Kehinde Wiley is the first African-American artist commissioned to paint an official presidential portrait. He painted the first African-American president of the United States. In fact, there were many firsts about Wiley’s portrait of Barack Obama. To appreciate this, the lesson covers the legacy of presidential portraits that go all the way back to the […]
Free Art Lessons for Kids: Design Your Own Dinosaur Dinosaurs lived millions of years ago, long before there were any people. Dinosaurs were a kind of prehistoric reptile that dominated the earth about 150 million years ago during the Mesozoic Era, the “Age of Reptiles.” Paleontologists study their fossil remains to learn more about the […]
Pablo Ruiz Picasso was born in Spain in 1881. Picasso’s father was an art teacher who encouraged his son to paint and draw. As a child, Picasso painted with extraordinary realism and talent. As an adult, he chose to use his talent to invent new abstract styles. This lesson deconstructs Pablo Picasso’s Mains aux Fleurs […]
This MLK Jr. holiday, we celebrate King’s unbounded spirit of dreaming and the belief that ‘anyone can fly’ with a fun art project based on American artist and author Faith Ringgold’s Tar Beach. Tar Beach is a story of 8-year old Cassie Lightfoot, who flies through the sky on a summer night in 1939 Harlem […]
Diego Rivera was born in Mexico in 1886. He lived most of his life in Mexico, where he painted murals showing Mexican culture. His murals are similar in some ways to ancient Mayan stellae. He was married to another painter, Frida Kahlo. Rivera incorporated many interests into his paintings, including science, medicine, archaeology, political history, […]
Henri Matisse was born in France in 1869. At 20, Matisse was planning to become a lawyer. His studies were interrupted by an attack of appendicitis. During his long convalescence, Matisse began to paint and was encouraged to study art instead. Matisse wanted to express himself with color and shape rather than with realistic shading […]
Ando Hiroshige was born in Edo, Japan (now Tokyo) under the name Ando Tokutaro. His father was a fire chief, and Hiroshige was also a fireman before becoming a professional artist. As a child, he liked to sketch. Hiroshige was a painter and printmaker of the Ukiyo-e genre of art. These artists made woodblock prints […]
This lesson focuses on a photograph, “Northern Humpback Whale.” In the lesson you will learn to make a 3-D whale while learning about photography, endangered species and whales. Download this free whale mini art lesson. Looking for art curriculum to use at home? Check out our newest product perfect for homeschool, distance learning, or just […]
For Lunar New Year, celebrate our connection with animals with a fun sheep art project based on discussions of French artist Jean Dubuffet’s The Cow with a Subtle Nose. The sheep is one of 12 animal signs from the Chinese zodiac that is determined by the lunar calendar. It is believed people born in a particular […]
Dia de los Muertos, or “Day of the Dead,” is a Mexican holiday celebrated in early November where families remember their loved ones who have passed away. The holiday is not a sad one, but rather a lively festival to celebrate those who have died. The holiday has ancient roots in indigenous cultures, especially Aztec, […]
