8 year old niece wants me to give her art lessons.
May 30, 2018 5:09 AM Subscribe
Yay! But what should I teach her?
Constraints: she wants drawing and painting, not watercolor. This will be on vacation, and I'm flying light. Her mom will bring the paints. I don't know what kind, probably acrylic.
Good news: I'm super excited because my own kiddo is not too interested in art other than drawing robots with pencil. Which is of course awesome, though limited. I would paint and craft all day if possible.
Assume I'm qualified (studio painting degree, love of all crafts). I can bring small, portable supplies, but all will be in carry-on luggage. Gorgeous scenery to use as subject!
What's the right level for an enthusiastic 8 year old? What do I teach her? She's not sure what she wants other than drawing and painting.
Good news: I'm super excited because my own kiddo is not too interested in art other than drawing robots with pencil. Which is of course awesome, though limited. I would paint and craft all day if possible.
Assume I'm qualified (studio painting degree, love of all crafts). I can bring small, portable supplies, but all will be in carry-on luggage. Gorgeous scenery to use as subject!
What's the right level for an enthusiastic 8 year old? What do I teach her? She's not sure what she wants other than drawing and painting.
Best answer: This pretty much cements your status as the "cool aunt" as far as I'm concerned.
I'm guessing she really wants to have fun with fun aunt, and I'd say you can't go wrong with giving her some paint and (maybe) turning on some music and painting alongside each other. If there's a museum nearby you could take her to look at paintings and talk about color and texture and whatnot. Or if you're in a space with beautiful scenery you might talk about, for example, how many different shades of green you can see in that tree. If she really gets into something, or starts asking questions like "I used brown for the tree trunk and it doesn't look real, why not?" run with it.
For more crafty/focused stuff - assuming she's probably about to start 3rd grade, I googled 3rd grade art projects and there are lots of fun ideas out there and I'm sure youtube has a ton of tutorials.
Even if most of your painting is on other surfaces, I might take a couple of canvases and a frame that will fit, and at the end of the trip surprise her with one of her own works in the frame.
posted by bunderful at 5:42 AM on May 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'm guessing she really wants to have fun with fun aunt, and I'd say you can't go wrong with giving her some paint and (maybe) turning on some music and painting alongside each other. If there's a museum nearby you could take her to look at paintings and talk about color and texture and whatnot. Or if you're in a space with beautiful scenery you might talk about, for example, how many different shades of green you can see in that tree. If she really gets into something, or starts asking questions like "I used brown for the tree trunk and it doesn't look real, why not?" run with it.
For more crafty/focused stuff - assuming she's probably about to start 3rd grade, I googled 3rd grade art projects and there are lots of fun ideas out there and I'm sure youtube has a ton of tutorials.
Even if most of your painting is on other surfaces, I might take a couple of canvases and a frame that will fit, and at the end of the trip surprise her with one of her own works in the frame.
posted by bunderful at 5:42 AM on May 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
Also maybe an age-appropriate art book that you can work from on the trip and she can take with her, with info like the color wheel and basic shapes that prewar lemonade mentioned.
Also with acrylics - how to create texture with rubbing alcohol, cardboard, toothbrush, bubble wrap etc etc. As a kid I LOVED that stuff.
posted by bunderful at 5:47 AM on May 30, 2018
Also with acrylics - how to create texture with rubbing alcohol, cardboard, toothbrush, bubble wrap etc etc. As a kid I LOVED that stuff.
posted by bunderful at 5:47 AM on May 30, 2018
If she likes animals, i'd def look up some unusual ones from Nature is f'n lit on reddit - my niece loves to draw and was blown away by how colorful a squirrel can be!
def. seconding the color wheel, my dad taught me how to mix colors, concepts like primary, secondary, complemental etc colors before i could read or write and i still remember them.
posted by speakeasy at 6:12 AM on May 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
def. seconding the color wheel, my dad taught me how to mix colors, concepts like primary, secondary, complemental etc colors before i could read or write and i still remember them.
posted by speakeasy at 6:12 AM on May 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
I’d suggest colored pencils as opposed to paints. It’s less messy and you can still do some awesome things with them.
posted by Autumnheart at 6:19 AM on May 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Autumnheart at 6:19 AM on May 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
Find out what her expectations/desires are and design your project around that. You've got a good start with knowing she wants painting/drawing. I suspect she might get a kick out of having a completed work when you are done.
posted by Stewriffic at 6:21 AM on May 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Stewriffic at 6:21 AM on May 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
Take a look at Ed Emberley's website and books (link to his books is on his site). He has free downloadable pages on his site.
