah
I have a 7yo and two 5yos – we have the “I Can Do All Things” from HGTA, and the “Beginning Drawing” Dvds. I like them both. We usually just do art on Fridays and will do more than one lesson at a time. ICDAT covers more than just drawing and the lessons are short and simple (we haven’t gotten to the painting yet). The boys also like sitting with their drawing notebooks and doing the Beginning Drawing dvd. I have seen improvements in all of their drawings and they are able to use what they are learning to their own drawings outside of the lessons. I am not very gifted in drawing and painting (I do better with construction arts!) – my sons are however, and want to improve – so this is a perfect fit for us. If you have more specific ?s about those, let me know and I’ll try to answer them.
We have used “I Can Do All Things,” from HGTA without DVDs. It is well organized and broken into simple lessons. We started it at the beginning of 2nd grade, right when my DS turned 7 years. He wasn’t overly enthusiastic about all of the introductory lessons and since we only do art twice per week, it took us forever to get through them and on to the paints, marker cards (ie. the cool stuff).
The lessons do a great job of breaking down the elements of drawing and practicing them, then using them to build a whole picture.
We have used Drawing with Children, by Mona Brooks. I really like the concept but my oldest son is just not enthusiatic about art, so it didn’t work. I’ll try again with my second son who is very excited about school. It is recommended by some of the big curricula providers like My Father’s World.
Our homeschool co-op uses Draw Write Now and it is an excellent choice for elementary school kids. Everyone enjoys it and parents have purchased the other books in that series to use at home. I have never heard of a family who didn’t like it.
I bought my daughter the first draw write now book and I thought we would do one a week. She went through and did the entire book in about 30-45 min. This is why I’m looking for more art material. I had considered getting the rest of the series and probably still will, but would like to see how she handles something more formal. Needless to say, you are right. It would be hard for people not to like it.
I also have Drawing with Children and I love the process that is taught. However, it would require me to study the book, teach it and work alongside her. She tends to get discouraged if we do drawing or painting together. Even though I have always been careful to never critique her art she sees the difference between hers and mine. She then starts critiquing her work based on mine. I have explained to her that when I was in high school I had a few years of formal art instruction and I have almost 2 decades of experience, but she still tends to compare.
I think she would do best with visual instruction from a stranger. That is why I’m leaning towards programs with DVDs.
Hi. We have used Lamb’s Book of Art, Feed My Sheep, and are currently using God and the History of Art. We do not have any of the dvd’s. The books are very simple and straightforward. They are easy to use. They do start with very basic instructions… drawing a line, drawing an ellipse, mixing colored pencils, etc.
We also have some dvd lessons from See the Light, which are very good. They start out very basic and have REAL art instruction. I will say that my 12 year old does much better with them than my younger kids. The younger kids do like them and do the lessons, they just have a little more trouble with the drawing. They want to get done quickly, I guess. You can watch a sample of their lessons on their website.
Did you have a specific question I can answer?
It sounds like DD has some natural artistic ability/bent. It is very typical for these children to NOT like learning art from books and also to be unsatisfied with their work if they feel it is too childish or amateurish for what they KNOW in their minds they should be able to do.
Definitely go with a DVD curriculum – those artistic kids JUST LOVE IT because they can see how everything goes onto the page – they want to see every stroke and motion not a series of pictures that are completed at various stages (that’s why books are frustrating). Also, choose something beautiful that she wants to do and that you know she can have success with – start with an easier medium like pastels rather than drawing with pencil.
I so highly recommend the Creating a Masterpiece because Sharon is an artist, a teacher and a homeschool mom – because of her years of experience doing all of these things She’s chosen a beautiful project (that she’s taught to hundreds of students in person) that your daughter CAN have success with, without ANY help or preparation on your part – your daughter will gain confidence from being able to create a masterpiece the VERY first time. Check out Creating a Masterpiece on Facebook – students post their work on her wall and you’ll be amazed what these kids are doing – including MY kids who have no natural artistic ability.
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