Inspired by Vincent Van Gogh Review

I have a fun art product to share with you today from Timberdoodle, Inspired by Vincent Van Gogh.  Inspired by Van Gogh is manufactured by Djeco and is recommended for ages 5-99 or Kindergarten and up!

Our artboards

What's included in our kit?  Our kit includes 4 artboards or cards (inspired by Van Gogh's paintings), 1 double-ended wooden stylus, and a full-color instructional booklet filled with design ideas.  Each artboard is a separate project taking anywhere from 30-60 minutes to complete.

I decided to use this art kit a little differently in that I wanted several of us to complete our artboards instead of one kid completing all four.  I thought this would be a good way to demonstrate the end product with a larger age range, so the girls and I have been enjoying making our boards.  D made one, E made one, B and I tagged team on one and we are saving the last one for A (we want to see what a college art major can create).

Above you can see a collage of the artboard D created.

I absolutely love her final product.

Above you can see a collage of the artboard E created.  I love the flowers!

I love the way it turned out and that she signed it up near the left top corner.

Above you can see the collage that B and I did together!

I am pleased with the way it turned out.

Above is the artboard we are saving for A to do when she returns from college over the break.  Stay tuned to see her masterpiece.

These artboards are a great way to boost both fine motor and visual discernment skills.  The stylus is used to scratch through the ink to uncover a colored layer beneath.  I like that you can scratch simpler patterns or scratch off larger areas to reveal hidden surprises.  And honestly, these artboards are just relaxing and fun to complete!

Inspired by Vincent Van Gogh is currently included in Timberdoodle's 6th grade curriculum kit.  This fun resource will help children develop artistic skill and art appreciation.  Don't be afraid to complete one yourself as well.

Disclosure:  Huge shout out to Timberdoodle for selecting me as a Timberdoodle Blogger.  I received Inspired by Vincent Van Gogh in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.

Timberdoodle's Animals and Their Homes Review

I have a fun product to share with you today from Timberdoodle, Animals and Their Homes.  This kit has six different types of creative activities for your child on the theme of animals and their homes.  Animals and Their Homes is manufactured by Djeco and is geared for children ages 3-6 years old or PreK - 1st Grade.  G has been using it as part of his Art for 1st grade and he has really been enjoying it!

What's included in our kit?

As previously mentioned, there are six different projects that all center around the topic of animals.  All the supplies needed for each project is included and I really appreciate that!  There is also a picture instructional booklet that works as a step-by-step guide for each of the activities.

Activity 1

Materials needed for the first activity

 

In this activity, G got to color two cats - a boy cat and a girl cat.  He then got to embellish his coloring pages with included stickers.  He really likes the reversible grip crayons.

G working on the first cat

And the second cat after completion

Activity 2

Materials needed for the second activity

In this activity, G got to punch out pieces and glue them onto his craft board to create a collage of a circus puppy.  He followed the picture instructions for which pieces to glue first and followed it up with adding googly eyes and puff balls.

 

G working on his puppy

A close-up of his circus puppy, he's so cute!

 

Activity 3

Materials needed for the third activity

In this activity, G got to create two mosaics of a fish and a turtle using stickers.

 

G is halfway through this kit and as you can see he is really enjoying it.  I really like that he has no issues doing the activities independently.  Animals and Their Homes is currently included in Timberdoodle's Kindergarten curriculum kit and we definitely recommend it.

 

Disclosure:  Huge shout out to Timberdoodle for selecting me as a Timberdoodle Blogger.  I received Animals and Their Homes in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.

Timberdoodle's Tiger Crystal Art Card Kit Review

I have another fun product to share with you today from Timberdoodle, Tiger Crystal Art Card Kit.  This kit is geared for students 8 and older.  E has really enjoyed making this card!

What's in our kit?  Our kit includes

• a tiger design template
• jelly wax
• crystal pick-up pen
• pre-sorted crystal packets
• crystal tray
• Ziplock bags
• envelope
• Instructions
  

How does this kit work?

