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Children’s Books About Castles and Simple Mary Blair-Inspired Craft

June 7, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have some children’s books about castles and a Mary Blair artist castle cut and paste craft. Also look at my post 4 Week Free Middle Ages Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas for more castle activities.

Too, if you’re wanting more artist ideas and activities look at my page Free Art Units for more ideas.

Castles aren’t just in fairy tales but children love reading books about castles. Castles were real places where kings, queens, knights, and even regular people lived.

Children's Books About Castles and Simple Mary Blair-Inspired Craft

Castles were made mostly of stone and often had high walls, towers, drawbridges, and moats to keep enemies out.

Maybe it was the design of castles that drew Mary Blair, artist to design the concept of castles for Disney.

However, castles back in the middle ages weren’t just for looks, they served many purposes.

For example, castles served as a defense, a place to shelter people, a time for a king and queen to show off their wealth and a place for central government.

Next, look at a few more castle activities.

MORE CASTLE ACTIVITIES

Then look at a few facts about Mary Blair.

FACTS FOR KIDS ABOUT MARY BLAIR ARTIST

Mary Blair was born in 1911 in Oklahoma and grew up loving to draw and paint.
She started working for Disney in the 1940s.
And she became known for her unique style: vibrant colors, simple shapes, and imaginative designs.
Mary Blair didn’t follow the “normal” rules of art.
She helped design design Cinderella movie. Although she didn’t do the final animation, she created the concept art and Cinderella’s castle became the Disney castle.
We imagine since Blair love bright and bold colors and shapes she was drawn to castles.

Additionally, look at these children’s books about castles.

8 Castle Books for Kids

Add some of these fun books about castles to your unit study or learning day.

Castle: How It Works

Every part of the castle has a function. Walls keep the enemy out. Towers protect the lord and the soldiers. From the moat and portcullis to the great hall and dungeon, see how a castle works as an enemy army tries to storm the walls.

The Door in the Wall:

Ever since he can remember, Robin, child of Sir John de Bureford, has been told what is expected of him as the son of a nobleman. He must learn the ways of knighthood. But Robin’s destiny is changed suddenly when he falls ill and loses the use of his legs. Fearing a plague, his servants abandon him, and Robin is left alone. A monk named Brother Luke rescues Robin and takes him to the hospice of St. Mark’s, where he is taught woodcarving and patience and strength. Says Brother Luke, “Thou hast only to follow the wall far enough and there will be a door in it.” Robin learns soon enough what Brother Luke means. When the great castle of Lindsay is in danger, Robin discovers that there is more than one way to serve his king.

Knights and Castles and Feudal Life

The Minstrel in the Tower (Stepping Stone)

An adventurous rescue set in the time of medieval knights, castles, bandits, and music. Before their father returns to France from the Crusades, daring Alice and
musical Roger set off on their own journey: to find their long-lost uncle. But on the way, the siblings are kidnapped and locked in an ancient hidden tower. To finish their quest, they need to escape—and fast! Can Alice use her courage to slip away and find help? And can Roger use his musical talents to guide her back before it’s too late?

Look Inside a Castle (Usborne Look Inside)

This is an innovative flap book offering a fascinating glimpse into the world of sports. Lift the flaps to peek behind the scenes at all sorts of exciting sports-thrilling cycling races, athletic events, swimming and diving competitions and soccer matches at a busy sports stadium. 60 flaps to lift!

Make This Medieval Castle

Printed on stiff card, this book contains templates to cut out and construct a superb model of a 14th century castle crammed with authentic detail. The model includes miniature characters for re-creating castle life, including market stalls and jousting knights as well as a portcullis that lifts and falls.

Raise the Drawbridge: Stories and Legends of Welsh Castles

This charming book was originally published in 1938 in Wales. Its main virtue is its historical accuracy; these epic stories are very well researched and are all based on historical evidence. The eighteen stories cover all areas of Wales and deal with some of its most famous castles. From ""The Blind Knight of Whitecastle"" to ""When Harlech Castle was Besieged"", these tales will appeal to all children whose imaginations are drawn to the great castles and knights of old.

