Art Study

I had previously decided that my choice of homeschool "method" was very similar to the Charlotte Mason method, and so I had thought to follow her ideas...this is easier said than done, and I wonder often how I will accomplish all she set out to do! I've been a lurker at a Charlotte Mason yahoo group or two for quite sometime...recently one post in particular prompted me to do more with art. I love art, so it shouldn't be a hard thing...but it can be very intimidating! One poster had on her blog simple steps that even I found to be very quick and painless. She called it a "Picture Study" so that is what I call it.
I had some prints in 4x6 size, so I chose one at random. Now, God is not a random God...so I should not have been surprised when I pulled out a famous painting of a rabbit...given that we had just completed our rabbit lapbook! God knew, and He is so good. So our first "study" was of this particular painting by Albrecht Dürer ca. 1500. We didn't do much...they studied the image for a minute or two, and then narrated back to me what they had seen. (This week I actually typed their narration so that I will have a record of it...but my first attempt in lost, oh well, live and learn.) Then I gave the girls each a composition notebook, and a photocopy of the print to glue in. They then journaled their thoughts about the painting. The print remained on the wall for the rest of the week.
This week I took it a little further, and a little slower. I chose another print by Dürer, Nuremburg Woman Dressed for Church ca 1500, and again let them study it and narrate or dictate to me their thoughts. I did type them to add to their notebook at a later date. Then a couple days later we did the journal, and another couple days after that I gave them paper and paint so that they could re-create the painting. I thought they would really enjoy this part...not! My dgd who LOVES to draw was so stressed about making it perfect that she completely lost the fun of it! And dd who is a perfectionist really struggled as well! Gosh, I had hoped it would be something fun for them to look forward to doing...I guess we'll have to see about next week. They did finally get a painting done, and we've attached it to their notebook. I haven't given up, but I hope they are a little more relaxed about it next week. I was practically chanting...it's art, it's not about perfection, art is individual, each person's art is different, it's not Dürer's woman you are painting it's your woman dressed for church...I think it did finally sink it...but I hope things are better next time!
Here's a couple pictures without tears:





*Ü* Blessings,