Good Start!

My first week of summer classes at the Pear Tree started today ... it was a good start and I think the students all learned a few new tricks. I will post some of the work as the week continues.

I am so lucky to be able to teach. I communicate with my students and bring out the best in the ones that are there to learn.

Check back in to see what the projects look like.

Remember to set some of your own goals and DRAW!

IT's the berries ....

I had the daffodil lesson ready to go for my afternoon One on One Class and the student wrinkled her nose ... "I  like berries (not daffodils)."

So, we went forward with a cute little painting idea of leaves and berries instead of  my favorite yellow flowers.

It caught me off guard at first,
even though I tell my students the classes are their time and encourage their ideas.
Most of my students are comfortable with my ideas and give suggestions for "next time".
This was a roll with the punches lesson that turned out well (thankfully) and the student was very pleased with her painting and I (giggle) was pleased with mine as well.

I think it helped me get away from my regular subject "comfort zone". As a teacher, I invent several lessons and subject approaches every week and it was enlightening to just jump into the berries ... not a subject I have selected for myself over the years.

So the insightful lesson for the day ... don't get suck in a rut, it can happen to us all!

Try spontaneous selection for your warm ups or sketches.

I tell my students to sketch the alphabet (skipping letters if they can not think of anything and returning to those letters, later). I now think I will encourage this practice even more often.

I am off to the studio, preparing to teach my Wednesday watercolor class this afternoon, Magnolia Blossoms .... unless they want berries!

Autumn ... the love of leaves......

I love 'em and use the "leaf" as a teaching tool every year ... I never tire of the color and shape ... they are plentiful where I live and FREE!!!

Oak, maple, ginkgo ... just to name a few!
I am using leaves as subjects myself and with my students!

I encourage you to collect some now for their color but select ones that have interesting shapes and you can adjust the color to fit you mood.

Find an older book (garage sale, library sale, resale shop) with absorbent paper for pages, (modern paper can sometimes be too slick and coated which does not work as well). Have one book dedicated for leaves. Whenever you are out and see an interesting leaf, take it home and place it in the specified book. Store the book under a stack of other books for the weight and pressure needed to PRESS the leaves. I am experimenting with the telephone book that just got replaced with the new, smaller one. The paper seems absorbent enough and IT"S FREE!!!!

When you are stumped for a subject, pull out the leaf book and work with one of the collected beauties. Share them with others and trade with them if they have ones you are missing. When I am done for the session, I place the leaves back in the book for another time.

Have fun!!!!

Followers!

Hello!!! What a pleasant surprise!!!! (Giggle giggle!)
I have a few more followers!

Thank you for clicking in here and I hope you will return often. I try to talk about things that will help us grow and become better at what we do, whether it is draw, paint or just communicate with the people around us!