H is for How-to

I love to combine Photoshop with drawing, or use it to make digital pictures look like paintings, or enhance an image, or design a card, or, or, or ....

Photoshop is not an easy tool to master (in my opinion). Though I was adept at many other graphic and photo editing programs, (often self taught), I needed real help to learn how to make the most of this tool.

Even after years of use, I have only scratched the surface of its potential. I first learned how to use it by taking an online course. This was a great - I had all the time I needed to practice the lessons and the techniques on my own computer and my schedule. It was kind of an art everyday challenge in itself. When I was done with a lesson I posted it to the class website and had the benefit of class and teacher critique. Not only did I learn a lot, the positive comments really boosted my self-confidence, and the results of the lessons often became the basis for graphic design projects for my business.

Now, one of my favorite ways to expand my skills and try out new techniques is to explore Photoshop tutorials online for inspiration.  Sometimes I look for something particular (once I needed to create bubbles with faces inside - and yes, by combining several tutorials, succeeded.)  Often, I just happen upon an idea that appeals to me and try it out. 

Today's image is built on one of my favorite photos. I took this at sunset one night at the beach - I loved the warm light of the original, so I decided to try the process described in a tutorial I Stumbled Upon to enhance the light and see what happened.

Which brings me to a caveat about tutorials - not all of them actually make sense to me - this was the case with the one I worked from. I don't think I did it right - but, I accidentally created a beautiful texture layer which, when I combined it with the original image, added a depth of light and warmth that I really like. Sometimes the mistakes lead to the best outcomes. When I completed the tutorial steps, I began to play with this using some of my favorite tricks - and this is the result.

I see lots of comments from other AEDM participants about  the challenges of using Photoshop. I suggest googling Photoshop Tutorials (or go to the Adobe website) and see what you find. Try them out ... share what you create. And, don't be afraid to mess up - you never know what might appear.

How to Talk to your Kids about their Art

Dillon, Age 6

The talk at the end of each art class is consistently one of the best parts of teaching young artists.  This is time when we look at  the day's work and talk about the things we like and the things we learned. It's a great way for kids to reinforce the  day's art vocabulary and think about the concepts of the lesson.

Talking about what we see in our drawings -  color, line, texture, symmetry and shapes, offers a wonderful opportunity for the kids to understand that there is no one right way to create something. As we go around the room and really look at each others work, it is easy to see that the drawings (like kids) are each beautiful in their own way.

I encourage (and model) the idea that perfection is never the goal of making art.  It is the process, and the learning,  not the product that makes art so much fun. And, since I hope to help each child see that there is something to appreciate in everyone's work, I help them find the words to use to express what they see and like.

Of course, when I watch the quiet smiles on their faces as each child receives honest and relevant praise for their work, I know they are getting more from the day's lesson than just dirty hands and a (fabulous) drawing to take home.

Gabe

Then the parents arrive. These are great parents, filled with joy and pride at what they see.  I regularly hear them gushing about the 'fantastic' drawings.

Unfortunately, as one of my students point out, "you can't just say its 'terrific' all the time." So, in the interest of creating opportunities for meaningful conversation, here are some tips (some from the Big Black Pig Studio website)  that parents and teachers can use to talk about art.

Don't over-praise.

If you rave about everything equally all the time, your kids stop valuing your praise and may eventually doubt that anything they do is praiseworthy. Instead of saying, that is brilliant, or beautiful, or amazing (what does all that mean anyway?) offer meaningful comments that relate to the actual work.

Ask the kids what they like about their work (and listen in on class conversations - parents are welcome at the end of class).
Ask the kids about the words they learned and have them show you examples of lines, patterns, blended colors, symmetry, pastels, ink, or ...  This kind of conversation reinforces vocabulary and concepts and opens the door to conversation. 

Praise them for doing, not being. 

Focus your praise on what they have done, not how talented they are. "What a great idea!" or "You really worked hard on this painting!" rather than "You're so clever." Get it? Kids who are rewarded for "doing" (working hard and making progress) continue to strive and  thrive. Kids who are congratulated for "being" smart--or artistic or imaginative--often start playing it safe to protect their image. Nothing gets in the way of creativity like fear of failing. 