Stephen Biesty's Cross-Sections Castle

History comes alive in this incredible children's illustrated book about castles.Slicing through different areas of a medieval fortress, extraordinary views reveal the people busy inside, preparing for battle as an enemy army approaches. Packed with facts, you'll find out what it takes to build a massive 14th-century castle, dress a knight in armor, or prepare a feast fit for a king or queen. From the drawbridge to the dungeon, Cross-Sections Castle swarms with the people who keep the castle going--the workers, craftsmen, and servants. And, as you pore over every page, look out for the villainous spy. Is he in the well... the keep... the moat? No? Keep looking, he's there somewhere!

Finally, look below to grab the free Mary Blair inspired castle cut and paste craft.

Read a castle book or two your child loves while they do this fun craft.

HOW TO GET THE FREE MARY BLAIR CASTLE INSPIRED CUT AND PASTE CRAFT

Now, how to grab the freebie. It’s a subscriber freebie.

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE.

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Free Art Lessons For 4th Grade & How To Make Easy Beach Glass Art

May 9, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

You want to save all these free art lessons for 4th grade including my fun new beach glass art lesson. Also, look at my page Free Art Unit & Curriculum Grades 1 – 8 for more ideas.

Too, look at my pages The Best Fourth Grade Homeschool Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations and Seashore Beach Watching Unit Study and Seashore Lapbook.

I wanted to introduce something completely new and fun. Having seen some neat pictures made from arranging beach glass and adding a little detail with fine line pens I knew we had to try it.

The best part is going through your glass and using some creativity to imagine what each shape could be.

Free Art Lessons For 4th Grade & How To Make Easy Beach Glass Art

Whether you stick with a very simple image, use a few pieces or include a lot of colors and shapes into the image, your child’s creativity will soar.

Beach glass art is a great lesson for abstract and contemporary art.

Be sure to study more about this type of art and artists like what characteristics make it abstract, the names of abstract artists like Pollock and Kandinsky.

ART BOOKS FOR KIDS

Too, look at these fun art books for kids.

10 Favorite Art and Artist Books for Kids

Whether you’re studying about an artist and style of art, add these fun books to your home library or add to your art unit study.

A Weekend With Renoir

I have put on my little round hat (which I wear often, in fact), combed my white beard and put on my best navy-blue suit. I am wearing my favorite necktie, too. Surely, you can see at once that I am a painter. I am so pleased that you have come to spend the weekend with me, to hear me talk about myself and my friends-- they are painters also. What I am about to tell you is my own true story-- the story of my life and my work. You will have to step back with me into the past-- before you were born, yes, but not so very long ago.Let me introduce myself to you. My name is Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

Weekend with Van Gogh

The nineteenth-century Dutch artist discusses his life and work in a letter to his nephew.

A Weekend with Leonardo Da Vinci

The fifteenth century artist talks about his life and work as if entertaining the reader for a weekend.

Farms and farmers in art,

Farms and farmers in art

Drawing from Nature

Artist and naturalist Arnosky explains his techniques, and shares his enthusiasm, for drawing natural scenes and animals.

Linnea in Monet's Garden

Linnea has been in Paris. And she has visited the painter Claude Monet's garden! She even stood on the same little Japanese bridge that Monet painted so often in his pictures. In Paris, Linnea got to see many of the real paintings.

Now she can understand what it means to be called an Impressionist, and she knows a lot about Monet's life in the pink house where he lived with his eight children.

Twenty-five years after its original publication, this celebration of the wonder of art is available once again in an enlarged keepsake edition. The joy and inspiration Linnea discovers in Monet's garden will be eagerly embraced by a new generation
of readers.

