In his short life, famous artist Georges Seurat held a long-reaching paintbrush in his hand. His influence with that brush brought about a renewal of public interest in the Impressionist artists of the day. His paintings changed how our very eyes can be coaxed into seeing colors optically. Important painting masters such as Vincent Van Gogh and Pissarro used dots of colors that Seurat believed could revolutionize the art world. These artists were laughed at by art critics who called the technique pointillism as an insult!
The technique is still used and pointillism is no longer thought of as an insult. Modern 20th century Pop Art painters such as Roy Lichtenstein used this “fool the eye” technique. Lichtenstein turned pointillism into a highly successful career, his artwork selling in the millions to galleries and patrons worldwide.
“Some say they see poetry in my paintings; I see only science.”
– Georges Seurat
All due to a very young Frenchman, laboring away with his idea of dots or points of color.
Happy clouds! Happy trees! Famous artist Bob Ross made us believe that he was speaking to a single viewer. And, in doing so, he painted an illusion that he was giving us a private lesson.
Ross’ life was one of “happy coincidence” — the right art teacher taught him the perfect technique to finish an oil painting in 30 minutes. That skill was very useful years later as 30 minutes was the time that he would be given to film “Joy of Painting “ segments! Ross also flawlessly executed the saying that comic Steve Martin made famous: “Be so good that they can’t ignore you.”
We are still listening to and watching Bob Ross on television 25 years after his death. So, let’s put on a smock, get a palette with Van Dye brown paint, a big brush, and find out why this soft-spoken artist still lifts our spirits and fascinates us!
Nana is passionate about helping you realize you ARE an artist! Not only an artist with chalk pastels but with homeschooling, creative spaces, favorite family recipes and more. Nana also enjoys chatting – especially about art. If you have followed along with any of her You ARE an Artist video art lessons, you know that. She also enjoys sharing photos and thoughts on topics while she is being creative in her studio space on her back porch. That is where she will be chatting with you – from her back porch. It’s Nana’s You ARE an Artist Podcast!
-Special thanks to Erin Vincent and her artists for the beautiful photos.Visit her at Nourishing My Scholar.
Famous Artist Edgar Degas seemed to always be fighting for or against something! He never liked being called an “Impressionist”. He preferred to be called a “Realist” or an “Independent “ painter. But, actually, he was one of the Impressionists founders and organizers of its exhibitions. He was a core member. Degas’ choice of subject matter reflected a change to a modern way of painting. He loved painting folks at their daily work or jobs. Others looked down on this as a slice of Parisian low life – because they worked for a living.
By 1885, most of Degas’s more important works were painted in pastels. We will learn that he successfully combined painting and drawing when he was working with his brilliant colored pastels!
Nana is passionate about helping you realize you ARE an artist! Not only an artist with chalk pastels but with homeschooling, creative spaces, favorite family recipes and more. Nana also enjoys chatting – especially about art. If you have followed along with any of her You ARE an Artist video art lessons, you know that. She also enjoys sharing photos and thoughts on topics while she is being creative in her studio space on her back porch. That is where she will be chatting with you – from her back porch. It’s Nana’s You ARE an Artist Podcast!
-Special thanks to Erin Vincent and her artists for the beautiful photos.Visit her at Nourishing My Scholar.
Famous Artist Beatrix Potter, born on the 28th of July, 1866, is one of the world’s best-selling and most-loved children’s authors. She wrote and illustrated close to 30 children’s books.
Those books star Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-Duck and Benjamin Bunny. Her books have been translated into more than 35 languages and have sold more than 100 million copies! Beatrix Potter…SHE was REALLY an artist!
Come on, let’s go visit Hill Top Farm and meet all of her favorite animals!
“If I have done anything, even a little, to help small children enjoy honest, simple pleasures, I have done a bit of good.”
– Beatrix Potter
An Overview Of Our Beatrix Potter Study
Highlights
1:20 Beatrix’s Pets
2:33 Summers in Scotland
4:51 Beatrix’s Inspiration
6:43 Peter Rabbit
Additional Resources For Studying Famous Artists In Your Homeschool
Nana’s Beatrix Potter lesson is a part of our Famous Artists Series. We offer 47 famous artists video lessons for your homeschool including:
Nana is passionate about helping you realize you ARE an artist! Not only an artist with chalk pastels but with homeschooling, creative spaces, favorite family recipes and more. Nana also enjoys chatting – especially about art. If you have followed along with any of her You ARE an Artist video art lessons, you know that. She also enjoys sharing photos and thoughts on topics while she is being creative in her studio space on her back porch. That is where she will be chatting with you – from her back porch. It’s Nana’s You ARE an Artist Podcast!
-Special thanks to Erin Vincent and her artists for the beautiful photos.Visit her at Nourishing My Scholar.
