An Art Corner At Home

I received a phone call from Bree’s mum on Tuesday night. She said she is going to have the finger-painting prints framed. Bree’s dad was very proud of her work. I was told that the finger-painting activity gave her an idea on what to get Bree for her 2nd birthday. They had been wondering what to get her. Up until Tuesday, they were thinking about buying a cubby house or outdoor play unit for their small backyard. She is now thinking that art equipment may be more appropriate.

Bree’s mum asked if an easel was an essential item. I told her that most of the children I looked after have an easel at home but many don’t really use them. Parents enjoy witnessing their child unwrapping a big present, but they don’t often continue to provide items so their child can use the easel properly. They may also find it too cumbersome to clean up after their children’s painting sessions. While modern easels come with a storage area for the paint pots or chalk, so they are always accessible to the little artists, many parents can’t possibly leave the items out at all times because of a younger baby’s presence and some prefer a minimalist look around the house, without the permanent ‘clutter’ of an easel in the family room. Some parents even come to resent the chalk dust after a while. So, I suggested that they should think seriously before investing in an easel.

From my experience, most children are quite happy to do artwork at their own little tables. I think ample art supplies and proper storage for their art equipment is more important than getting an easel. It is off-putting to expect a child to draw if their markers no longer work or if their colouring pencils are of such a low quality that they are constantly breaking. While I may have mentioned markers, I am not a big fan of them. I am not against them because I am the one who has to clean them up if children use them to draw on the walls. In fact, one can buy washable ones these days (think Crayola). I am against them because they don’t teach children about shades. Children using colouring pencils will discover that they can produce darker or lighter shades by the strength of their application. Providing different types of paper is just as important. Plain A4 paper is fine for drawing. A large roll of butcher’s paper is a good budget option for painting at the easel. Thicker type construction paper is also good for collage or 3D art and Origami paper is not just great for Origami but is also great for cutting exercises. Collecting clean, used packaging (e.g., Cereal Boxes) in a useful box encourages children to reuse creatively.

All of the equipment mentioned above should be stored neatly in a cupboard accessible to the little artist/s. At Stella’s house, she has a cupboard designated just for her art materials. Her mum paints during her spare time, so she decided that Stella should also have her own little art cupboard. Both mother and daughter have a cupboard next to their own easel. Stella watches what her mother does and has learnt from a young age to clean up afterwards. She doesn’t just turn up at the easel demanding to do a painting. She knows how to retrieve the paint pots from the cupboard, select the brushes required and rolls herself a fresh part of the butcher’s paper on the easel. (She has one of those easels where the roll of butcher’s paper is attached.) Everything she needs is neatly organized in this cupboard. There is even a little ice-cream container with a sponge and a spray bottle filled with water for cleaning up spills. Unlike other children, she doesn’t run away after her painting. She knows to take the brushes to the sink to wash them and then let them dry in the backyard. The painting is left on the easel to dry and display. When she is ready, she may ask for it to be cut and removed. Her paintings are stored neatly in a big box. Observing how Stella handles things so maturely scares me sometimes.

At Bree’s age, she requires only a minimal amount of equipment at this stage. I have offered her black pencils and a fat black crayon to draw, but I must say that her creations with these pencils and crayons didn’t draw as much attention from her parents as her red finger-painting. For drawing, black pencils and crayons are a must as are ample supplies of white paper. When she is ready to paint, paints in the 3 primary colours should be introduced first. She will need bigger and stiffer brushes, one for each paint pot. Choose paint pots with a stopper. The paint pots should be placed on a stool next to where the child is painting. It should be next to the child’s preferred hand. Stella’s neighbour made her a wooden caddy to place her paint pots in. It carries up to 10 paint pots and it has a handle for easy transport. It is very handy indeed. Going back to painting, Bree will definitely need a smock. A plain smock (e.g. made of plain calico) is ideal but I have a feeling that they will buy her a multi-coloured one. Maybe I could make her one for her birthday. I shall talk to her mum first.

An easel does have its use, and was not invented for no reason. It allows the user to view the entire painting right in front of them. It also helps to develop large muscle control. I have observed children who painted really well on an easel. One little boy of 4 (at the time) would paint using different colours trying different brushes. He would stand back to admire his painting every now and then. He would check out the brush work and the colours from different angles. No one at the day care centre had ever told him to do that. We thought he must have learned it from home but we later found out that no one at home was painting either. He probably worked it out for himself.

The amount of materials is only minimal when a child first starts doing artwork. As more colours, brushes and other things (e.g. scissors, glues, clay, etc) are introduced, the amount of materials grows very quickly. This is why a cupboard designated for art materials is essential. Art is a fairly affordable activity that we should encourage children to explore. Everyone can express their feelings through art. It is something that anyone from around the age of 18 months onwards can enjoy.