The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky's Abstract Art

Vasya Kandinsky was a proper little boy: he studied math and history, he practiced the piano, he sat up straight and was perfectly polite. And when his family sent him to art classes, they expected him to paint pretty houses and flowers—like a proper artist. But as Vasya opened his paint box and began mixing the reds, the yellows, the blues, he heard a strange sound—the swirling colors trilled like an orchestra tuning up for a symphony! And as he grew older, he continued to hear brilliant colors singing and see vibrant sounds dancing. But was Vasya brave enough to put aside his proper still lifes and portraits and paint . . . music? In this exuberant celebration of creativity, Barb Rosenstock and Mary GrandPré tell the fascinating story of Vasily Kandinsky, one of the very first painters of abstract art. Throughout his life, Kandinsky experienced colors as sounds, and sounds as colors—and bold, groundbreaking works burst forth from his noisy paint box.

Famous Paintings

Famous Paintings: An Introduction to Art for Young People

Come Look With Me: Animals in Art

Few subjects have more immediate appeal to children than animals, and few methods of teaching students to appreciate fine art have proven more successful than those of educator Gladys S. Blizzard. In COME LOOK WITH ME: ANIMALS IN ART, she makes the most of children's natural curiosity about animals to introduce them not only to twelve magnificent
works of art, but also to a whole new way of encountering art. Using an approach which is as fun as it is effective, the author deftly guides her young audience toward their own understanding of and delight in the world of art. The works featured in ANIMALS IN ART represent a variety of styles which students will encounter again in museums and in books: the muscular realism of Rosa Bonheur's "The Horse Fair", the delicate romanticism of Martin Johnson Heade's "Cattleya Orchid" and "Three
Brazilian Hummingbirds," the bold abstraction of Henri Matisse's "The Snail." They also represent an intriguing menagerie of beasts, from the mysterious deer and horses stampeding across the wall of Lascaux cave to Paul Klee's whimsical heart-nosed cat dreaming of a bird.

Exploring Landscape Art with Children (Come Look With Me)

In COME LOOK WITH ME: EXPLORING LANDSCAPE ART WITH CHILDREN art educator Gladys S. Blizzard introduces boys and girls to 12 magnificent landscape paintings. Through these carefully selected works and a thought-provoking text, the author guides students toward an imaginative new way of looking at art.This book is suited both for family reading and for sharing with a small group. Each full-color reproduction is accompanied by a brief biological sketch of the artist and a series of open-ended questions designed to make the most of a child's natural curiosity.

Now before I give you my simple how-to on creating art with beach glass let’s look at a lesson on the 7 elements of art and discover which ones apply to today’s lesson.

When you begin more formal art lessons you should start with the 7 elements of art and keep it simple, as your child matures you can go more in-depth into each one.

THE 7 ELEMENTS OF ART

1. Line- A mark made on a surface. Examples: Thick, thin, wavy, straight, dashed lines. Think about drawing hair (lots of lines) or a fence (straight lines).

2. Shape- An enclosed space that is flat. Examples: Circles, squares, triangles, rectangles, ovals. Look for these in a painting of houses or when drawing robots.

3. Form- A three-dimensional object that has height, width, and depth. Examples: Cubes, spheres, cylinders, pyramids. Think of a ball (sphere) or a can (cylinder).

4. Color- The visual quality of objects caused by the amount of light they reflect or absorb. Examples: Red, blue, and yellow (primary colors); green, orange, and purple (secondary colors).

5. Value- The lightness or darkness of a color. Examples: Dark blue vs. light blue, black vs. white, shades of gray. Think about shadows that make things darker.

6. Texture- How something feels or looks like it feels. Examples: Rough, smooth, bumpy, furry. Imagine touching sandpaper (rough) or a smooth glass ball.

7. Space- The area around, within, or between objects.Examples: Positive space (the objects themselves) and negative space (the empty areas around the objects). Think about how much space the objects take up in a picture, and the space between them.

Look at some of the fantastic free art lessons for 4th grade I found from learning about the great artists of history to watercolor lessons, drawing, painting, and more.

