Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.
Last Fall, we went to the beach and were met with several rainy days. There happened to be a Hobby Lobby just down the road so we ventured out and loaded up on art supplies to pass the time. I grabbed a set of water color pencils while we were there and promptly realized I had no idea what I was doing with them. I asked my super artistic son to help me out and he was clueless as well. We were both very excited when the opportunity to review Beginner Level, Art Core 2, Painting with Watercolor Pencils from Artistic Pursuits.
I live in a house full of artists.. so any time I can provide materials to further their experience, I am excited. We received a hard copy book in the mail as well as access to the online course. The course access we received is for 2 years. The book also came with a 2 disc instructional set. The course is recommended for 4th grade and up. All my kids (inlcuding the 3rd grader) were able to join in and enjoy the course.
The course includes four types of lessons:
- Art Materials: Video Instruction
- Creativity: Building a Visual Vocabulary
- Art Appreciation and History: American
- Master Lesson: Assimilating Knowledge and Skills
It is recommended to schedule two classes per week. This is a course students can work through independently. The time suggested per lesson is about an hour… however that could vary depending on your child’s learning style and personality.
Ok. I really love this program. It is super easy to follow and very engaging. I love the video component. One of my favorite aspects is the Art Appreciation. This year, I have been putting together a World History course for my tenth grader. Because of his love of art, we have a heavy art history component. I have been able to fold in Beginner Level, Art Core 2, Painting with Watercolor Pencils without causing too much extra “school” stress for him. The course compliments what he is doing wonderfully. I love that the book also has a “student gallery” where you can see examples from real life kids and not just the instructor.
The first lessons focus a lot on the materials and the color wheel. It was interesting to see how the quality of the pencils affect your work. We purchased one of the more pricey sets of pencils (because they were 50% off… thank you Hobby Lobby) and could see how well the colors blended and spread as we added water. We practiced color wheels with primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. You will need to purchase your own water color pencils and paper.
Rather than going outside and drawing what we saw, we gave a try at copying the picture provided in the lesson. This way, we were able to follow along with the video and practice using the brushes and techniques just like the instructor. Learning how to use the water color pencils and different size brushes was super helpful. Once everyone gains a little more confidence, we will head outside and draw/ paint what we see.
Whether you are a confident art teacher or not, Artistic Pursuits is a wonderful choice for adding art education and art history into your homeschool. You do not have to be super artistic to utilize the program.
Be sure to follow Artistic Pursuits:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtisticPursuitsInc
Twitter: @ARTisticPursui1
Instagram: @artisticpursuitsinc
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk75eIpDhZUqbr1On5xEQJQ
Members of the Review Crew reviewed several different products, inlcuding Painting With Water Color Pencils. Be sure to check out what they have to say. Click on the banner below:
