Odds & Ends

Blackboard . Allow a few to work on a blackboard --consider the size, brilliance of the chalk, knowledge that what they make can easily be erased or changed (though it seldom is). And, smocks. [Mattil / Meaning in Craft]

Brushes . Can construct brushes for them by cutting down large hardware store variety--the black bristles cut short and firm enough for easy handling but broad covering. [Mattil / Meaning in Craft]

Drawing and Painting surfaces / A half dozen categories: smooth or textured, absorbent or nonabsorbent, light or dark, colored or uncolored, large or small. [Mattil / Meaning in Craft]

Drawing boards . Can cut pieces from large cardboard cartons about 18" X 24". Light and easy to handle--especially for work outdoors. Check out upson board. [Mattil / Meaning in Craft]

Dry Pigments or Chalk . Working on wet paper can be effective --wet paper pulling great deal of color from stick resulting in very brilliant pictures --and this cuts down on the dust! [Mattil / Meaning in Craft]

Dry Pigments / Wet paper fusion . Work with dry pigments on wet pape r--the brush will pick up just enough moisture from the paper to fuse the pigment into liquid strokes. [Mattil / Meaning in Craft]

Enamels . Translucent enamels. Adding a sufficient quantity of clear varnish to colored enamels will render the enamels translucent. [Mattil / Meaning in Craft]

Paint - Tempera watered down gets grainy--not like brilliance of watercolor hue.

Glue - Use small -- 24 in a pkg. -- Elmers. This is a size young kids can handle.

Sink - If no sink is available, a bucket of warm, soapy water, a scrubbing brush, and some large sheets of newspapers, in the absence of paper towels, on which to dry their hands should be placed somewhere. [Mattil / Meaning in Craft]

Sink - No sink encourages neater work habits and less clean up.

Smocks - Parents can make smocks from old shirts --collars removed, sleeves shortened, elastic tape put in the ends of the sleeves to make the smock fit tightly at the wrists/Can be worn backwards. [Mattil / Meaning in Craft]

Sponges - Can cut cellulose kitchen sponges into blocks. One end can be dipped in paint and cover broad area quickly without lots of dipping--useful for group projects / murals. [Mattil / Meaning in Craft]

Working Conditions - Consider routines necessary to maintain effective working conditions. [Availability of supplies, clear organization--not crowded together, etc.] [Smith / Experience & Art]

All the Processes - Allow students to move through all the necessary processes: Getting materials, Thinking over ideas, Carrying out paintings, Cleaning up. [Smith / Experience & Art]

Thorough Experience - Offer each variation on basic painting activity several times in succession so implications and possibilities are explored thoroughly: Paper placed on the floor, taped to wall, work at easel, work at table, smaller paper, larger paper, papers of different proportions and sizes and shapes and colors, narrow and wide brushes, nature of lines, nature of color relationships, nature of sizes and shapes, etc. [Smith / Experience & Art]

Meaningful work - is quite different from busywork. How do you involve or engage an interest in theme, idea, or topic? 'Spring' is too general. "What are some of the things you like to do at this time of year" allows recall and individual process of remembering. [Smith / Experience & Art]