FREE ART LESSONS FOR 4TH GRADE

The Formal Elements of Art for Kids with free printable book– Great for if you want something offline to teach the basics.

Art For Kids Hub has all kinds of art lessons for aspiring artists.

Even if you don’t take your full run of courses through them you can use Easy Peasy All in One Homeschool for Drawing and Painting classes.

Teach Art at Home–Watercolor, pastel, charcoal, printmaking, and more.

Mr. P Studios – YouTube art lessons with many different art mediums and styles.

Garden of Praise- Art appreciation lessons on over 50 important works and artists.

Deep Space Sparkle has art lessons sorted by grade, subject, and technique.

Easy Drawings for Kids- Step Step Drawing is great if simple drawings are what you are looking to learn.

Createful Kids is great for learning art skills as well as art history as you paint, sculpt, draw, and more.

An important part of art lessons is learning not just the various skills but about the artists behind the styles-Artist Study for Kids: Learn About 8 Artists with Free Printables

And now let’s dig into this fun beach glass art lesson.

BEACH GLASS ART

You will need:

Tacky glue or hot glue
Cardstock, mixed media paper
Colorful beach glass
Fine line pens

First, cut your paper to the correct size for your frame so that you know what space you have to work with.

Be sure to use sturdy cardstock that will hold up to the weight of the beach glass.

Decide on what image you are going to create with your beach glass.

Try different placements with various colors and shapes until you get an idea of what image you want to make.

The fun is pouring over all the colors, shapes, and sizes to decide where each one goes and how to lay out your picture.

Once you are happy with your picture add a small dab of glue to the back of each piece and press it into place, let the glue dry.

Use the fine line pen to add little details like grass, strings, or whatever other little details your images need.

Place the paper inside the frame without the pane of glass and reattach the back.

Coloring And Learn: Free Famous Artist Coloring Pages

May 1, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I’m sharing free famous artist coloring pages for coloring and learn art. Also, look at my page Free Art Units for more ideas.

You can use these pages in many ways, but first I’m sharing some reasons why coloring can be considered art.

When children are coloring they are doing more than coloring in the lines. They can see the artist and coordinate the background color to match the famous artist’s style.

Coloring And Learn: Free Famous Artist Coloring Pages

Too, we’ve not always lived near art museums. So, coloring pictures of either famous art or artists children get exposed to art early.

It’s a subtle way to teach kids about creativity too,

And when children choose colors they become an active participant of art.

Besides helping with fine motor skills, children are paying attention to detail. And the pages can be used to pair with any unit study.

For example, you can ask where the artist is from, what time period did he or she live in, and what influenced their style.

ART SUPPLIES FOR COLORING AND LEARN FAMOUS ARTISTS

Next, look at some supplies to add to your arts and crafts drawer or to use with these coloring pages.

9 Fun Art Supplies for Learning

Whether you prefer to study art for a long period of time or short, I have some of our favorite supplies listed here. Too, everyone stores art differently. We love 3 ring binders and page protectors as well as large envelopes. I know you can use some of these ideas.

Sculpey Premo 24 Color sampler of Polymer Oven-Bake Clay,

I loved this brand. And it has a variety of colors for each child.

Amazon Basics Premium Colored Pencils, Soft Core, 24 Count (Pack of 1)

Explore your creativity with a wide variety of colors

Contains artist-quality soft lead for rich pigment and smooth application

Includes a tin storage case with a built-in tray to keep pencils organized and protected

Cardinal 3 Ring Binders

Great for holding art projects.

Watercolor Paper Pad 9"x12"

Watercolor Paper Pad - Dyvicl spiral watercolor paper pad is loved by new and experienced artists, rough finish, heavyweight paper will satisfy any artistic needs! for drawing, sketching, or painting. You can play with techniques & effects to your heart's content. Watercolor pad work excellently with wet and dry mixed media including watercolor, gouache, acrylic, colored pencil, charcoal, and pastel.

