This book is for Mommy, Daddy, and any adult
who desires to give a child of three, four, or five an early experience with the
processes of making art. It is not a coloring book. It is not an activity book.
It begins at the true beginning of any artistic production, seeing. Our children
can only make art from what they know, so if we want our children to create
original works of art, they must be made aware of the world in which they live.
Caring adults can nurture this awareness and bring it to life in a child. This
book shows you how. Discussions on the nature of children's artistic development
will help you see and understand your child's art better. You will learn methods
of teaching using real-world examples that work with the purposes children have
for making art. Rather than imposing rigid requirements of drawing straight
lines and creating perfect circles, here children become observers and learn the
value of focusing on the outside edges of what they see and do so with whatever
motor skills they posses at the time. Skills develop naturally as children
continue to make art.
Creating art has more going for it than making pretty pictures.
Making art requires children to make their own decisions about their picture and
that produces sharper thinking skills. Fine motor skills are developed as
children draw, which helps to improve handwriting. Communication skills and
story sequencing skills develop as children
talk about the pictures they produce. This book will suggest ways to turn art
times into real educational experiences, resulting in enthusiastic artists who
are ready to learn more, see more, and create more art!
No previous knowledge of art concepts is
required on the part of adult or child. YES, you can give your child wonderful
art experiences, that will help him or her to progress smoothly through the natural
stages of artistic development, regardless of whether you can draw a stick
figure or not. You will also gain a perspective that allows you to appreciate
what they produce at any age.
19 lessons include a Grown-Up Talk that
will help you understand children's artistic development, the different
approaches they use, and the reasons children make art. Informative boxes at the
bottom of the page offer practical tips when teaching art to young children.
A project you can do with your child follows. Each
project is a practical application of the idea presented on the parent page.
Projects are designed to give young children lots of practice with using their
hands and fingers to make marks, using a scissors, handling crayons, or a brush.
Materials needed for the book can be found in any department store: crayons,
markers, Play-Doh, finger paint, poster paint, scissors and construction paper.
A few home-made recipes are included. Student examples are included so that you
can see what other children have produced.
"From the fist page of, The Way They SEE It, parents
receive great insight into the artistic development of young children. In
addition, Ellis offers practical sound advice in regards to art supplies." -
Homeschool Parent - Regenia Spoerndle / Ohio
Too many people tell of strict art instruction where
children are to do as the teacher says, without regard to their own thoughts and
observations. Here instead of teaching children that the light blue crayon is
the color we make the sky, they are taught to look at the sky for inspiration.
We suggest doing this during a sunrise or sunset. Children learn to be observant
and will continually look to the sky for new colors. Even children who are not
yet drawing objects can learn to observe nature after this simple lesson.
"Comparing my student's experiences helped me realize
the beauty of the flexibility of the projects. Whether you have a speedy artist
or a child who wishes to create art for hours on end, the projects are easily
adapted to satisfy each personality. My budding artists are excited that there
will be many more days filled with color, design and learning to see the world
through the eyes of an artist."
- Homeschool Parent- Regenia Spoerndle / Ohio
The First Skills Section follows the nineteen lessons and
shows parents how to teach their children to use art tools correctly, setting
them up for success in art and later for writing. This page shows the proper
position for holding a pencil or marker. The First Skills section contains
thirteen additional projects for Preschoolers so that they can practice use of
the tools in creative ways.
The best place for your child to learn is right beside
you. Parents teach
children how to learn when they challenge themselves to learn new things and
then meet those challenges with laughter and fun. This book is designed to be a
fun start in art for the preschool child and an easy, enjoyable experience for
parent and child together. Enjoy the art that is produced. Children who continue
to create are children who have an adult that appreciates and values what is
produced. Your role is to praise and encourage. Isn't that what you want to do
anyway? Start today!
The Way They SEE It, ISBN
978-0-9815982-0-8........USA........$42.95
