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What a privilege! We were given the opportunity to review Artistic Pursuits, Book 2 for grades K-3. What a great way to study art! The book is divided into 32 lessons and each lesson contains projects for your students. Each of the Artistic Pursuits books is uniquely different, but this particular book covers Gothic, Renaissance, and Academy Art of the 18th Century featuring artis such as Cimabue, Giotto and Van Eyck, all the way to Vermeer, Fragonard, Turner and Millet. A materials list is printed in the front that groups the materials together (i.e. paint, drawing, printmaking, etc.) so that you know exactly what you need to conduct that lesson.
With 32 lessons, there are 16 artists and then 16 projects. You and your child can dive into the history of the artist, read through a fictional story that about that artist and what was going on in that artist's world and in the world around him. Then, your own little artist has the chance to work on a project, whether it's painting, sculpting, drawing, or scratch art. What I really like about this program is the background given on the artists, the era in which they lived, their techniques, as well as the beautiful pictures that the artists created. The pictures of the works of art are beautiful. My children were able to see beautiful works of art right in the book and in some cases, even enlarged portions of the pictures for more details. In taking that one step further, they could then try out that particular technique or feature with the projects. And, depending on your child's interest, this curriculum provides a great way to introduce new bits and pieces of history and geography as you study the artists. As an example, we studied lesson #8: Jean Arnolfini and His Wife by Van Eyck. The lesson included a brief history of the customs of the time and the significance of the items in the painting. We were able to dive into the painting and really get a good study out of it. Then, we did the corresponding project of layering oil pastels in our own masterpieces. And when I say "we", I mean the children and me. I LOVE ART! I love studying it and creating it - whether it's drawing, painting, sculpting, whatever it is (I love it!). So, anytime we do an art lesson, I'm right in the middle of it with my children. Plus, it's a great way to spend some time with my children, exploring our creativity and afterwards we show our masterpieces to hubby / daddy. Needless to say that Artistic Pursuits is definitely at the top of my list for art curriculums! In summary:
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