Paint This Book!: Watercolor for the Artistically Undiscovered

Put the brush in your hand. Stick it in the water, then smush it around in one of the colors. Now take a deep breath and plop it down on the page . . .You’re an artist. Yes, really! Young or old, there is an artist in each of us. If yours is hiding (perhaps behind a shred of self-consciousness?), just remember: Art is personal expression. You have your talent. Nobody else has anything like it!

Caliart Acrylic Paint Set With 12 Brushes

Acrylic Paint Set With 12 Brushes: Premium paints glide on smoothly, dry quickly and stay as beautiful as the day they were painted. Whether you’re new to acrylic painting or a seasoned
artist, the paint kit will set fire to your imagination.

Artstorys Watercolor Paint Set, Vivid Colors Washable

Premium Watercolor Paint: Comes with 48 vibrant water colors cake, 1 premium refillable water brush, wooden paint brushes and 1 mixing palette converted by the transparent lid. Perfect for artists, amateurs, students, teens, kids, children and painters of all levels. Wonderful gift idea for your friends and families who have fun in painting!

8 Pack Plastic Envelopes Poly Envelope Folder Clear Plastic Reusable Folders

[Colorful Transparent Envelopes] 8 assorted colors: transparent blue, green, yellow, purple, pink, orange, white and red. It’s easy to organize and distinguish your paper with a different color.

1 Pcs Craft Knife Hobby Knife

Valuable Package Content:1pcs hobby knife,10pcs hobby knife blades,1pc steel ruler(6inch/15cm long)

Next, look at more art activities.

MORE ART ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

Also, look at the famous artist color pages I’ve included in this download.

Henri Matisse
Henri Rousseau
Paul Klee
Romero Britto
Mary Blair
Andy Warhol
Georgia O’Keefe
Laurel Burch

HOW TO GET THE FREE COLOR TO LEARN FAMOUS ARTIST PAGES

Now, how to grab the freebie. It’s a subscriber freebie.

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE

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Easy Van Gogh Crafts And Awesome Printable Quick Study

April 24, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I’m sharing some Vincent Van Gogh crafts and quick printable study about Van Gogh. Too, look at my page Free Art Units and Curriculum Grades 1 – 8 for more art ideas.

When you think of a tortured artist, Vincent Van Gogh comes to mind.

Just a note, you decide how to handle the balance between mental illness and a brilliant creative mind.

Sometimes young kids do not understand the tortured mind, so focus on his beautiful work.

Easy Van Gogh Crafts And Awesome Printable Quick Study

With older children, it’s important to discuss his feelings of loneliness and self-doubt.

In addition, unlike other artists he did not start art early. He explored other careers.

Vincent Willem van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853, in Zundert, a small village in the Netherlands.

His father encouraged his interest in the natural world. Van Gogh spent a majority of time in the countryside.

VINCENT VAN GOGH BOOKS FOR KIDS

Next, look at some of these books to use alongside this fun study.

3 Books About Vincent Van Gogh and His Art for Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read To

Add some of these books about Vincent Van Gogh and his life and art to your home library or unit study.

Exploring Landscape Art with Children (Come Look With Me)

Babar's Museum of Art [BABARS MUSEUM OF ART]

Abrams is pleased to introduce its new line of stationery to be published simultaneously with the all-new book Babar's Museum of Art by Laurent de Brunhoff. Featuring elephant-inspired versions of some of the best-known paintings in the world, our note card set and journal will appeal to Babar fans and art lovers of all ages. This adorable journal features full-color elephant paintings from Babar's Museum of Art on both the front and back covers and end papers.

Vincent van Gogh (Revised Edition) (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists)

Meet Artist Vincent van Gogh!

Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists series combines a delightful mix of full-color historical reproductions, photos, and hilarious cartoon-style illustrations that bring to life the works of renowned artists, combining poignant anecdotes with important factual information for readers (Ages 8-9).This book provides an entertaining and humorous introduction to the famous artist, Vincent van Gogh. Full-color reproductions of the actual paintings are enhanced by Venezia's clever illustrations and story line.

