There are some things that are easy to teach. Math, for instance, though arguably not easy to learn, is easy enough to teach. There is counting, followed by addition, followed by subtraction, multiplication, division and so on. Everyone knows the set of things that ought to be taught–how to go about that may be another matter–but we have all learned math, and we all know, to some degree of proficiency or other, how to pass that on.
Other things come less easily. Art, for me, is one of those things.
While I’ve always appreciated art, and always had an artistic bent, I’ve never had much formal education in art, and generally have felt like one on the outside looking in when it comes to things artistic. It’s one of those subject areas that, we’re often given the impression, can’t be taught.
That’s why A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels is so brilliant. Gently and persuasively, Tricia Hodges (of HodgePodge.me blog) and Lucia Hames (Nana) lead the reader into a series of tutorials that anyone can do. As evidence of this notion, sprinkled among the tutorials are pictures of the messy fingers and completed masterpieces of Hodges’ five children–from preschoolers to high schoolers.
The tutorials in the book were born one day when “Nana,” snowed in at the Hodges, pulled out her chalk pastels and began a lesson. We’re so very glad she did. Hodges has published those lessons on her blog, and now compiled them into the handy format of an ebook. It’s so nice to have these tutorials in a format that can be printed out and easily viewed by everyone working on the art together, and also for planning purposes.
Our family has gotten to know “Nana” (and that is what we call her) through her art tutorials, and we have made it a regular part of our art afternoons. These lessons have made art seem so much more “doable.” Though my kids sometimes struggle with perfectionistic tendencies (I can’t imagine where that comes from!), they have learned that chalk pastels are a forgiving medium, and they can make mistakes, get messy and come up with their own individual expression of an art piece. Just take a look at what our children have been able to produce with the simple instructions from these tutorials, and you’ll understand my enthusiasm:
It’s nice to see “Nana’s” art, but it’s equally wonderful to see the same piece attempted by a child, and Hodges and Hames’ book is filled with pictures of Hodges’ kids’ art.
The book itself contains:
- an introduction to Hodges and Nana
- Nana’s impressive artistic qualifications
- suggested supplies for doing the art
- some tips for getting started
- how to let go of the notion that it’s “too messy.”
Then the tutorials begin, with an impressive list of almost 50 tutorials, as well as bonus tutorials only available to those who purchase the book. Finally, there is a list of resources for going further with art–not just chalk pastels, but other media as well.
These tutorials have been a real answer to our family for art time. While we’ve found other instructional resources we use as well, this one just gets us down and dirty DOING art. I always join in, and I’m always pleased with my own results.
If you are hesitating about whether or not to buy this book, or whether to begin your artistic career with chalk pastels, I encourage you to take the plunge. And to make that even easier, Tricia Hodges is giving away TWO copies of this fabulous ebook. If you can’t wait, Tricia has also generously offered this discount code for readers of my blog: Receive $5 off through 2-28-13 using discount code CJC.
Enter below to win:
{And don’t forget to check out Tricia Hodges’ blog today for a beautiful
new art lesson from Nana especially for Valentine’s Day!}
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Carey – you have captured the ‘heart’ of our hope for fellow families! I so enjoyed seeing your finished art pieces and hearing about the joy pastels have brought for you and your children. How happy it makes me to read “These tutorials have been a real answer to our family for art time.” Thank you for a wonderful review!
I’m so glad you’re pleased, Tricia. We are truly grateful to you and Nana :)
Ohhh Pick me !! LOL We love art at my house. My son is so artistic. He loves to draw thats what he does all day long. He even carried a notebook around when we went to a dinosaur museum. He wanted to draw the dinosaurs but his siblings had other run around type of plans. We homeschool and have been using artist pursuits curriculum. I’d love to try the pastel books.
Nikki
Sounds like my family! They spend hours just sitting and drawing, but I’m always looking for formal instruction to lead them deeper and give them experience with different media. I’ll cross my fingers for you ;)
I have just one at this time homeschooling. She’s done a couple of Hodgepodge’s videos. I’ve also purchased a couple of art instruction dvd, Mike’s Inspiritation Station and most recently Homeartstudio.
Thanks for visiting, Barb. I have heard of Mark’s Inspiration Station, but not Homeart Studio. I’ll have to check that out.
We have been using Classical Conversations (Great Artists) and I Can Do All Things books. But this looks amazing. Thanks for sharing.
Oooh, this is wonderful. I’m learning about so many resources I’d never heard about before. More internet research to do! ;)
We love the chalk pastel tutorials at our house! We just did the shed in the snow one yesterday. It’s a great thing that Hodges and Nana have provided to the homeschooling community.
I’ve had my eye on the shed in the snow too! Beautiful. We’re doing the bird ones this month to correspond with the Handbook of Nature Study lessons from Harmony Arts Mom, but I think we’ll do a few snowy ones after that, before winter is officially over here.
We don’t really study art. I would like for us to, but I don’t really know how to go about it. I would love to win this book to help me teach art.
Fingers crossed,
Melissa B.
mbabecka@gmail.com
Michelle, if you don’t win, I hope you’ll consider buying the book. It’s a wonderful thing to see the sense of accomplishment when your kids have produced something so beautiful.
Sometimes at a homeschool co-op, sometimes with art books from the library.
Thanks for stopping by! My favorite art books are the ones by Mike Venezia, but since there’s no library here, we have to buy them all. I’ve thought about buying the videos, but maybe another year, another homeschool budget :)
I can’t wait to dig into this in our home!! You did a fabulous job and I can’t wait to see more of your finished art work!
Rebecca, We’re planning to join the “Virtual Refrigerator” a lot more often and post our artistic successes.
I could use some real hand holding for our art instruction. This sounds doable and enjoyable. Thanks for the review with the lovely pictures.
You’re welcome. It was so much fun doing it!
We do not “study” art yet.. my oldest is just 8. We do have Art Time each week though!
This has been on my list.. Thanks for the review. I think this would make a great addition to our art program.
OH! I think I visited Hodgepodge last year some time! Thank you for the reminder! Her tutorials are just fantastic, and to have them all in one place? Super! :) Pretty pictures to grace your walls now! :D (Even simple construction paper frames work, if you don’t have time for real ones just yet). I *do* hope you are displaying them! :D
Our homeschool room is wonderful! If it’s missing anything, though, it would be wall space. It’s got a great sloped ceiling and lots of light, but that makes for a rather low wall on one end, and the opposing wall is a solid frosted window facing the great room. It really is wonderful with lots of natural light, but not so much wall space. We have an art frame we’ve hung on the door that accommodates 6 pieces of art at a time, so each child has two spaces–a landscape and a portrait–to display their art in. And we do have some hung on cupboard doors.
Hah! I might as well enter your give-away while I’m here…. ;)
Eldest is somewhat a self-taught pencil artist ~ She loves to draw scenery and portraits from photographs. She’s getting pretty good at it, too!
Middlest~ well, we’ve done a little bit of this and that~ FIAR art lessons that are incorporated in the Unit Studies, A little bit of Artistic Pursuits when he was in 3rd grade, and some of the “Discovering Great Artists” projects when we were in a co-op years ago.
I haven’t been as intentional with my youngest… need to get started on that! :)
We study art during our weekly Classical Conversations group. This book looks great! I love books that walk us all the way through the projects.
For art, we try various ideas I find on the internet. We study some famous artists and do some holiday-based art. Always looking for more ideas!