Science on my Art Blog

 A few weeks ago we dissected sheep's brain in science.   Science Geek did not have her camera along, so she is letting me go for the Science posting.
 

That is actually me in the teacher mode - Earthgirl and I had just dissected the sheep brain during Science Club, another activity offered through our large homeschool group, so I was pretty well up on finding the hippocampus - it's tiny!

This was an extra brain left over from Science Club - offered to SG gratis as a Thank You for judging the high school portion of Science Fair.  I brought it home from Science Club in my lunchbag, and delivered it SG after Sunday School in a little gift bag.  SG and I - we are not the squeamish types.

 

 I love Science.

Speaking of hippocampus, I found this article interesting - I think I need to go take a walk!

Painting with acrylics

We have painted with acrylics for 2 classes now - what fun!  We used real from-tube acrylics, and some pretty nice brushes. I showed the Sm'Arties how to be respectful and kind to brushes, keeping them wet (after the first week I modified that directive - keep them damp, not dripping wet - this isn't watercolor), putting plenty of paint on the brush, and how to load more than one color on the brush. 


Week 1:  Just to get used to the paint, I asked the Sm'arties to paint the whole background, let it dry, then do some simple shapes and swoops on top.  We used Acrylic Paper and student-grade acrylic paint and brushes. 

Week 2:  We painted on canvases!  These were to be our Georgia O'Keefe-inspired paintings, though it is hard for the Sm'Arties to remember to zoom in CLOSE on whatever subject they portray.  Nevertheless, we are pretty impressed with ourselves.

See the little speckled egg in the pinecone?  It's a lizard egg - at least, that is what Science Geek told me.

A few painting with acrylics links:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5811214_teach-acrylic-painting-children.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_7676982_paint-using-acrylic-paint-children.html

http://acrylic-painting.blogspot.com/2004/06/buying-acrylic-paints.html

This artist mom paints with her young daughters: http://debrha.wordpress.com/

Take a close look

The Sm'Arties are preparing to paint with acrylics this month.  I am looking forward to having fun and making a big mess, but first we are preparing our eyes to draw and paint small things big on our papers.  We looked for inspration to some Georgia O'Keefe paintings.

The boys liked that she painted things like cow skulls.

We tried to make the images run off the page.

I really find pencil-and-paper classes to be my favorites.  When the Sm'Arties get an assignment, they settle right down and draw.

This was just a pencil class, but sure, they could color their pictures if they wanted.

A few links regarding Georgia O'Keefe and some of her art:
Georgia O'Keefe bio

PBS intro 

Calla lily on gray

Jack in the Pulpit

Light Iris

Purple Petunias

Summer Days

Deer's skull with pedernal

Cow's Skull with calico roses

Black Cross