Although Johannes Vermeer was not a popular painter during his lifetime, he is now considered one of the Great Masters of the Dutch Golden Age. Â You are probably familiar with his most famous work, Girl With a Pearl Earring. Â This month you can get a collection of 10 of Vermeer’s works to enjoy in your own home in the easiest form of art appreciation available: Â Fine Art Pages.
It’s easy! Â All you do is print ’em out, put ’em up, and let the magic happen. Â Post one print next to each toilet, and you’ve got the whole family as a captive audience for several minutes each day, seamlessly getting to know these beautiful works of art!
Sign up to the right ——>>>> or click here to get your Vermeer Fine Art Pages for FREE!
Many homeschool moms want to include more art appreciation in their lives, but don’t know how to begin. Â Today I share several different levels of natural art appreciation that anybody can implement easily and without great expense or time needed.
Amazon resource (affiliate): Â Wooden Book Stand that I love so much! Â
To email the Homeschool Printing Company (Tell them I sent ya and they’ll give you 10% off your first order!): Â thehomeschoolprintingcompany@gmail.com
My sweet little granddaughter is only 2, and already she enjoys the Fine Art Pages on display in our bathroom. Â Several months ago when she saw this Rubens work: Boy with Bird, she pointed to the curly haired child and said, “Look! Â It’s me!” Â She knew her hair was curly and free just like that little child in the portrait.
The other day she was looking at the same piece of art (yes, it’s still up!) and I wondered what she might say about it now, since she has been seeing it for months while visiting us. Â I asked her if she liked the picture, and she pointed to it, looked at it again, smiled, and said, “Yes. Â It’s beautiful!” Â She pointed to the bird and smiled. Â I wonder what she thinks about a child she identifies with holding a green bird on their finger!
Immediately after she talked about this painting, she turned to the other Rubens work that is near our bathroom sink, and pointed it out, asking, “What’s that?” Â She was curious. Â Art is interesting to her. Â Her curiosity is already sparked, as a two year old.
I feel that she will know this work of art for the rest of her life. Â She has a relationship with this painting. Â She identified with it, connected with it, appreciated it.
None of the Rubens works on display are “for young children” or especially aimed for her age group. They simply offer the timeless joy and beauty that all fine art does. I believe that the human soul appreciates and even longs for truth, beauty, and goodness. When we see an inspiring work of art, when our hearts are thrilled by the sound of well-crafted music, when we hear a poem that reaches a part of us that we didn’t know existed, that’s IT. And young children have this in them as well.
Art is a language that can be understood by everyone, without regard for age, education, intelligence, or social status. Let your children feast on a lavish buffet of great art, beautiful music, rich language, and creativity! These things bring an intangible, innate value to each and every person that comes into contact with them, and can be brought into your home life so easily with the resources I’ve created for you at Enrichment Studies! Knowing the difference these things have made in my life and for my family inspires me to keep sharing these things with you.
Edward Atkinson Hornel was a Scottish painter in the late 1800s/early 1900s that specialized in worksdepicting children in nature. This beautiful new collection includes ten of his works that feature girls from Japan, Burma, and Sri Lanka, among others. For families that desire to expose their children to more diversity in art, this is a wonderful collection to become familiar with. Hornel also has a very unique style of art that kids really respond to. His bold use of texture and many dashes of color is a technique that children can appreciate and try on their own! Â You can purchase this collection here.
Fans of Impressionist art are going to be thrilled to see our new collection of works by famous French painter Berthe Morisot! Â Her timeless works are beloved around the world, and I trust your family will enjoy getting familiar with these paintings as well.
This month you can get this collection for FREE if you are a Subscriber Perks Member. Â Simply sign up to the right, or click here, and I’ll send you your coupon code right away! Â You’ll also receive my ebooklet How to Use Fine Art Pages in Your Home, which will help you get started with my best ideas right away.