Also, look at these van Gogh crafts.

VAN GOGH CRAFTS

Next, look at more art curriculum and units.

ART FOR KIDS

Finally, look at this study.

ABOUT THE VINCENT VAN GOGH FOR KIDS STUDY GUIDE

This artist study has over 50 pages, and includes:

Vincent van Gogh biography
Style
Techniques
Closer look at famous paintings
- Wheat Field with Cypresses (1889)
- The Starry Night (1889)
- Portrait of the Postman Joseph Roulin (1888)
Use of Color & emotion
Letters to Theo
Value of his art over time
Post-impressionist Art
Van Gogh vs. Monet
Self Portraits
Create Art Like van Gogh
van Gogh Quiz

This quick study covers Van Gogh’s life, artistic techniques, and famous works with interactive activities, painting exercises, and a fun quiz.

HOW TO GET THE VAN GOGH QUICK STUDY

You can download the printable quick study of Van Gogh now!

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Quick And Easy Study: Vincent Van Gogh For Kids
$4.00 Add to cart

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Free 4 Weeks Claude Monet Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas

March 29, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a free 4 weeks Claude Monet unit study and the best hands-on ideas. Also, look at my page Free Art Units for more fun art ideas and Best Homeschool Unit Studies for more unit studies.

This Monet unit study is ideal for the whole family.

It can be modified to make it easy for the youngest learner or create more of a challenge for middle and high school.

Free 4 Weeks Claude Monet Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas

Claude Monet’s painting style was Impressionism.

It is a style made up of small, visible brushstrokes that offer a minimal impression of form, and unblended color.

There is an emphasis on the accurate depiction of natural light.

Two other major artists known for this style were Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Edgar Degas.

We are going to put our focus on Monet for this study, his style, life, and works.

BOOKS FOR KIDS ABOUT CLAUDE MONET

Digging a bit into his history and inspiration for his beautiful paintings.

First, look at these books to add to your study.

5 Books About Claude Monet For Kids Who Love To Read And Be Read To

Add one or two of these fun books about the famous artist Claude Monet.

Claude Monet (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists)

Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists series combines a delightful mix of full-color historical reproductions, photos, and hilarious cartoon-style illustrations that bring to life the works of renowned artists, combining poignant anecdotes with important factual information for readers (Ages 8-9).This book provides an entertaining and humorous introduction to the famous artist, Claude Monet. Full-color reproductions of the actual paintings are enhanced by Venezia's clever illustrations and story line.

Linnea in Monet's Garden

Now she can understand what it means to be called an Impressionist, and she knows a lot about Monet's life in the pink house where he lived with his eight children.

A Child's Introduction to Art: The World's Greatest Paintings and Sculptures

Introduce kids ages 9 through 12 to the artworld's most famous painters, styles, and periods, all brought to life through full-color photographs of 40 masterpieces, as well as charming original illustrations. This gorgeously illustrated reader highlights 40 painters and sculptors, including Leonardo da Vinci, Claude Monet, Diego Velasquez, Vincent van Gogh, Salvador Dali, Mary Cassatt, and Andy Warhol, providing information on their life, inspirations, influences, technique, and a full-color photo of one of their signature works of art. It also includes an overview of various styles and periods (Renaissance, Impressionism, Cubism, etc.), instruction on how to view and appreciate art, and information on the color wheel and other tools artists employ.

The Magical Garden of Claude Monet

Parents, teachers, and gift givers will find:

gorgeous illustrations and reproductions of works by the artists
a fun and educational story for home or the classroom
a great series to be used for home school materials
a whole series of books for children to learn about important artists!

Author and illustrator Laurence Anholt recalls memorable and sometimes amusing moments when the lives of the artists were touched by children. Anholt's fine illustrations appear on every page and include reproductions of works by the artists.