Praise the process, not the product.
Ask, how did you do this? Talk about what YOU notice in the drawing. e.g.,  What an interesting shape. How did you blend those colors? Those curved lines make a lovely shape. (Don't say, you colored outside the lines, that doesn't look like a fish. Who ever heard of a purple chicken?)

Praise the effort.
That took a lot of work. You were really concentrating. I can see you had fun. I like the way you drew these strong lines. 


Praise the imagination and creativity.
What a great idea to paint the cat green (or the chicken purple.)


Ask the kids what THEY think about their work.
Invite them to evaluate their own work. What is your favorite part of the picture? What was the hardest part of drawing this? Is there more you want to add? 

TIPS: 

Ask open-ended questions when talking to kids about their art (or anything else). These kinds of questions allow kids to respond with thoughts, not simply yes or no.

Look at art with your kids. Take them to an art museum, stop into a gallery you pass on the street. Get art books from the library. Go online. There are endless resources available. Then,  listen to what your kid has to say about what he or she is seeing. (When your boy says a painting is "gorgeous" ask, what do you like about it? This is a great way to understand what he is seeing and thinking.

Follow this blog. I regularly post information, ideas and resources that parents and teachers can use when talking to their kids about art. Comments, questions and suggestions are always welcome. So are posts of your kids art. I love to see what they are doing when not in class, so will my readers. There are two ways to do this, follow be email or join (scroll down to find links to either option on the lower right side.) 

Check out the Art Ideas and Resources page on this blog, and visit all the posts that include the words ART, RESOURCES and KIDS. You will find ideas for making art, taking photos, finding and using resources, and lots more. 

TRY THIS FUN ACTIVITY
Gallery Stroll - this activity is an opportunity to talk about art and build art language. Expect to hear words that describe color, shape, motion, emotion, and much more. Chosing favorites also builds decision-making skills.

• Arrange ten to fifteen pictures (magazines, photos, paintings) around a room to create a gallery
• Have kids walk around the gallery and study the images on the walls
• When they have completed inspecting each picture, have kids rank the pictures numerically, from their favorite to their least favorite. (Note: Suggest that kids write or sketch a brief “memo” of each image in a notebook.)
• After they’ve made their choices, have kids talk about their reasons (criteria) for choosing their three favorites and their least favorite. Then, ...
• DISCUSS: What attracted you to the pictures you liked best? Why did you choose the one you did as your least favorite.

Ten Tips for a Camera Safari and a Photo Contest for Kids

Taking photographs encourages kids to focus on the world in new ways, develop their ability to observe, and see the world from different perspectives. In other words, taking pictures encourages kids to be creative and strengthen several core thinking skills (focus and observation to name just two.)

Viewing photographs, in their infinite variety of images and colors, inspires kids to try to capture, save and share their vision of the world.

In my course for teachers and mentors one of the most popular assignments is a Photo Safari, a project that encourages students to share their world in a visual way by taking pictures of people and places in their community. This experience can have amazing results - for the photographers and for the viewers.

All it requires is access to a digital camera, and the technical ability to move the images from the camera to a computer. There are endless possibilities for sharing the photos you take, but that's another post.

One more thing that will help, is knowing a few tips you can use that will result in a better photo. Thanks to photographer and videographer John Waller for the great suggestions included below.

Waller is the originator of the Photo of the Year (POTY) contest, a fundraising event since 2002 that has raised thousands of dollars for the MESD Outdoor School Program. Over the years this great contest has expanded in many ways. It now includes a category for entries from photographers under 18.

About the contest: Youth: Any students out there with a strong attachment to your digital camera? This category is for photos taken by those 18 and under. Use that youthful imagination and make your mom proud. TEACHERS, say it with us, "Hmm...Photo of the Year...what a great addition to my curriculum...I should email the folks at POTY about submitting photos as a class!"

For more information, and to enter your kids' work, click here.

