Magic Marker Monday: Outdoor Paints

When the kids were littler, I used to set up an indoor easel and paper for them to use for finger painting projects.

As they got bigger, I moved the easel outdoors. For some reason, this put a damper on the finger paints, although they continued to use the chalk board side.

This weekend, I went out back to take some end-of-summer pictures and discovered that someone *cough James' sister cough* had discovered a new use for the outdoor paints:

Thank goodness they're acrylics!


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Magic Marker Monday: O'Keeffe Interpretation

I received a beautiful painting from James for Mothers' Day. I love all the work he is doing now.

I know the class was shown examples of Georgia O'Keeffe's flower paintings as an inspiration for their own paintings (which, BTW, I think is a brilliant creative exercise).

Here is my new masterpiece:

After some thought, I think he might have been looking at one of her apple blossom paintings:

Apple Blossoms, 1930
Georgia O'Keeffe

What do you think?

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Magic Marker Monday: Blue Period

Found this on the bulletin board outside James' classroom as I waited to pick him up after school. How nice it is to see his work up with his peers'!

I love all the blues and how full of energy that flower is, right in the middle of the page and reaching UP - yes!! It's totally how I see him growing in his new school environment.

For more great masterpieces or to share some of your own, visit
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Magic Marker Monday: Plein Air Painting

We took advantage of a sunny, warm weekend earlier in the month and took James to our Town Green. James loves to run about on the grass, up, down, and around on the intersecting walkways, and around the fountains. This time, his sister was on a play date. Because he'd been wanting to practice his letters and number so much (thank you, Kindergarten!) I brought along some paints and a small sketch pad.

This is what James wanted to do:

He continued painting while my husband and I talked and admired the beautiful weather. What did we talk about? How proud we were that James is constantly trying new things. Last year this time he could not have managed a small paint brush like this. He certainly would not have painted his own art, looking at the trees, clouds and sun around him for inspiration. To say nothing of talking to  us about them as he painted.

I am still watching his hands. Whenever he tries something that takes a lot of concentration, the resting hand gets drawn back and in towards his body, fingers curled, thumb up. When we do table work, I remind him to try using it to weight down the paper.

This afternoon was pure fun. And we have some new fridge art:

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Magic Marker Monday: Sparkle Power

I finally got around to looking at some of James' paintings from his Dino, Dragon, & Unicorn camp program.

At first, I only saw the outlines and paint colours.

Then the sunlight hit it and WOW! Sparkle Power!

I had to smile at this guy:

I can't decide whether it's because I put in several years enjoying toddlers and preschoolers who liked Dragon Tales ... or that they no longer watch it. More the former than the latter, actually.

Since he's been doing crafts at the summer camp, James has been a little more interested with paints and glue. Excellent, because Kindergarten starts in almost 2 weeks (yikes!).

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Magic Marker Monday: Paints

Lately I've noticed a big difference with James' paint technique. He's gone from using his fingers and wiping them on his shirt to being able to hold a paint brush and use it correctly on the paper.

I notice that the hand that is not working gets drawn back behind his body. Sometimes in a fist and sometimes palm up, fingers semi-folded. I have been trying to help him place this hand on the table or paper, to provide stability. Sometimes the hand gets moved to the seat of the chair, and sometimes it remains on the paper.

Look at this -- I am so proud. He knows what colors he wants and where. James has painted a jazzy moose book, and I love it!

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