This Leonardo da Vinci homeschool art lesson introduces his works of art and allows your child to create a Mona Lisa of their own!
Would you recognize a genius if you saw him just walking down the street? Do you think that that you could be successful in life if you had no formal education? Would you spend all your waking hours dreaming up outrageous inventions and machines?
If you had lived in Italy over 400 years ago—most townspeople in Florence would have rolled their eyes and chuckled—why, yes! That’s famous artist Leonardo da Vinci, of course! One of the world’s greatest artists.
Look, there he goes, off to test his latest invention: a flying machine! Everyone wants to know why isn’t he content as a magnificent artist? Quick, catch his cape and hold on! Let’s go follow this man reputed to be the genius of his generation. And, 400 years later, you will agree.
Yes, that’s Artist Leonardo da Vinci!
An Overview Of Our Leonardo da Vinci Mona Lisa Homeschool Study
Read Nana’s Famous Artist Leonardo da Vinci Transcript HERE.
Highlights
1:50 Artist Leonardo da Vinci’s Notebooks
3:47 The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper
4:31 Salvator Mundi
5:45 da Vinci’s Discoveries and Inventions
Learn More About Famous Artist Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and The Last Supper
Clubhouse members also receive an I Drew It Then I Knew It Famous Artists companion workbook full of art history, art projects. It is one of Nana’s fabulous online unit studies.
Nana is passionate about helping you realize you ARE an artist! Not only an artist with chalk pastels but with homeschooling, creative spaces, favorite family recipes and more. Nana also enjoys chatting – especially about art. If you have followed along with any of her You ARE an Artist video art lessons, you know that. She also enjoys sharing photos and thoughts on topics while she is being creative in her studio space on her back porch. That is where she will be chatting with you – from her back porch. It’s Nana’s You ARE an Artist Podcast!
-Special thanks to Erin Vincent and her artists for the beautiful photos.Visit her at Nourishing My Scholar.
I’m taking your hand as we walk through the Vatican in Rome, Italy. We will look up at the magnificent Sistine Chapel paintings. We will marvel at how famous artist Michelangelo worked for over four years in paint and wet plaster to give the world these stories from the Bible. Then we will gaze at his beautifully carved sculptures that seem to live and breathe! This is ART at its best! Ready? Let’s go!
“The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.”
Nana is passionate about helping you realize you ARE an artist! Not only an artist with chalk pastels but with homeschooling, creative spaces, favorite family recipes and more. Nana also enjoys chatting – especially about art. If you have followed along with any of her You ARE an Artist video art lessons, you know that. She also enjoys sharing photos and thoughts on topics while she is being creative in her studio space on her back porch. That is where she will be chatting with you – from her back porch. It’s Nana’s You ARE an Artist Podcast!
-Special thanks to Erin Vincent and her artists for the beautiful photos.Visit her at Nourishing My Scholar.
Incorporating Chalk Pastel Art into our homeschool adventures this year has secured such a special place in the hearts of my children. Through the encouraging lessons with Nana, my artists have explored Noah’s Ark, splitting the Red Sea with Moses, taken joy in that holy night of our Savior’s birth, and celebrated the risen Lord. We’ve incorporated chalk pastel art with our early America history lessons, setting sail on the Mayflower, painting a visual map of the Pilgrims’ expedition. My honorable queen and brave kings traveled through the Wardrobe to a far-off land called Narnia, painting the frosty lamp post and mighty lion, Aslan. My valiant knights, smitten with imagination, courageously drew swords and shields, pretending to battle evil, all through the combination of lovely art and the substance of rich literature. This type of fruitful learning through Chalk Pastel Art has proven beneficial for all of my children, especially for my son with special needs. I want to share with you just how chalk pastel art has benefited my son with learning differences.
How Chalk Pastel Art Has Benefited My Son with Learning Differences
As a mom of a child with special needs, I am often searching for courses or activities that best meet his learning style. With the abundance of materials that are offered, this task can become quite overwhelming. Finding programs that work and meet his needs in so many different ways, is like gold. He absorbs information best with a multi-sensory approach, consistency, and repetition. I have witnessed the benefits of using chalk pastels with Nana, by watching my special needs son grow through the consistency and repetition of art lessons. Below I have included and explained how the use of chalk pastels has helped my son in so many ways.
Chalk Pastels Encourage Fine Motor Skills, Coordination, and Cognition
Using chalk pastels encourages fine motor skills, coordination, and cognition. While creating works of art with chalk pastels, my son has discovered that the way he holds the chalk pastels creates a certain effect. For example, painting with the pointed edge of a pastel creates a different outcome than when painting holding the entire pastel sideways. Also, my son has learned that different strokes and motions produce diverse results. The outcome of painting in a circular motion will lend a different effect than using upward or downward strokes. This is the same for using his fingers to blend colors and create shadows. Painting fine lines and straight lines (when needed) inspires working slowly and paying attention to intricate detail. This all exercises the area of the brain that uses fine motor skills! The process of planning and hand-eye coordination are all bundled together in just one art lesson!