I hope you will take some time to visit the website, view the amazing outdoor photos, and share them with the kids your work with. Then, encourage them to grab a camera, head outdoors, and see what develops. And, please share your photos and experiences here - (photos can be posted to this blog - ask me how! Just post a comment at the end of this post and I will provide a How-to)

Ten Tips for Better Photographs

1. Be in the right place at the right time. Get out there, look around, and take your camera. It is tough to take great photographs if even one of those actions is missing.

2. Take lots of pictures. Digital photography has opened up a world of possibility to the amateur photographer because now you can instantly review your pictures. Adjust your settings, try different angles, or capture the action at different moments. The more photographs you take, the more likely you are to get a great shot. But remember what worked and what didn't and apply this new understanding when you take the next picture.

3. Watch the sun. The best times to take pictures are usually early in the morning and early evening; the worst time is generally midday, when light it most harsh.

4. Flash away. Just because you are outdoors doesn't mean you should put away your flash. Subjects in shadow can appear much too dark when compared to a bright sunny backdrop. When using your flash outdoors, the camera exposes the background first, then adds in the flash to illuminate your subject.

5. Get close up. Investigate the world around you in finer detail and you will discover a wealth of photo opportunities right at your feet. Most cameras have a macro mode that make getting those close up shots of insects and flowers a snap. Or when you are shooting action, zoom in so we can see the beads of sweat on an athlete's forehead.

6. Anticipate what is going to happen. To take a great outdoor action shot, you need to prepare for it in advance. What might happen, what would be the best angle, and are your settings appropriate? Then when your buddy cuts a sweet turn on their skies down the mountain, you'll be there to take the picture.

7. Use a tripod for low light. Those sweet sunsets, or moonrises, or starry night shots can be really sweet pictures if they are sharp and crisp. But a tripod is necessary because even the slightest shiver or tremble from a hand-held camera can cause the scene to blur.

8. The rule of thirds. This time tested rule tells us that we should not put the horizon line in the middle of the shot, but rather drop it to the bottom third or the top third depending on what meaning you want to convey. A low horizon conveys a sense of open, vast airiness, and a high horizon instills a sense that the land is the dominant force. The same is true for framing people.

9. Get a sense of perspective. Sometimes having a person in your scenic picture really impresses how big those mountains, or that cliff, or waterfall, or landscape really is.

10. Get creative. There are a lot of predictable photographs out there. The unconventional photographs really grab people's attention.

Play around with angles and settings and HAVE FUN!

Art Every Day: T is for Tinkering

Day 20

I've been working on card design all day, stuck in digital mode. So, to take a break from working with images on my computer, I clicked back over to the Fluid Painter application to continue experimenting with swirls. (In other words, continue working with images :-< )

Today's result was this bouquet of roses. It's funny how just switching gears can be so pleasurable.

I love to tinker around with new programs. I have learned much of what I know about Photoshop and other digital art programs through experimentation and minimal guidance from online tutorials. As a digital designer, some of my best and most unexpected successes have appeared in this way. The chance to play in all sorts of modalities has been one of the greatest benefits of this challenge.

Onward to Day 21.

Art Every Day: H is for How-to

I am sure it comes as no surprise to others participating in this challenge to learn that creating an image everyday, and living the rest of my life, is not that easy. The hardest part, for me, is figuring out what to draw every day.

Add to this the alphabet organization I've given myself, and, in case things are not complex enough, I am also trying to experiment with different combinations of media to create different effects.

And, after working for detail in the last two florals, I feel the need to try something loose and sketchy.

Though I am rarely short of ideas, I am often woefully short of technique. As a teacher/writer, I seek, and frequently write, resources, how-to's (e.g., how to stimulate creativity) and curricula for educators. With this in mind, I did a search on How-to's for artists. Surprise, surprise, I came to a site already listed on THIS blog!

The idea for this drawing of a favorite garden is based on a lesson plan I found on DickBlick.com Resources for Educators. This is a great resource for ideas and How-to's. This is also the place you can go to buy new and replenish dwindling supplies.

