Classroom Art: Paint a Winter Landscape on Canvas

Classroom art is important for student development.  Many children are afraid to pick up a brush and paint a picture. They just don’t think they can do it. You as the teacher need to acquaint yourself with brushes and paint, at least a little bit, so you can help your students get used to it. This Winter Landscape on canvas is a great beginning for middle and upper graders, and we’ll guide you through it step by step so that painting looks easy to you all.

Other classroom art projects to try, like Free-Form Fall Painting Party: Unstructured Art Time Is Important, or Pulled String Art Class: Fun, Easy Experimental Painting, will help children get used to paints. More fun and easy painting: Mom’s Gift: Classroom DIY Students Will Love to Make or Paint a Watercolor Butterfly With a Black Resist Outline. With today’s post, you will teach the children how to handle paint brushes. And give them practice with placing paint on canvas and blending colors. Above all, have fun!

Children need to know that they do not have to follow the crowd, or paint exactly the same picture, in order for their art to have value. Please express this to them, again and again. Make certain they know that you appreciate their individuality. Some children don’t worry about it; they’re the natural leaders. But the more timid students need to hear it. Know your students, so you can get the right message to the child that needs it.

Okay, the sermon is over.  Let’s start painting.

Classroom Art: Canvas Painting

WHAT YOU NEED:

• one canvas per child. A good size to start with is 8″ x 10″ and you can buy them in multi-packs.
• brushes, one flat and one round. These brushes from Amazon are perfect. They’re not high quality but plenty good enough for several paintings. Be sure to clean them well before the paint dries.
• acrylic paint. Tube paints or 2 oz. bottles of paint. Check your supply, as exact colors aren’t required for this art. You’ll need a white, yellow, orange, and dark blue or black.
• a jar of water and folded paper towel for each student
• Protection for clothing and desks or tables. Prepare students and parents by sending a note home ahead of time telling them that you will be painting. They can bring cover up shirts or wear old clothes. Another choice is cutting neck and arm holes into garbage bags for cover up shirts. Cut garbage bags open and tape onto desks or tables to protect from paint splatters. Moms don’t like to be surprised by paint splatters when Junior gets home. Ask me how I know.

Paint the Winter Landscape

When all the prep work is ready and all people and desks and floors are fully protected, you can hand out the weapons.  I mean, brushes.  And canvases.  (You may think I’m treating this like a hazardous waste area, but just take my word for it. Protect it all and save yourself from splashes and spills.)

Hang onto the paint for now.

Explain to the students that you will come around and squirt the paint directly onto their canvases. It would be good to have your own demo canvas so you can work along with them. It’s much easier for newbies if they can see someone perform the action instead of telling.

STEP ONE:

If you have tube paints, instruct them to dip their brush in water and pat it on the paper towel so it’s not dripping, then begin spreading the paint.  The bottle paint won’t need water added unless it seems sluggish.

Sign your work of art.

Dab a No. 2 pencil into white paint and add your name and the date to your canvas, just like “real” artists.

You have created your first masterpiece!

PS: If you have any questions, please message us at kimenink@gmail.com. We’ll be happy to help you find your supplies or try to explain any portion of this post.

Enjoy your Classroom Art session.