Multi-sensory Approach to Learning
Art supports a multi-sensory approach to learning. My son learns the best when visual, auditory, and tactile learning are woven together. Many of the lessons offered through Chalk Pastel Art correspond with the topics and books we study in our homeschool. Nana not only teaches art with chalk pastels; she also elaborates on the subjects she paints. For example, in our homeschool, for our American History lessons, we studied the pilgrims. Chalk Pastel Art offers art lessons pertaining to Early America. My son was able to hear and listen (auditory) to a lesson about the pilgrims through Nana, watch her paint (visual), and draw it using chalk pastels (tactile)! When all done, the painting resulted in a fine picture, which provided a visual (visual again) relevant to the lesson in our own homeschool studies. “You Drew It, Then You Knew It!”
Art Lessons Improve Receptive and Expressive Language
Art lessons have improved receptive and expressive language. At four, my son was diagnosed with Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), a neurological speech disorder that affects the planning of speech and all the necessary steps needed to produce intelligible speech. Due to his limited language, at times, I do not know everything he understands receptively, meaning the language he understands when someone is speaking to him or giving directions. Art lessons through Chalk Pastel Art helps assess the instructions he is understanding and the language he doesn’t understand. During a lesson, Nana may give a gentle instruction to “turn the chalk pastel on its side”. If my son doesn’t understand that he needs to turn the pastel “on its side”, I know he receptively doesn’t understand this directive. This presents a fruitful opportunity for development in his receptive language. This is the beauty of art lessons. My son has the ability to learn, it just doesn’t arrive as easily and quickly. A combination of my son watching Nana and a little guidance showing him how to hold the pastel, allows him to be nurtured in this area! I have witnessed this time and time again.
Expressive language is the language he can verbalize or “express”. This and building vocabulary intertwine with one another. There are art lessons he completes independently, but many of the lessons, he and I complete together. Not only does this pave the way for one-on-one time together, it also grants an opportunity for discussion. My son and I are able to discuss what we are painting and the lesson. I often hear Isaiah repeat many of the words Nana says and he asks a lot of questions. This is such a wonderful avenue for my son to express himself through the beautiful combination of art and language.
Art Lessons Encourage Multiple Step Instructions
Art lessons encourage following multiple step instructions. For a child with learning disabilities and receptive language challenges, following multiple step instructions can be difficult. Often times, words may need repeating and instructions given in more explicit, smaller chunks. Through virtual art lessons with Nana, both my son and I are able to listen and watch, then push pause if needed. This is so accommodating for me because I am learning chalk pastels right along with my son. Watching Nana benefits me in a way that I can better serve my son as a homeschooling mom. When he doesn’t understand the directions, I learn from Nana first. Then I can show my son how to paint, repeat any directives from Nana, and, if needed, provide more instruction. I have watched my son grow in this area so much. When I look at his first painting of Noah’s Ark almost a year ago, I see progress. With practice and consistency, following multiple step instructions improves over time. And art lessons inspire my son to listen to instructions in such a fun and engaging way!
Art Boosts Confidence
Art boosts my son’s confidence. Academics isn’t easy for my son. He works really hard at it. Most things don’t come easy for him. Something as simple as talking for my other children is a breeze while my son has struggled with it all of his life. This can wear on a mom’s heart. Chalk Pastel Art has offered an effective way for my son to blossom in so many of the areas that present challenges for him. This is done in such a pleasant and enjoyable way. The lessons are gentle, timely, and colorful. When he feels painting something is hard, Nana’s tender voice and encouraging words of “You are an artist”, “This is your painting” spurs him on. As his siblings and dad look at his work of art and give many compliments, he is encouraged. When he works through the areas that challenge him, he sees the fruit of hard work and the stunning works of art he creates. He is brimming with smiles and is joyful of his work! This is beyond what a mom could ask for. I look at his paintings, I look at his smile, and I am in awe of his accomplishments. And I am so proud, and I am so thankful. I thoroughly enjoy the time I am allowed with my son through art lessons. I truly enjoy the learning experience and the growth. The fond memories I will treasure forever.
Chalk Pastel Art not only brings the beauty of fine painting, it also weaves together a wide array of rich learning, creating such an awe-inspiring masterpiece in my son.
Jamie is the author of A Brown Bear’s Language Arts Study (coming soon!), a literature-inspired homeschool mom of seven, and a former educator. She enjoys a bookshelf bursting with colorful picture books and children’s stories of all genres. Indulging in a read aloud with all of her children around her is one of Jamie’s favorite moments of her days. Be sure to find Jamie on Instagram so you will be the first to know when her language arts study is available and to be encouraged by all her learning adventures with her wonderful family.