The garden is drawn on matte acetate with color pencils (which worked surprisingly well). There is a sheet of metallic paper behind the image that gives it the light. Its rough, but I would certainly try this approach again. I an going back to this site for more ideas to try - for myself and my students.

I am always looking for great instructions and ideas - for myself and to share. Please post your favorite resources here.

How to Create a Boy-Friendly School

The subject of how boys are struggling in school and in life seems to come up regularly in the media. Several years ago, PBS ran a powerful documentary, Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Lives of Boys, which “explores the emotional development of boys in America today.” It describes American boys as “the most violent in the industrialized world,” and clearly shows that many boys are struggling in school, and unable to express their emotions.

A while ago, Newsweek published, Struggling School Aged Boys. Though the medium is different, the message is the same. Many boys, (according to the research) an extraordinary percentage of them, are having emotional or behavioral problems that are affecting their lives, and their ability and willingness to stay in school. Many of the problems are severe enough to cause parents to consult a doctor or health care professional.

As an educator, parent, and citizen of the nation that leads the world in fatherless families, violence and failing boys, I can’t stop thinking about the faces, and the voices of the boys in the film, and the issues and problems of the boys I see and hear about every day. So, the questions keep playing in my head … How can we do a better job of raising our boys? And, what can Oregon educators do to create a boy friendly school - a place where boys feel safe, welcome and able to learn and be themselves.
To clarify my thoughts, I contacted Marilyn Brown-Dikeos, whose program Empowered Learning includes strategies that teachers, mentors and parents can use to help boys feel safe and respected in the classroom. She offers the following insights and strategies.

1. Honor the risk of learning. Trying to learn something new can be risky for a boy who is afraid to fail. Help your student’s understand that learning is a process that includes trying, doing, and making mistakes. It is not about achieving perfection. Value a student’s attempts to master a new subject or skill. Celebrate effort and recognize even small accomplishments along the way.

2. Provide safe entry points to learning. Group learning and project based activities offer multiple entry points for students. The ability to choose a role or task which will allow him to work from his strength may help a boy feel confident enough to enter into an activity.

3. Allow students to self-evaluate. Many boys struggle in school because success and failure are tied up with their sense of themselves. A boy who gets a bad grade or fails a test is likely to feel stupid and embarrassed in front of his classmates. Rather than risk failing again, some boys simply stop trying. One way to work around this is to allow students to grade themselves according to the criteria you set. When they turn in a paper ask, “What grade do you think you earned?” Allow them to tell you how they might have done better. Remind a boy that understanding how to do better next time shows that he is learning.

4. Treat them with respect and kindness. Just because boys don’t show their emotions, we tend to treat them as if they aren’t there. In fact, research shows that boys are even more sensitive and more eager to please than girls. Treat them as if they are fragile. They are.

5. Provide opportunities for boys to talk about their feelings – through sports or chess or other games. Boys need to be reassured that their inner lives are NOT shameful, that play violence is not violence. Use their violent games and fantasies as a starting point for conversation or story writing.

6. Boys need to move around. Recess time is being eliminated as school days are shortened. Try to find ways to build action and motion into your activities and schedule.

7. Boys need to feel safe. They need an adult to talk to about bullies, fear, humiliation and their need to be protected. They also need an adult to show them that men are caring, compassionate and kind.
8. Offer opportunities for boys to resolve their own conflicts. Conflict resolution takes communication skills, the ability to listen, willingness to compromise, and often, creativity. It can help boys reflect on their actions, and see them from someone else’s point of view. Best of all, the ability to resolve a conflict without rage and aggression can result in friendship, something that no boy can succeed without.

Related Resources: For more information about this subject, help for parents, and classroom ideas, visit the following websites:
Raising Cain: Boys in Focus
http://www.pbs.org/opb/raisingcain/

The PBS Parents Guide to Understanding and Raising Boys
http://www.pbs.org/parents/raisingboys/index.html

Boys in School
How to help boys adjust to school and schools adjust to boys.
http://www.pbs.org/parents/raisingboys/school.html

Buy the Program
Raising Cain (DVD)
http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=2175911