Aspen Trees - Ages 3 and up

'I hope that my work will encourage self expression in others and stimulate the search for beauty and creative excitement in the great world around us' - Ansel Adams

One of our favorite art lessons is inspired by the great photographer, Ansel Adams. Ansel Easton Adams (February 20, 1902 – April 22, 1984) was an American photographer and environmentalist, best known for his black and white photographs of the American West and primarily Yosemite National Park. To view a great collection of Adams work go to http://www.anseladams.com/

This water color resist painting lesson takes it's primary inspiration from Ansel Adam's photographs of aspens in New Mexico.

Here are the steps to create this artwork as shown above:

• Children tear masking tape and put strips of it on watercolor paper to make tree trunks. Tiny pieces of tape can be used for branches. For youngest children, have strips of tape already available.
• Use a brush to wipe water across the paper and the tape.
• Now paint the background with color. Children can choose colors to make a day or evening background.
• When paint is dry, remove the tape. The white spaces are the tree trunks.
• Add some tiny brown or black lines on the tree trunks. If you want leaves on your trees, use a sponge dipped into your watercolors to sponge on leaves.

Paper Bag Pumpkins - Ages 3 and up

Halloween will be here before you know it! Kids love holiday decorations and love even more when they can help make them. Here's another great way to re-use paper bags - this one courtesy of Crayola®. Don't stop at just one pumpkin - make multiples - and big and small ones. They make a terrific Halloween display when grouped together in big and small sizes.

Click here for the instructions.

Chameleon Collage - Ages 3 to 6

A favorite project of our youngest students is the "Chameleon Collage". For inspiration, first read them the book, "A Color Of His Own" by Leo Lionni. The story is about a chameleon who goes in search of a color of his own and finds a true friend. It's a terrific book to teach small children about this creature's special connection to it's environment - with beautiful watercolor illustrations by Leo Lionni.

The primary material used in this artwork is leftover red or green tissue paper from Christmas. Let the child choose one color theme for the chameleon's environment and it's head (either green or red) or you can do two pictures - one with the chameleon in a green enviroment and one with the chameleon in a red environment.

Materials required:

• 1 piece of white paper for background
• Crayons in various shades or green or red
• 1 round piece of red or green construction paper for the chameleon's head
• Leftover pieces of green or red tissue paper
• Glue - a non-toxic glue stick or you can make a mixture of Elmer's glue and water which the child can apply with a paintbrush.

Brown Paper Bag Art - Ages 3 and Up

This is a first in a series of examples of how you can recycle common day-to-day items as art materials for your children.

Who said that all painted art works has to be on white paper?! Cut out the bottom of a brown paper grocery bag and you have a great piece of paper for your child to create a beautiful work of art. In the examples shown here children applied color to the brown paper with colored marker and tempera paint. Here are the supplies you need for this project:

* Brown paper grocery bag with bottom cut out to create a flat piece of brown paper

* Washable & non-toxic colored markers

* Washable & non-toxic tempera paint in various colors - highly recommend some white and silver and gold colors that really look wonderful on the brown paper

* To apply the paint: paint brush, paint roller and small piece of sponge