For the past couple of months we’ve been taking art classes from the comfort of our home.
I enjoy art. I like to look at it, create it, and generally muck about with art. But, I don’t enjoy teaching it. I forget to explain steps, and assume they know things they don’t already know.
It’s not a pretty sight when that happens.
Enter the Mixed Media classes. So far we’ve taken the Winter Wonderland Mixed Media Workshop and the Valentine’s Day Mixed Media Workshop. And my kids have loved all of the projects we’ve done (and we’ve got so many projects still to do).
How the Mixed Media Art Classes work
When you sign up for the class Alisha sends you a very friendly email with the supply list, she sends it out early enough for you to get your supplies using 40% off coupons at the various craft stores, and if you’ve taken her classes before the supply list is frequently similar (some supplies are consumable and you need to rebuy them like canvases, but others you can use over and over).
Once the classes start you get an email once a week with different art projects. Each email has 4 projects and an art journal project. My kids LOVE the art journal project, and really enjoyed the whole process of creating an art journal.
I mentioned back at Christmas we made snowmen canvases for the grandparents. Princess’ is hung up in my Mom’s office at work and Batman gave his to his Nana up in Dallas.
Since we didn’t finish all of the Winter Wonderland projects at Christmas (because there’s way too many to complete in a month unless you’re spending a lot more time in art than I am in my homeschool). So we adapted the projects to suit the new time period. It’s led to some fun discussions and the kids have enjoyed learning the new techniques. The project up above started out as “A Christmas Carols” project that we turned into my favorite things project. Which the kids had to much fun adding more and more into their projects.
My tips for getting the most out of your Mixed Media Art Class
Give yourself more time than you think for a project. I’m not the best at budgeting my time, so I tend to think “We can totally do this project in 15 minutes,” no really I’ve thought that, and it’s really more of a 30 or 45 minutes project. I forget sometimes her videos are time-lapsed to allow for drying time.
Join the Facebook group. In the welcome email there’s a facebook group Alisha has started. You get to see all of the amazing projects other people are making as they post them in the group. And it’s encouraging to see the different takes on the projects.
Buy extras of the white pens and the black pens. She includes those in the shopping list, and we were always taking turns with who got to use the pens and when.
I am SO tempted… and then I get back to my reality 🙂
It’s a lifetime access….
Sounds interesting. ..
Oh do give it a try! It would be so much fun to do with you and see your projects.
This sounds like a great class! I’ll have to think about it for summer, maybe.
I’m sure she’ll have a summer class too.
I was going to do the autumn one with my eldest twin. I’m not sure why we decided against it but you are making me want to take a second look. Your projects are brilliant!
Thanks! I didn’t sign up for the fall one because at first I thought it was for older kids, but it depends on what your kids can handle, and my kids can handle doing this. Come sign up, it would be so much fun!
Are those photos of the art journals? They look so great! These really sound like great classes – and I love anything that encourages more creativity and art!
They are, or at least the bottom ones are. The top photo of the post is of the projects we will be doing. I can’t wait to see how the kids do with it.