Stephanie 
Did you know artists of the past used a tool called the camera obscura to enhance the realism in their artworks? The great Johannes Vermeer is one of the most notable painters who used this tool. A camera obscura projects an image of the subject onto a surface so the artist could trace it. My … Read more
My five year old son, Des, is like a speed train with endless energy. He rises with sun and is eager to start to his day. Few things keep his attention long, but I’m amazed at how he can focus on building things and drawing. That’s his thing. I consider myself a lucky art teacher … Read more
Looking for some art inspiration? Take the #birthdayCOLORchallenge. For this creative challenge, you will use your birthday to generate a random color scheme with 5 colors and a setting for your artwork. In this tutorial, I will show you some tips, tricks, and a video tutorial of how I accomplish my own birthday prompt (a … Read more
Step by step tutorial of how to draw a fun perspective drawing from an “alien’s point of view.”
If you are new to digital drawing, it can be overwhelming trying to decide what program to use. There are so many fantastic programs with so much capability. There is one free program that I’ve found to be a perfect introductory tool for beginning digital artists…. www.kleki.com! As an art teacher, I’ve seen so many … Read more
One of my favorite topics to teach in my art class, no matter what the age or skill level, is divergent thinking. What is divergent thinking? One of my favorite videos to introduce divergent thinking to my students is the lecture by Ken Robinson. Divergent thinking is the ability to come up with multiple solutions … Read more
I’ve been totally blown away lately by the dutch still life painters of the 17th century. Take a look at this painting by Maria van Oosterwyck’s painting “Bouquet of Flowers in a Vase. “ Holy bagumba! I’m so impressed by the detail and realism van Oosterwyck captured in the 1600’s WITHOUT technology and often hand … Read more
Etching away on a piece of scratchboard is so satisfying to me. It creates instant contrast of black and white to make eye catching artworks. This post is going to teach you all about scratchart, materials needed, show you how to create an etching from start to finish. Also, there is a video tutorial! What … Read more
If there is anything the world has learned from having their kiddos home during the pandemic, it’s that teachers deserve lots of love and appreciation! Every year, there is a week of Teacher Appreciation dedicated to honoring teachers (usually the first week of May). So, how can art teachers help to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week … Read more