I loved his books when I was a kid and when we gave them to my 8 year old nephew for his birthday, they were a huge hit. It's amazing--I think EE started writing his art books in the 1970s, and he's still going strong!
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 7:15 AM on May 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
I loved his books when I was a kid and when we gave them to my 8 year old nephew for his birthday, they were a huge hit. It's amazing--I think EE started writing his art books in the 1970s, and he's still going strong!
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 7:15 AM on May 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
Sounds super fun.
I would think about doing an Eric Carle inspired project. Cutting out base shapes from construction paper, and then using paint to add texture to the papers and then gluing them down to form a collage.
Or making different textures on paper and then cutting out shapes.
Would also suggest some of the exercises from “Drawing on the right side of the brain”.
posted by MadMadam at 7:30 AM on May 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
I would think about doing an Eric Carle inspired project. Cutting out base shapes from construction paper, and then using paint to add texture to the papers and then gluing them down to form a collage.
Or making different textures on paper and then cutting out shapes.
Would also suggest some of the exercises from “Drawing on the right side of the brain”.
posted by MadMadam at 7:30 AM on May 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
I really would have liked something like the coloring "rules" in this video when I was a kid. I was definitely a USE ALL THE COLORS person, and often still am, but staying within a color family can make things look more grown up.
I also really like Kasey Golden on youtube, who has a series with tips to encourage your art. You may get some good ideas from there. Kasey also paints a lot of very silly things, and it's nice for kids to be reminded that good art doesn't have to be stodgy and boring. Not everything is posed fruits, which I'm sure will come as a surprise to my middle school art teacher.
posted by phunniemee at 7:37 AM on May 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
I also really like Kasey Golden on youtube, who has a series with tips to encourage your art. You may get some good ideas from there. Kasey also paints a lot of very silly things, and it's nice for kids to be reminded that good art doesn't have to be stodgy and boring. Not everything is posed fruits, which I'm sure will come as a surprise to my middle school art teacher.
posted by phunniemee at 7:37 AM on May 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
Do you remember anything about drawing or painting that was passed onto you at an early age that meant a lot, and that you can do in small bites? For example, I vividly remember being taught in steps to draw from sight/observation as opposed to an idea, a received image or what you think you know. Someone showed me a tree and got me to see how the appearance of the trunk changed in different places. The only thing is, some kids are not interested in that; they draw manga or they paint abstract things, and that's fine. So I would definitely want to see some interest before pushing any change in direction. I love the idea of making a smudge tool, teaching her little things like that. One of my cousins was a professional artist and I loved getting tips from her. She drew her pillow every morning, and I copied that for a while.
posted by BibiRose at 7:56 AM on May 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by BibiRose at 7:56 AM on May 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
Maybe a museum/gallery walk to just have fun looking at shapes and point out small elements that can be used in her efforts.
posted by sammyo at 8:08 AM on May 30, 2018
posted by sammyo at 8:08 AM on May 30, 2018
Some years ago, I took a class called "Sketching for Travelers". The teacher instructed us on how to practice and pack for a life of sketching while traveling. Some of the resulting sketches I took on a trip to Europe are fond memories.
The materials were a set of 8 or 10 colored pencils that also happen to be watercolor pencils. That way, you can blend them if you like. To that end, he said we were to take a two paint brushes and an eye drop container filled with water. He gave us a list of colors - we had the basic ones, plus a couple of extra flesh tone ones for sketching people. Also, two pens, a 1.0 mm nib and maybe one with a finer nib. The trick for traveling was to cut the brushes and pencils in half for greater transportability.
The practice two-fold: in-class and out of class. Outside class we were to practice hatching as fast as we can, including cross hatching and straight parallel lines as fast as we could, then with infill as fast and straight as we could, then with extensions, also fast and straight.
The in-class practice was to look at scene and give yourself only 30 seconds to capture the essence of the scene. We focused more on capturing people. (I have fond memories of sitting in the Stanford campus quad sketching many the visitors during those classes.)
