Art Alive at WowArt: Getting Started

Noey is like me in many ways. He's very much a mini-me, to an extent sometimes that it's a bit freaky. 

But one way in which he is certainly different from me is his love for drawing and art and craft. I love art and can certainly spend hours looking at and admiring artwork, but put a pencil in my hand and I'm lost. I guess I just don't know how to translate what I see onto paper. Noey on the other hand doesn't have this problem. He loves doodling and it can entertain himself for good lengths of time with just his markers and paper. 

I mentioned in my previous post that Noey would be probably be starting a term of lessons with WowArt Learning Studio to hone his love for art. There was a bit of a delay to him starting his lessons, but he's now four weeks into Art Alive and really loving it. I was impressed too, after he produced a really great piece of artwork on a car after his first lesson!

The objective of the lesson was to learn to use soft pastels to express different layers of the background and oil pastels to depict the speed and movement of the car. Noey said his teacher helped him with the outline of the car but he did the rest himself.

I sent him back again a couple of weeks later to make sure that it wasn't a fluke. This time, I also stayed throughout the lesson peering through the glass at him to make sure that he was really doing it all on his own. 

(He was. I'm such a terrible, distrusting Mummy.)

But since I stayed and conscientiously took photos, I can show you too!

Noey's second lesson was on Seeds. The children were taught the technique of printmaking to make their own artwork of seed prints. The lessons are designed in themes of four weeks each, and it was the first lesson on the theme of Plants. I know this because the lesson plan for the block of four lessons is helpfully tacked to the glass door of the classroom. As a parent, I like this as it helps me to understand what is sought to be achieved, and what to expect from Noey's artwork.

Lesson plan for the lessons on the theme of Plants

The lesson objectives are also tacked up in the classroom for parents and children alike, along with some pictures which the children would later use as guides/inspiration for their work.

Lesson objectives clearly spelt out, together with pictures of a variety of seeds and seed pods.

During this session, class commenced with Teacher Rara taking the children through the pictures of the different examples of seeds and getting them to observe the different parts of the seed.  

Teacher Rara explaining the different parts of the hazelnut.

After explaining the different pictures, she then demonstrated exactly what was to be done. The children were reminded about the concept of contrast between warm and cool colours. This concept was taught during the trial exploratory session too, and I realise is one that is repeatedly enforced.

It was the children's turn after the demo. First they each picked 5 pieces of coloured paper on which they would be printing, then they select a picture to copy. The children are the given a foam block each on which they sketch their design before proceed to carve out. I must admit that while watching, I doubted that Noey was doing the right thing but it turns out it was just me doubting my son wrongly again.

Noey sketches his design super quickly and checks with his teacher.

Carving out his design.

After that, it was time to choose their paints and make some prints! The kids were instructed on how to mix the paints for different colours/shades, and how to choose contrasting colours for the seed and the background. I held m breath as Noey mixed and matched his colours and was happy to see that he did manage to successfully make some prints.

Painting and washing of his paintbrush after that. Noey worked very quickly.

Tah-dah! Noey with his peanut prints, trying to figure out how he wanted to place them for mounting.

Noey spent sometime working on his layout, and when he was finally satisfied, there we had it. A piece of his very own artwork which I think might be an interesting addition to his wall.

The final result, before he added his name to it. It's a rocket shape, he says. You can bet he was pleased.

Overall, I must say that I've been impressed with the systematic manner in which the lessons have been taught. The child is guided and yet is also given freedom to express himself artistically. This is obvious from the way the different children in the class come up with really different pieces from the same lesson. For me as a parent, I have no illusions that my son will be a brilliant artist. Rather, what I am after is for him to have the ability to translate the images from his vivid imagination -- and boy, does he have one -- on to paper, and to enjoy himself doing something he loves. Guess it also won't hurt if he is also able to improve his observation skills in the process.

Forest, a combinations of soft pastel and oil pastels. It was also a lesson on perspectives. 

If you're interested to see more of Noey's art at WowArt, do check out the hashtag #noeyswowart on Instagram, where I will be posting some update on his latest art work as he continues with his lessons this term.

To get a taste of what WowArt has to offer, you might also wish to check out their school holiday programmes for the upcoming September break. The ever-popular Kids on Canvas! programme is back, featuring the renowned French painter, Henri Mattisse. There are also a variety of workshops for children aged 2.5-4 years of age, and those aged 5 years and over. The kids will certainly be going for a workshop or two once we make up our mind what to do! 

 

WowArt Learning Studio
200 Upper Thomson Road
#01-10 Thomson Imperial Court
Singapore 574424
Telephone: 6352 2221
Website: studio.wow.com.sg
Email: Info@wow.com.sg

*This is Part 1 of a series of posts on Noey's art learning journey at WowArt. Noey was invited by WowArt to experience a term of their ArtAlive classes. All opinions expressed herein are strictly my own and are based on my own observations as well as information provided by WowArt.