Winter time is the perfect time to have your kids do some great artwork. The weather is nasty & you get all cooped up inside, so try this activity with them on one of those dreary days & see how it perks up everyone’s spirits!  This is a mixed media piece that uses watercolor painting in addition to markers & the cutting of snowflakes, too. Â
What you will need:Â (affiliate links have been used)
1 piece thick white paper per child (the mixed media type of art paper is good, as it’s not as thick as watercolor paper so it handles the paint but also easier to cut out.)
Glue stick – 1 per child or they can share as well
Pencil, white crayon, red marker & black thin marker – 1 of each per child
Directions: 1.  The outline:  First you need to decide whether to pre-outline the person’s shape on the white paper for them yourself, or let them do it. This depends on their age and skill level.
Basically, there needs to be a round half-circle for the head, then the top half circle for the body, and then add arms and hands. No details otherwise need to be there, as they are painting over this anyway. Do this with the pencil and try to keep it as light as possible. 2.  Painting the sweater:  Start out by explaining how watercolor works and not to let it get too soggy wet, but they do have the freedom here to go outside the lines since they will be cutting this out, so you can tell them it’s ok to do that.  I suggested bright colors for the sweater part and maybe even a pattern on the sweater to make the picture livelier.
In my example, I painted a blue stripe first, let it dry a minute, then went back and painted a pink one between all the blue, then I let that dry a couple minutes, and then added a darker blue thin stripe between the other colors.
3. Â Painting the skin:Â Getting the skin tone right can be tricky. Â Depending on the skin color you want, starting with pink, orange, or brown and then diluting it with water will help. Â Practice on the side of the paper to get the color you want. Â (We will be cutting out our figure, so the sides will be thrown away, so it’s a good place to practice your colors)
Once you get the tone you want, paint in the skin color on the head and the hands and if they choose, also a little pink on the cheeks. The eyes and mouth will be drawn on in marker after it’s dry, so that they are thinner and more legible.
4.  Cutting out snowflakes:  Now, set that aside and let it dry while they do the next part, which is cutting out snowflakes for their sky. Show them how to do it, even if they’ve done it before. I found that older kids were confident in it, but then didn’t remember how to fold the paper and in result, no snowflake. Make sure the paper is small to start with, as it has to fit on the background, around the person they painted and at least 3 of them looks best. Just a couple of inches square for the paper is good. Fold it in half diagonally, into a triangle, and then again into another triangle before cutting the shapes into the edges.
5. Â Cutting out the figure and adding details:Â Once the sweater and skin is dry, the children can cut out their watercolor figure, and glue it on to the background paper, making sure to put the flat bottom edge lined up with the bottom edge of the colored paper.
Using a marker, add facial features and hair.  I prefer for the eyes to look closed so that it’s like they are in the snow, catching the snowflakes in their mouth, eyes closed. They can add eyelashes, and then draw an open mouth, with red tongue showing.
6.  Snowflakes:  Next, have them glue on the snowflakes where they choose.  Then use the white crayon to draw falling snow. They can even put a few dots over the body too, to create some depth in the picture. I drew some solid dots and some little swirled circles as well for movement.
Welcome to the Enrichment Lifestyle Blog! I'm so glad you're here. :) I'm Erica Johns, and I love to encourage homeschool moms and help them enjoy more of the beauty of the arts in everyday life.
About me: I started my homeschooling journey in 1997 and graduated the last of my six children in 2021. Amidst all the hard work, crazy days, uncertainty, and lost pencils, what I think we really gained was the gift of a lifetime: TIME TOGETHER. So awesome! Click my pic to learn more.
Although Johannes Vermeer was not a popular painter during his lifetime, he is now considered one of the Great Masters of the Dutch Golden Age. Â You are probably familiar with his most famous work, Girl With a Pearl Earring. Â This month you can get a collection of 10 of Vermeer’s works to enjoy in your own home in the easiest form of art appreciation available: Â Fine Art Pages.
Winter time is the perfect time to have your kids do some great artwork. The weather is nasty & you get all cooped up inside, so try this activity with them on one of those dreary days & see how it perks up everyone’s spirits!  