The instruction was primarily related to capturing shapes of a person, with special attention to capturing where they are holding their weight. The 30 seconds was to trace the lines of their pose and to use our hatching skills to add shape and shadow. The other aspect was color theory. For instance, the towers at Stanford are a yellow color, but the sky gives them purple hue. So, we had to add whatever highlights were appropriate.
We were instructed to work on the colors and blending once we had greater leisure. We could capture enough to remember, but the main idea was to draw as many sketches as we could. And add color later.
This practice, if you go the sketching for travelers route, could also have the wonderful benefit of introducing your niece to the joys of people-watching.
I still have my very compact travel case packed and ready to go. You post makes me want to pull it out again!
I still remember the teacher's instructions -- "Go! Use up as many materials as you can!"
posted by rw at 8:35 AM on May 30, 2018 [4 favorites]
The materials were a set of 8 or 10 colored pencils that also happen to be watercolor pencils. That way, you can blend them if you like. To that end, he said we were to take a two paint brushes and an eye drop container filled with water. He gave us a list of colors - we had the basic ones, plus a couple of extra flesh tone ones for sketching people. Also, two pens, a 1.0 mm nib and maybe one with a finer nib. The trick for traveling was to cut the brushes and pencils in half for greater transportability.
The practice two-fold: in-class and out of class. Outside class we were to practice hatching as fast as we can, including cross hatching and straight parallel lines as fast as we could, then with infill as fast and straight as we could, then with extensions, also fast and straight.
The in-class practice was to look at scene and give yourself only 30 seconds to capture the essence of the scene. We focused more on capturing people. (I have fond memories of sitting in the Stanford campus quad sketching many the visitors during those classes.)
The instruction was primarily related to capturing shapes of a person, with special attention to capturing where they are holding their weight. The 30 seconds was to trace the lines of their pose and to use our hatching skills to add shape and shadow. The other aspect was color theory. For instance, the towers at Stanford are a yellow color, but the sky gives them purple hue. So, we had to add whatever highlights were appropriate.
We were instructed to work on the colors and blending once we had greater leisure. We could capture enough to remember, but the main idea was to draw as many sketches as we could. And add color later.
This practice, if you go the sketching for travelers route, could also have the wonderful benefit of introducing your niece to the joys of people-watching.
I still have my very compact travel case packed and ready to go. You post makes me want to pull it out again!
I still remember the teacher's instructions -- "Go! Use up as many materials as you can!"
posted by rw at 8:35 AM on May 30, 2018 [4 favorites]
That's awesome, what a treat.
Sometimes 8 year olds are finicky. Often, actually. I'd make sure its a low pressure, low bar entry in to art lessons, b/c I know my (previously) 8 year old's focus and interest came and went like a late afternoon thunderstorm, and usually went when I would get overzealous in my detailed instruction.
If she's uniquely suited for in-depth art lessons, great. But if she's like most her age, giving her gentle instruction combined with your presence as the cool aunt should be more than enough.
posted by RajahKing at 8:47 AM on May 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
Sometimes 8 year olds are finicky. Often, actually. I'd make sure its a low pressure, low bar entry in to art lessons, b/c I know my (previously) 8 year old's focus and interest came and went like a late afternoon thunderstorm, and usually went when I would get overzealous in my detailed instruction.
If she's uniquely suited for in-depth art lessons, great. But if she's like most her age, giving her gentle instruction combined with your presence as the cool aunt should be more than enough.
posted by RajahKing at 8:47 AM on May 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
Pan watercolor and some watercolor pencils. Easy travel, clean up, versatile. I would teach some simple color mixing, and show how color lines can mask out areas and create spatial depth. Watercolor studies and finish in acrylic at home. Transparency versus opacity to build space. Abstract and some simple still life stuff. Journaling.
Watercolor is the perfect gateway between drawing and painting. You can travel light, clean up easy, get a simple student pan set for a fraction of what you'd spend for all that acrylic paint. Air travel with tube colors may be an issue.
Some big squirrel mop brushes for large washes, a few good detail brushes for drawing. Add some watercolor pigment to acrylic white and viola, acrylic.
posted by effluvia at 8:55 AM on May 30, 2018
Watercolor is the perfect gateway between drawing and painting. You can travel light, clean up easy, get a simple student pan set for a fraction of what you'd spend for all that acrylic paint. Air travel with tube colors may be an issue.
Some big squirrel mop brushes for large washes, a few good detail brushes for drawing. Add some watercolor pigment to acrylic white and viola, acrylic.
posted by effluvia at 8:55 AM on May 30, 2018
Acrylic might be a difficult cleanup unless you've got access to water. Leave a brush to dry with acrylic and it's pretty much toast.
Is it the transparency of watercolour that's the issue? The Koh-I-Noor Opaque Watercolour Paint Wheels are a surprisingly good gouache for the price
posted by scruss at 9:49 AM on May 30, 2018
Is it the transparency of watercolour that's the issue? The Koh-I-Noor Opaque Watercolour Paint Wheels are a surprisingly good gouache for the price
posted by scruss at 9:49 AM on May 30, 2018
I somehow came across or learned the concept of one point perspective at about that age and delighted in it. Everything had a checkerboard receding into the difference as a ground plane for a while. I think just a few fun pieces of theory (color, depth queues, light and shadow, perspective) is all the hook you need. Have fun exploring art with your niece!
posted by meinvt at 10:04 AM on May 30, 2018
posted by meinvt at 10:04 AM on May 30, 2018
What about bringing a book/journal like 642 Things to Draw .
It might be helpful to teach her to draw from still life a bit - I feel like at that age, most kids are trying to learn to draw things they aren't looking at, but a bit of practice showing her how you draw a thing you can see might help her learn a bit. You could even show her the difference between something that looks "real" vs something that's cartoonish/abstracted to reduced to shapes and gestures. At that age I was super obsessed with quick simple drawings of everyday objects.
posted by vunder at 10:18 AM on May 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
It might be helpful to teach her to draw from still life a bit - I feel like at that age, most kids are trying to learn to draw things they aren't looking at, but a bit of practice showing her how you draw a thing you can see might help her learn a bit. You could even show her the difference between something that looks "real" vs something that's cartoonish/abstracted to reduced to shapes and gestures. At that age I was super obsessed with quick simple drawings of everyday objects.
posted by vunder at 10:18 AM on May 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
Ed Emberley's books are great for being able to quickly draw everyday animals and things - perfect for most 8 year olds who just want to be able to draw something and have it come out looking like something recognizable. If your niece is already at that level and wants to start to learn Art, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain is a little older than an 8-year-old's level (I think I first got my copy at 13), but a lot of the exercises and tools in it are really good for learning how to drawing concepts like perspective and shading.
posted by Mchelly at 10:39 AM on May 30, 2018
posted by Mchelly at 10:39 AM on May 30, 2018
When I was about that age, my uncle gave me a book on drawing for children. As I recall, it relied on using shapes as a base, e.g., a pear shape was the beginning of drawing a mouse (I doubt it exists anymore - this was in the 1960s). I loved that book and absolutely wore it out - and I use stuff I remember it to draw for my grandchildren. The nice thing about a book is that it gives your niece something she can keep going back to when you aren't there. Maybe that could be something to think about for later.
posted by FencingGal at 10:53 AM on May 30, 2018
posted by FencingGal at 10:53 AM on May 30, 2018
How about a little bit of art appreciation? Nothing too crazy but if she has a favorite artist or work of art, some explanation of the composition, color theory, art movement, etc, and why it works could be really impactful, and segue into doing your own experiments in different styles.
If you're visiting a place with beautiful scenery, it could be fun to find local artists and look at different interpretations of the same landscape before taking your own crack at it. An artist friend's little girl once told me she didn't want to draw because she couldn't do it as well as Mama could :'( so it could be good for her to see different levels of realism too.
posted by yeahlikethat at 11:24 AM on May 30, 2018
If you're visiting a place with beautiful scenery, it could be fun to find local artists and look at different interpretations of the same landscape before taking your own crack at it. An artist friend's little girl once told me she didn't want to draw because she couldn't do it as well as Mama could :'( so it could be good for her to see different levels of realism too.
posted by yeahlikethat at 11:24 AM on May 30, 2018
Response by poster: Thank you! These are all fantastic!
posted by banjonaut at 5:51 AM on June 1, 2018
posted by banjonaut at 5:51 AM on June 1, 2018
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If you can convey how to break down what she sees into basic shapes, she will have such a great foundation for drawing (and painting, and sculpture) for life!
posted by prewar lemonade at 5:41 AM on May 30, 2018 [13 favorites]