Studying the Masters is an integral part of learning how to appreciate and create art. Making that process a delight for your scholars is one way to ensure that even if they are not an up and coming master, they appreciate works of beauty, of interest, and even of absurdity. Here is an intro to a fantastic new course coming out in August! And the best part? You can select single artists if you do not wish to study them all right now!

In Mixing with the Masters Volume 1, you get to meet 6 Masters: Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt van Rijn, Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, and Georgia O’Keeffe.

I have a story that relates to Picasso. If you know much about him, you have perhaps encountered the name of Francoise Gilot. She was his mistress and the mother to Claude and Paloma Picasso. I had the pleasure of hearing her speak a few years ago. She is fascinating and while she touched on Picasso, she didn’t need him to make her story interesting. She was nearly imprisoned by the Nazis while a student, she ended up married to Jonas Salk, the inventor of the polio vaccine, and she is a very accomplished artist in her own right. Her paintings are elegant, not as visceral as Picasso, but still very saturated and very much her own style. She recalled going very early in the mornings to Picasso’s studio to light the fire so it would be warm when he showed up there around noon. The spark that must have attracted him was still very much present.

Artists in general are fascinating. They see the world through a different lens than most of us. They have a whimsy and depth that crafts a story so much richer than the everyday seems when you are in the midst of it. That view is what I hope to impart to my boys as we explore and create through our homeschool journey.

Mixing with the Masters

Mixing with the Masters is from our favorite Art Instructor, Alisha. Here’s what she says about this awesome new course!

Mixing with the Masters will give you and your kids a FUN, hands-on way to connect with the old masters and some of their most famous works. By becoming involved in the same processes these artists used, the elements and principles of art will come ALIVE!

In this first volume,* we will study six artists from various eras and movements. We will learn about their lives, art styles, techniques, mediums, and genres.

Then comes the really fun part:

We will recreate a few of their most famous pieces, giving each our own mixed media twist! 

This series will be a whimsical and highly enjoyable one – a way to learn about famous artists and their works by getting our own hands dirty and using our “artistic license” at the same time. We will go much deeper than your typical artist studies with “fill-in-the-blank” worksheets, coloring pages, or paper crafting. In these lessons, each piece will be a unique work of art that will help to encourage your child to explore his or her creative talents.

My desire for this workshop is threefold:

1. to ignite a love, even passion, for the old masters and their works
2. to encourage kids and teens to actively engage in the art process and have FUN doing so
3. to inspire them to utilize and further develop their own God-given creativity

Here is what is included with Mixing with the Masters

In this workshop for kids ages 8 and up (tweens, teens, & moms too), we will be exploring and experimenting with various art forms including:

• Sketching & charcoal drawing
• Acrylic painting techniques, such as:
  • Fresco
  • Chiaroscuro
  • Impasto
  • Alla Prima
  • Gradient
• Watercolor painting
• Pastel painting
• Wax resist
• Collage art
• And MORE!

This e-Course will be spread over six weeks, with detailed videos and supply lists of each project. Each unique art piece will reflect the artist’s original style and intent, but we will playfully reconstruct it in our own whimsical way.

18 different art lessons altogether (3 per artist), plus 6 art challenges!

In addition to the art lessons, there will be:

• A short biographaphical video on each artist
• Printable PDF study guides
• A weekly student “challenge”
• Printable patterns and templates
• Inspirational quotes by each artist
• Suggested books, videos, and websites for further learning
• Private Facebook group in which to share students’ works of art

Mr. T is so excited to start learning about these new painting styles. And I’m going to let Mr. F try his hand at a lesson or two alongside us. Which artist are you most excited to study in Mixing with the Masters?