The world treasures Sir Winston Churchill as a soldier, statesman, orator, author and Prime Minister to the King of England and his daughter who now sits on the throne as the longest serving monarch the world has ever known. But do you know about the famous artist Winston Churchill?
“Just to paint is great fun. The colors are lovely to look at and delicious to squeeze out. Matching them, however crudely, with what you see is fascinating and absolutely absorbing.”
– Winston Churchill
In his later years in retirement, he described his paintings as “duels” with intimidating canvases as a battle of wills, which could finally be won with a display of forceful, brilliant colors…and said, with a sigh, “I rejoice with the brilliant ones, and am genuinely sorry for the poor brown colors.” Step into history with us as we see how a great British statesman found a source of delight and a relief from the stress of his career. He proudly painted in oils and pastel chalks, producing over 550 paintings, helping him to hone his powers of observation, memory and visual acuity.
Famous Artist Winston Churchill Show Notes
Enjoy painting Sir Winston Churchill after listening to Nana’s podcast!
Don’t miss this fabulous Great Britain Themed Art which includes Churchill, Queen Elizabeth II, Big Ben, a map of the British Isles, WWII helmet and more!
Nana is passionate about helping you realize you ARE an artist! Not only an artist with chalk pastels but with homeschooling, creative spaces, favorite family recipes and more. Nana also enjoys chatting – especially about art. If you have followed along with any of her You ARE an Artist video art lessons, you know that. She also enjoys sharing photos and thoughts on topics while she is being creative in her studio space on her back porch. That is where she will be chatting with you – from her back porch. It’s Nana’s You ARE an Artist Podcast!
-Special thanks to Erin Vincent and her artists for the beautiful photos.Be sure to visit her at Nourishing My Scholar.
Have you ever fallen in love with a bird that you saw outside in your yard? I did. I was blessed to see an Indigo Bunting perched on my fence in the backyard. Literally my heart stopped – he was so incredibly beautiful! Perhaps this was Famous Artist John James Audubon’s thought when he arrived in the wild, ancient forests of a young America!
All those heart-stopping beautiful birds that Audubon saw in the wilderness. They MUST be painted and each detail recorded! His stunning portraits of our American birds give us a rare look at what was in our forests in the 1820s. Some of those birds, sadly, do not exist today.
Come on! Grab a saddlebag and join us as we explore the forests of early America and see this great country through the eyes of famous artist John James Audubon!
“Never give up listening to the sounds of birds!”
– John James Audubon
Famous Artist John James Audubon For Your Homeschool
Find out all about Nana’s Chalk Pastel Bird Study and all the birds you can paint! Not only does Nana have chalk pastel bird lessons, she has acrylic lessons too.
Nana is passionate about helping you realize you ARE an artist! Not only an artist with chalk pastels but with homeschooling, creative spaces, favorite family recipes and more. Nana also enjoys chatting – especially about art. If you have followed along with any of her You ARE an Artist video art lessons, you know that. She also enjoys sharing photos and thoughts on topics while she is being creative in her studio space on her back porch. That is where she will be chatting with you – from her back porch. It’s Nana’s You ARE an Artist Podcast!
-Special thanks to Erin Vincent and her artists for the beautiful photos.Visit her at Nourishing My Scholar.
This homeschool study includes everything you need for a hands-on approach to learning about Vincent Van Gogh.
Famous Artist Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most gifted artists that ever lived. Van Gogh only painted for a little longer than ten years, but he produced over 2,000 pieces of art!
Some of Van Gogh’s most famous and celebrated paintings are his Sunflowers. Each sunflower is different in color and placement…either in a vase or left in a field of flowers! It is said that he painted sunflowers in a yellow house that he rented in Arles, France. He rented the house for the visit of his friend, Paul Gauguin.
An Overview Of Our Vincent Van Gogh Homeschool Study
Today, our lesson is on a very famous painting that he created towards the end of his life, the iconic “Starry Night.” The night sky has his famous broken line circles that you will learn how to paint yourself! This style is now known world wide but not during the time Van Gogh was alive. At the time of his death the world was not ready to embrace his style and flamboyant use of color.
Years after he passed away, Vincent Van Gogh has become one of the most successful artists in history – his paintings commanding millions today.
Nana is passionate about helping you realize you ARE an artist! Not only an artist with chalk pastels but with homeschooling, creative spaces, favorite family recipes and more. Nana also enjoys chatting – especially about art. If you have followed along with any of her You ARE an Artist video art lessons, you know that. She also enjoys sharing photos and thoughts on topics while she is being creative in her studio space on her back porch. That is where she will be chatting with you – from her back porch. It’s Nana’s You ARE an Artist Podcast!
-Special thanks to Erin Vincent and her artists for the beautiful photos.Visit her at Nourishing My Scholar.
