Encountering New Concepts in Art
You don't have to put in a lot of time and effort to provide your students with a new art experience. As Jean, creator of The Artful Parent blog, suggests, simply cut a hole in the day's art paper, provide an abundance of graphic art tools, and observe the new techniques, art processes, and progression that takes place! She proposes beginning with a single, centered hole, then introducing an off-centered hole, several small holes, or a smattering of different sized holes. Once your students have become tired of circles appeal to their imagination and artistic creativity through squares, triangles, and the other shapes! You may also consider exposing your students to the effect of folding. Surprise them by folding a corner of their art paper in and then back out, "hiding" a small strip of the paper. Provide crayola paints and other graphic art tools and invite your students to create as usual. Once the picture is finished and has had time to dry, help them unfold the corner to reveal the untouched paper. Gradually, invite them to create more hidden spaces for a greater effect!
While its hard not to get caught up in the best and brightest the art world has to offer, remember that introducing students to a new art concept can be as simple as cutting out shapes and folding paper!
