My family had the privilege of trying the Artists that Shaped the Italian Renaissance, K-3 Vol. 4 of the K-3rd Grade Level, Volumes 1-8 from ARTistic Pursuits Inc. for this review to use in conjunction with our own homeschool curriculum. This is a Homeschool Review Crew Review. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family.
ARTistic Pursuits Inc. creates art curriculum for children. This full-color curriculum helps children to grow their skills of observation and critical thinking. It teaches all components of fine art, including creativity, art history, art appreciation, and art techniques. This unique homeschool art program permits the student to be expressive and make up their own decision about what and how they will draw, paint, or sculpt.
ARTistic Pursuits Art Instruction Books with DVD and Blu-Ray by Brenda Ellis are hardcover books for kindergarten and elementary students. These have art history and art instruction lessons in text with pictures to study and video lessons on how to use the art materials. There are a total of 8 volumes currently:
- K-3 Vol. 1 ART FOR CHILDREN, Building a Visual Vocabulary
- K-3 Vol. 2 ART OF THE ANCIENTS
- K-3 Vol. 3 ART OF THE MIDDLE AGES
- K-3 Vol. 4 ARTISTS THAT SHAPED THE ITALIAN RENAISSANCE
- K-3 Vol. 5 ART OF THE NORTHERN COUNTRIES, RENAISSANCE TO REALISM
- K-3 Vol. 6 ART OF THE IMPRESSIONISTS
- K-3 Vol. 7 ART OF THE MODERN AGE
- K-3 Vol. 8 ART IN AMERICA
Each book covers one whole semester of art if you have your student do one lesson a week. You can do these lessons chronologically starting with volume 1 and follow the history volumes in order or do volume 1 and then skip to the volume of choice after that. It is all up to you.
Artists that Shaped the Italian Renaissance is the forth volume of the series. It is a hardcover book with both Blu-ray and DVD. It has 64 pages, 18 lessons (12 text lessons featuring artworks by Italian Renaissance masters and 6 video lessons featuring art instruction on materials), and 86 full-color illustrations. This art curriculum book and videos takes a look at art produced in the Italian Renaissance, from the Cimabue's tilt of the head in the 13th century to the foreshortened and exaggerated forms of Parmigianino in the 16th century. Young learners will create and respond to art of this period as they increase their skills in motivation, concentration, and discovery, etc. They also learn about the period and how the people then made art. Children will work with watercolors, resist, fresco, scratch art, and oil pastels.
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| K-3 Vol.4 Art Supply Pack | ARTistic Pursuits |
K-3 Vol. 4 Art Supply Pack (can be purchased separately or with the book for additional cost) Includes:
- Prang pan watercolor set
- Watercolor paper pad
- Two 9"x12" hardboard panels
- Small 8oz. spackling paste
- Small plastic putty knife
- Scratch-Art Paper
- Gold origami paper
- Purple cotton tote bag
You will also need these materials from K-3 Vol. 1 Starter Pack Materials list:
- Oil pastel set
- Drawing paper
- Construction paper
- Scissors
- Watercolor brush, round #8
- Elmer's Glue All
- Glue stick
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| ARTistic Pursuits Inc. Artists that Shaped the Italian Renaissance, K-3 Vol. 4: Lessons 1-5 |
How We Used This and Our Thoughts:
I did this art instruction for kids with my daughters Teela and Zari who are in 5th and 2nd grade this school year. We did one lesson a week which got us through the 5th lesson. My kids love art so they enjoyed these activities and learning about the art very much. ARTistic Pursuits Inc. Artists that Shaped the Italian Renaissance, K-3 Vol. 4 would be a great art curriculum for use with art history lessons and a unit study for the Italian Renaissance.
The lessons without videos have prep notes with tips and information about the type of art. It also has notes on how to instruct a larger group. Then there is the art history lesson on the next page with pictures of an art piece and questions at the end in bold. After the history lesson the book has a page of how to do the art. Each art lesson has a box of text that will list the materials needed for that art project, an example picture of the art made by a student, pictures of the art being assembled and instructions with more insight into the history. The lessons that have videos are truncated in the book and have a minimal amount of information to show you what art will be created and what materials are needed to make the art. These are used with the DVD or Blu-ray.
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| ARTistic Pursuits Inc. Artists that Shaped the Italian Renaissance, K-3 Vol. 4: Lesson 1 (Watercolor Self-Portrait). |
The first lesson we had an introduction of the Italian Renaissance and learned how to make a watercolor self-portrait. This lesson was accompanied by a video (video #1) on the DVD or Blu-ray. This gave us very visual step-by-step instruction of the process. We liked the videos and thought they were very thorough, educational, and nicely done. The video had the art history and art instruction to show how to use watercolors properly so they won't bleed into the next color and so you stay in the lines.
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| ARTistic Pursuits Inc. Artists that Shaped the Italian Renaissance, K-3 Vol. 4: Lesson 2 (Gold Leaf Painting) |
The second lesson in the book we learned about Giovanni Cimabue. There are questions at the end in bold of the this art history lesson about the picture of a painting, called Madonna Enthroned, with Saints and Angels by Cimabue in the book to make sure the children are paying attention to the art. Then we are told and shown how to make a gold leaf watercolor painting. We couldn't find the gold leaf paper so we ended up using a cut up gold colored reversible table cloth for the gold objects in the picture.
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| ARTistic Pursuits Inc. Artists that Shaped the Italian Renaissance, K-3 Vol. 4: Lesson 3 (Gesture Painting) |
The third lesson we learned about Giotto di Bondone and gesture painting. There are questions at the end in bold of the this art history lesson about the picture of the Lamentation of Christ. Then we are told and shown how to do a watercolor gesture painting.
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| ARTistic Pursuits Inc. Artists that Shaped the Italian Renaissance, K-3 Vol. 4: Lesson 4 (Calendar Page) |
In the forth lesson we learned about Paul, Jean, and Herman Limbourg & the Book of Hours. There are questions at the end in bold of the this art history lesson about the picture of October (the Tres Riches Heures of Jean, Duke of Berry). Then we are told and shown how to do a watercolor calendar page.
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| ARTistic Pursuits Inc. Artists that Shaped the Italian Renaissance, K-3 Vol. 4: Lesson 5 (Symbol Painting) |
In the fifth lesson we learned about Jan van Eyck. There are questions at the end in bold of the this art history lesson about the picture of The Arnolfini Portrait. Then we are told and shown how to do a symbol watercolor painting.
There was only one thing that I would change if I was the author. My daughter and I wished that all the lessons had videos because we are very visual and the videos made the instruction so much easier, but we would also have liked those that did have videos to have the whole instruction and art history lesson in the book as well. This would make it easier to use with those children that are too young to read and those that learn better by reading than by visual and audio as well would benefit if both were used for all lessons. This would help our learners of all types.
So far ARTistic Pursuits Inc. Artists that Shaped the Italian Renaissance, K-3 Vol. 4 has been very educational and fun. We have learned so much about the art of the time. I highly recommend this art for children. It is perfect for our art at home instruction and to go along with our unit study history lessons about the Italian Renaissance.
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BUY IT
You can purchase the K-3rd Grade Level, Volumes 1-8. They are each $39.99. If you would like to purchase the art kits with these it is more and depends on the kit.
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