The Next Monet?

Maybe not ...

but the kids have been enjoying their new

Fine Art Studio Painting kit.

Last week, the kids used Acrylic Paints

for the very first time, and I was quite

impressed with their work.

We learned a bit about Impressionist painting,

so they all tried their hand at some 

Landscape Painting ... Monet Style.

This is Elijah's first painting.

He doesn't get nearly as excited about Art

as the other kids, but he was willing to

give it a try.

The "style" of Impressionist painting is to

purposely use short quick strokes, with 

lots of difference shades of each color,

that don't "fill in" every bit of space.

Elijah told me that the 4 pinkish corners are the "Frame".

Elijah (10) definitely gets an "A" for Creativity on this one.

When in the vertical position,

this painting is the Seattle Space Needle,

with a dark sky around the top,

and flower gardens at the bottom.

However ...

when this painting is in the horizontal position,

it is a Flashlight, shining into the dark night.

When Josiah (11) told me that he was going to

paint the Eiffel Tower, I asked if he needed

to find a picture of it ... to which he responded,

"No.  I have a picture in my head."

Wow!  I was impressed!

Josiah definitely understood the Impressionist Style.

Josiah's first painting was this snow-capped mountain.

I love the sky, and all of the shades of 

greens and browns of the forested hillside.

Sarah (13) started out with an Apple Tree.

Wow!  This girl has some talent!

She, too, picked right up on the Impressionist Style.

Sarah's second project was this butterfly.

All of the kids' work was done free-hand;

they didn't even look at any pictures while they painted.

Not bad for their first time using Acrylic Paints.

Much better than this Mama could do.  Seriously.

I am so looking forward to doing more 

Art Projects with the kids this Spring.  

We have more freedom to do activities, and a lot

less stress, now that Rachel is in school.