Artistic Pursuits ~ Review

I like to think I am an artistic person so art should be an area that my kids receive regular lesson in, right?!  The truth ~ I have failed in providing consistent art lessons.  What I needed was an art curriculum that provides information about the artists, their artwork, and teaches the techniques used ~ with a reasonable price tag!  Artistic Pursuits Curriculum by Brenda Ellis has been the answer!  I received Artistic Pursuits Grade K-3 Book 2 ~ Stories of Artists and Their Art to review.         

About Artistic Pursuits

Artistic Pursuits program presents both the expressive and the technical aspects of art.  The books, which are written to the student, can be used by homeschoolers or for independent study.  They offer books for preschoolers to grade 12. 

Artist Pursuits Book Two ~ Stories of Artists and Their Art contains 32 lessons with projects featuring Gothic, Renaissance and Academy Art of the 18th Century.  Artists featured in this book include:

• Cimabue
• Giotto
• Limbourg
• Van Eyck
• Leonardo de Vinci
•   Michelangelo
• Raphael
• Anguissola
• Durer
• Bruegel
• Parmigianino
• Rembrandt
• Vermeer
• Fragonard
• Turner
• Millet

The book introduces students to pan watercolors, tempera paints, oil pastels, printmaking, stamping, paper mache, and mixed media.   All of the materials needed are listed, making for quick and easy preparation. 

Each lessons starts out with a short and easy to understand introduction to the artist and their artwork.  Next is a project to go along your artist study, showing supplies needed and easy to follow directions.  Each project contains a student gallery showing actual artwork done by a student.  Following the project is information about a specific piece created by the artist.  Questions provided help the student observe the details of the artwork.  Students are then given another, slightly more complex project.

Our Thoughts

This book has put art back into our homeschooling routine!  The list of supplies needed in the front of the book made it easy for me to see what I already had and what I needed to purchase.  The supplies I needed were easily found at our local craft and art supply store.  If you don’t have an art store near you Artistic Pursuits does offer sets of art supply packs.  Each lesson provided just the right amount of information, but not so much that my busy 4 year old lost interest.  

   

Artwork by Emily: Age 7

The books, which are $42.95 each, are so worth the price and each book is non-consumable so you can use them over and over.

Find Out More

Visit Artistic Pursuits site to purchase Book Two ~ Stories of Artists and Their Art ($42.95 each) and check out the other books they offer. 

For more Artistic Pursuits reviews click here.

This product was given to me for review purposes, and I do not have to return the product to the vendor. I was not paid for this post. All opinions expressed in this post are mine.

~Cindy