Meet Claude Monet (Meet the Artist)

Art is everywhere. Whether you are sitting in a library or walking around the city, you will find examples of art all over. But how do you know when something is art? How is one piece different from the next? In Meet Claude Monet, you will learn from one of the greatest artists of all time. Who better to show how wild strokes can make something beautiful? See what he can show you about Impressionism! Then, examine your favorite places and create art for yourself.Travel through time as you flip each page. Visit artwork from the greatest names in history.Meet the Artist is Read With You’s introduction to the world of art. This series weaves interesting facts with gorgeous art as the artists themselves engagingly introduce their masterpieces. On each colorful page, the artist points out significant details and personal touches in pieces that have captured the world with their beauty. Young readers will practice their reading skills and challenge themselves to examine art like an expert, while soaking up world-famous artwork. Parents and teachers will love the creative questions and activities that encourage readers to apply the concepts they’ve learned and test new techniques.

Next, look at this first week.

INTRODUCTION TO CLAUDE MONET WEEK 1

Monet’s Life and Background

Monet was born in 1840 in France, and while he traveled, he spent most of his entire life in France.
He was the leader of the impressionist movement, a critic once called his work “Impressionism” due to its lack of realism with an emphasis on light and form instead and the movement was born.
Monet began losing his sight to cataracts in 1912 and was declared legally blind in 1922 but continued painting right up until his death in 1926.
He destroyed over 500 of his paintings due to a combination of being displeased with his work, seeking perfection in it, and because of the effects of his deteriorating vision

Impressionism Movement:

Impressionism is a style of painting that started in France in the late 1800s. Instead of painting things exactly as they looked, artists wanted to capture a feeling or moment.

Some characteristics of impressionism are:

Impressionists liked to show light changes and how it interacted with objects, focusing on the effects of light and shadow rather than precise details.
They used a wide range of colors, often applying them in short, quick brushstrokes to give their paintings vibrancy and a feeling of movement.
Instead of mixing colors on a palette, they often applied different colors side-by-side on a brush and then on the canvas, allowing the viewer’s eye to mix them.
Impressionists often depicted ordinary scenes of everyday life, such as landscapes, cityscapes, portraits, and scenes of leisure.
Many Impressionist artists preferred painting outdoors (en plein air) to study light and color in real-time.

Activities

Read Monet’s biography, Who Was Claude Monet is great for middle elementary through early middle while Monet Paints a Day is a sweet picture book for younger children.
Discuss the characteristics of Impressionism above.
View a gallery of Monet’s works to examine his subjects, series, and techniques.
Play an Art Game to look at different artists and painting methods, comparing and contrasting is a great way to look at art.

MONET’S TECHNIQUES WEEK 2

Light and Color in Monet’s Paintings:

Monet considered light to be the true subject of his paintings. He aimed to show the changing qualities of light throughout the day and across different seasons. This meant focusing on the play of light and shadow, reflections, and even atmospheric effects.

He used color to represent the way light interacts with objects and the environment. He did not aim for realistic color representation, but instead used color to convey the sensation of light.

Brushstrokes and Texture

Monet employed visible, broken brushstrokes rather than smooth, blended ones. This technique allowed him to capture the fleeting effects of light and movement.
His brushstrokes were often short, quick dabs or strokes of color, applied rapidly to the canvas. This method created a sense of immediacy and spontaneity.
The direction of the brushstrokes often followed the form of the objects he painted, adding to the sense of movement and life within the scene.
He applied pure colors directly to the canvas, side by side, rather than mixing them on the palette. This allowed the viewer’s eye to blend the colors, creating a vibrant and luminous effect.
Monet frequently used impasto, applying paint thickly to the canvas. This created a textured surface that added depth and physicality to his paintings.
The varied texture of his brushstrokes contributed to the overall texture of the painting, enhancing the sense of light and atmosphere.
The textured surface of his paintings added a sense of tactility, inviting the viewer to engage with the artwork on a physical level.

Activities

Experiment with different light sources (e.g., flashlight, lamp, natural light) on the same object.