The artist will peel back the protective plastic on the area they are working on, this exposes the sticky area of the mosaic.  The crystals are in bags marked with letters.  These letters correspond to the letters on the card for that color.  Using the pen, the artist will then dip it into the jelly wax and pick up the needed round crystal and apply it to the mosaic on the corresponding coded position.  This concept is similar to painting by numbers but it uses colored crystals instead of paint!

You can see where E has completed some of the chin above.

 

 

 

More progress

A close-up of the mosaic so you can see the letter guide

Almost complete

E with her finished Tiger Crystal Art Card.  I love that it comes with an envelope to send to someone if desired.

E's completed card

Tiger Crystal Art Card Kit is currently included in Timberdoodle's 4th grade curriculum kit and we highly recommend it.  It is such a fun art project and E (who is 10) had no trouble completing it!

Disclosure:  Huge shout out to Timberdoodle for selecting me as a Timberdoodle Blogger.  I received our Tiger Crystal Art Card Kit in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.

Art History Program from Creating a Masterpiece Review

Disclosure:  I received this complimentary product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

If you know us, then you know that we absolutely love art!  We were so blessed to receive an online subscription to Creating a Masterpiece's Art History Program through the rest of this year.  This program does not teach history per se, but it teaches students how to complete fine art projects similar to the ones done in the periods covered.  Sharon Hofer, a master artist, guides students through the program with lesson videos, easy enough for a wide age range to follow along.  The lessons are self-paced so there is no need to rush through the projects.  The lessons have strategic breaks as well that help students pace themselves - some are necessary (letting paint or glue dry before moving on) while others are recommended stopping points.

 

The Styles of Art in History is geared for ages 5 and up and currently has 25 different projects.

 

The Historically Themed Projects are geared for ages 6 and up and currently has 8 different projects.

 

 The Exploring the Art of Yesterday section is geared for ages 13 and up as it is more difficult.  Likewise, the Paint Like Vermeer: Girl with the Pearl Earring is a masterpiece level of difficulty and should only be attempted by those who meet the requirements.

 

I really appreciate that students can choose projects that interest them to create.  So far, we have spent our time in the Styles of Art in History section.  I'm looking forward to when some of the older kids get to the higher levels of difficulty.

 

D and E worked on the Royal Hunt, which is an Ancient Egyptian style of art.  There are 3 main lesson for this piece.

 

Above you can see the supply list needed for this project.  Each project has a list of what supplies are needed and it is your responsibility to obtain them.

 

Lesson 1 has six sections made up of short videos walking you through the basic drawing for this project.

 

Here is D's first drawing.

And here is E's first drawing.

Lesson 2 has three sections made up of short videos where you add the hieroglyphics and outline your piece with a black marker.

 

And the final Lesson 3 has two sections that walk you through coloring in your piece and adding final detail.

 

Here is Sharon's final work.

And here is E and D's final pieces, don't they look great?

 

Next, A created the Eagle in Profile Mosaic, which is an inspired Byzantine Period of art that uses millet seed.  It is simple and fun!

 

I couldn't find millet seed so we used quinoa.  I bought white and red but we also needed a darker value so we cooked the lighter seed to create a darker color.

Our darker quinoa after browning.

A starting the project after gathering all her supplies.

You can really see the eagle above.

After adding all the seed.

 

And the final eagle, after Mod Podge and drying...

 

Finally, A created an eye in the style of realism (as it is).  This project has two lessons (Lesson 1 is divided into 5 sections and Lesson 2 is divided into 4 sections).

A working on The Eye.

A's final eye, isn't is stunning?

I hope you can see from the kid's various projects that this art program is fantastic!  Sharon is so great and I love that she encourages students in their pieces and reminds them that they will all be unique.  The videos are clear and concise.  I love that she walks the students through completing their projects as she completes her own making it easy for students to follow along.  And of course with videos, students have the ability to pause them or rewatch them as needed.  The projects are unique and fun.  I appreciate that there are different levels so that my younger students can participate and my older students can really be challenged.  This is a great program and your students really will create a masterpiece, or two, or three...

Be sure to click on the banner below to visit the Homeschool Review Crew blog to read more reviews of the Art History Program from Creating a Masterpiece.

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