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Art Skills You Need To Enroll Your Kids For

Jun 28 by
oil painting classes online

Creative arts and expression go hand in hand. Child development receives a boost from art exposure and exploration. It is never too early to begin art exploration and intellectual curiosity is stimulated in many ways. Even babies and toddlers show interest in color concepts, textures, art tastes and skills with time and exposure. Read on for some great ideas about various art options to sign your child up for.

Finger Painting

It may seem juvenile but group finger painting classes offer experimentation opportunities and readily available supplies. Setup and cleanup are taken care of by the art studio, keeping the mess outside of the home. Another option involves setting up a more informal toddler art class with friends or family members and rotating homes for parent-led sessions. Finger paint is easily available for purchase or can be made at home. Brushes and rollers can be incorporated for interest. Young children often enjoy such tactile experiences. It is a great way to mix colors and create art while strengthening fingers and small hands.

Oil Painting

Oil painting classes also offer the chance to experiment with color combinations and various painting techniques. Oil painting is a great option for older children and youth, as well as adults. Students in these classes explore solvents and experiment with glossiness and color theory. They also learn about realistic and abstract painting techniques and the components of each. It is especially helpful to gain familiarity with famous paintings and painters from history and to learn about the historical significance of these artists and pieces of artwork. Children enrolled in these types of classes gain realization of the way various people interpret the world around them as well as their own inner thoughts. Check out online painting classes Melbourne to get started.

Watercolor Painting

This type of painting allows for a great range of expression and in subtlety. This painting medium is enjoyable yet complex and involves a balance of materials, brush strokes, and water usage. Students explore and learn about pigment and how to manipulate various colors and types of paint, using a variety of brush strokes, and sometimes even sponge pats and blends. They also learn about contrasts and color harmony. It is a great way to develop skills that can be developed throughout life and it is enjoyable to see the way other students view still life objects and the world around them.

Foundations of Drawing

Foundational fine arts drawing classes are another way to promote and stimulate fine motor skills. Drawing classes help with muscle control and may improve writing skills as well as critical thinking skills. As children draw, they make decisions and problem solve. They make adjustments when necessary. These early types of exercises hone skills that proved important throughout a myriad of life situations. There are many options for drawing classes, including everything from one-day sessions, to year-long commitments, and even online options.

Advanced Drawing Classes

As children get older, they may benefit from advanced drawing courses that focus on dimensions and perspective. This higher level of the drawing may incorporate the use of skeletons and or real-life portrait models as students learn about anatomy and how to achieve realism. 

Sculpting

Children's sculpting classes allow for invention and a very sensory-laden experience. Sculpting classes give the chance to experiment with dimensional objects and to use tools. Making changes and adjustments is often part of the sculpting process. Sculpting is an area of art that requires discipline yet allows for movement and alterations in the creative process.

Print Making

This type of art focus allows students to explore creativity and originality through the use of various materials. Children who learn printmaking skills carefully consider line details and contours. Transferring images is fascinating and creating multiple impressions is often desirable.

Jewelry Making

Older students may benefit from classes in jewelry making and metalworking. These types of classes focus on not only designing beautiful wearable art but also in polishing and reinforcing it. The dexterity gained in the foundational years serves well as children get older and are able to fine tune skills and abilities.

Quilling

Students who participate in quilling classes and courses roll and curl paper strips into designs. This is a popular art form for families who do not wish to spend a high amount of money on expensive art supplies. Paper, patience, and imagination are all important aspects of this type of art. It is a great way for children to work on mental focus and manual dexterity.

Sewing

Sewing is a great way to explore textures and is a great handiwork that proves useful throughout life. It is satisfying to turn fabric into something useful or wearable. Sewing improves over time as youth continue to exercise patience and sewing knowledge. Children and youth with sewing expertise can create beautiful handmade gifts and feel confident in their handiwork abilities.

Photography

Film and media is another great field of artistic endeavors. Photography teaches children and youth to capture images in a variety of ways. Not only can photography skills prove satisfying alone, but it is a great way to combine other interests, such as an interest in animals. Many children enjoy photographing personal pets or wildlife. Patience is required to pursue just the right shot and photography offers a way to not only capture images but also moods. Attention to detail is key in photography. Class options abound and some sessions include visits from practicing artists. Others follow the Australian National Curriculum. There are in-person and online options, and many organizations offer free trial sessions to decide if the class is a good fit. There are even free art therapy classes offered through non profit organizations. These groups strive to promote emotional expression and to offer art even in seemingly unusual settings such as children's hospitals. Children enrolled in art classes often make connections to many other school subjects, and exploring concepts such as cause and effect proves useful during all seasons of life. Art offers a wonderful way to stimulate the senses and to explore beauty and creativity, as well as perceptions of it.

About the Author:

Milenka Osen works at La La Land shop, an Australia-based online greeting cards shop. She specializes in design & marketing and runs an online store. She formerly was the creative behind the TMOD, which is now one of La La Land’s unique stationery brands.