Practice short, visible brushstrokes. Try different thicknesses of paint, shorter and slightly longer strokes, and combine colors on the canvas by picking up two different colors on each side of the brush rather than mixing on the palette.

Recreate a small portion of a Monet painting or try to recreate the entire scene, below I have a basic tutorial for capturing the style of Monet’s impressionist painting of Poppies.

MONET’S SERIES PAINTINGS WEEK 3

Series Paintings:

Monet often painted series of the same subject at different times of day to capture the changing light conditions.

Examples include his series of Rouen Cathedral, Haystacks, and Water Lilies. These series highlight his focus on light and color variation.

Activities

Create a series of sketches of the same object at different times, this can be right in your own backyard or at a local park. You just want to notice the changes in light and the textures.

Compare different paintings from the same series to see the changes in light and texture.

Grab this Claude Monet Facts For Kids And Free Water Lily Masterpiece for the littles.

Thumb through a book like Monet: The Essential Paintings to see a variety of his works, this makes a beautiful coffee table book for those who like to strew.

Discuss the effect of light and time on the subject.

MONET’S GARDEN AT GIVERNY WEEK 4

Monet was strongly inspired by nature and often turned to his garden at his home in Giverny for a subject. For instance, “The Artist’s Garden at Giverny” and the iconic “Water Lilies” series were both painted from scenes at his home.

His home was originally called “House of the Cider-Press” and is now known as “Maison et jardins de Claude Monet”.

Water Lilies Pond

In the “Water Lilies” series, Monet used a vibrant color palette with techniques like wet-on-wet painting and impasto to capture the beauty of light and reflections on the water’s surface. His color palette consisted of blues, greens, reds, pinks, and yellows.

This is one of his most well-known series, and in fact, he painted them 250 times, near the end of his life it was his only subject.

Activities.

Paint or draw a water lily, Claude Monet Art for Kids – Impressionist-Inspired Process Art is a great technique that can be done by kids of all ages.

Explore photos and videos of Giverny, this site has a lovely tour of the gardens as well.

Learn about the types of flowers in Monet’s garden.

Of course, the famous water lilies but some of the other common flowers grown there were roses, clematis, poppies, nasturtiums, German Bearded Iris, tulips, forget-me-nots, pansies, wisteria vines, and azalea bushes.

PAINT MONET’S POPPY FIELD

You will need:

Small canvas
pencil
Easel
Acrylic paints
Painters tape
Gold paint
Paintbrushes
Paint palette

First, use painters tape to cover the outer edge of the canvas, we are going to use this area later to make our painting look framed.

Lightly sketch the line between the sky/treeline and the lower portion of the painting.

You can also make light sketches for the trees if you like and general shapes for the figures, although you will be covering them with paint.

Add all the colors you will need to a palette including white and black to lighten or darken your painting.

Start by filling in the ground using two colors at a time on the brush, remember impressionist painters liked to mix their colors right onto the canvas rather than a palette.

For the grass we alternated 2 shades of green and a green and yellow with quick short strokes until it was filed in.

Now move to the sky, either leaving plenty of white canvas showing for clouds or laying white over the blue once dry.

Allow your first layers of paint to dry and then begin layering on details like the trees along the skyline, the poppies…

And if you wish, the people and the house in the trees as well.

Remember this is an impressionist painting, it doesn’t need to be exact, you just want to give the overall “impression” of the scene.

You can leave the house and people if you prefer, this is your painting!

Finally, once the painting is dry, peel off the taped edges and add a layer of gold paint with a decorative edge all the way around.

Don’t forget the sides of the canvas to create a frame for your masterpiece.

art

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INTRODUCTION TO CLAUDE MONET WEEK 1

Monet’s Life and Background

Impressionism Movement:

MONET’S TECHNIQUES WEEK 2

Light and Color in Monet’s Paintings:

Brushstrokes and Texture

Activities

MONET’S SERIES PAINTINGS WEEK 3

Activities

MONET’S GARDEN AT GIVERNY WEEK 4

PAINT MONET’S POPPY FIELD

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