Teaching art to children--even if you have years of experience under your belt - has its cycles.

What teachers are noticing is that more and more children are struggling with basic art skills. 

With less time given in school environments to developing fine motor skills, not to mention diminishing attention spans, ART is where we see the results of this cycle the most.

You know that ART produces more than just a work of art…it helps little minds grow into creative thinkers, thoughtful individuals and happy little beings. 

So how do you help your little artists get off the struggle bus?

• Are you ready to help your artists slow down, feel confident in their work and feel empowered with their art abilities? 
  
  
• Looking for a simple process to introduce art supplies, techniques and mediums into your program so that you can plug in lessons into a structured and sequential plan?
  
  
• Ready to add a plethora of age-appropriate art skills and a solid understanding of art materials and techniques to your art teacher toolbox?

WELCOME + WARM-UP

Patty and Catherine from Team Sparkle will walk you through how to prepare for the workshop by gathering supplies, prepping your papers and getting ready to explore a variety of media and techniques in the course.

You’ll learn how to use a sketchbook to map your journey, take notes and play with art materials in a way that fills your creative well.  We’ll walk you through sketchbook layouts, material choices and a few fun exercises that hone your art teacher instincts!

Join us for Opening Ceremonies on June 15th 10 AM PST

Module 1: 
Releases June 17th

CRAYON & OIL PASTEL TECHNIQUES

The Grasslands

Low prep art supplies are an art teacher’s secret weapon…easily pulled out when time is tight and always available for enhancing any work of art. But there is far more to crayons and oil pastel that meet the eye.

In this module, Heather will share how to determine whether to pull out crayons or oil pastels for your artists and how the different properties can contribute to wildly successful art activity.  

Learn the crayon techniques best suited for emerging artists ranging from texture rubbings, filling spaces with patterns to creating value with pressure then advancing to using oil pastels for older students with blending, layering and sgraffito techniques.

The workbook provides drawing guides, activity sheets and coloring pages to use with your artists in your art room to help introduce the core techniques and concepts.

Module 2: 
Releases June 20th

COLLAGE & PAINTED PAPER

The Forest

We’re big fans of the artistic process for producing stacks of interesting and textural papers to use in your art room all year long. But if you ever tackled painted paper in your art room, you know it can develop into chaos unless you approach the activity with the right prep strategies.

In this module, Amy will demonstrate how to set-up your art room and students for success and demonstrate eight unique techniques for creating painted paper, from simple scraping to more elaborate stamping. 

The collages that are possible with painted paper build skills from cutting and assembling large shapes to using color schemes to create unity in more intricate compositions. 

The workbook provides 4 drawing guides, activity sheets and coloring pages to use with your artists in your art room to help introduce the core techniques and concepts.

Module 3: 
Releases June 24th

MARKERS

The Rainforest

Colored markers are one of the most affordable art mediums for your art room. But they are designed for more than just coloring in shapes. The versatility of this common art supply is highlighted in this module with eight unique techniques that go beyond the basics into the extraordinary! 

Patty will share engaging ways markers can be used in each grade level so that students are using the medium to develop craftsmanship, create interest in their composition and enjoy the process of coloring. 

Young students will mix markers with water to create paint-like properties while older students will learn the best practices for coloring with marker, adding patterns and layering.

You’ll value this unsung hero of the art room even more when you see how focused children can be when selecting colors, developing their coloring rhythm and using advanced artists techniques.

Each technique will be accompanied by an easy art activities.

Module 4:
Releases June 27th

TEMPERA PAINT 

The Polar Region

If there was one medium to master as an elementary art teacher, we would choose tempera paint. Picking up a paint-laden paintbrush is irresistible for children and that magic is illuminated with the use of the color-mixing properties of liquid tempera paint. 

From smoothing to creating texture, tempera paint application techniques are essential (and fun!) skills to teach your students so they can develop a high sense of mastery over their art with color, mood, and texture.

Color mixing techniques range from mixing of secondary colors in the early grades, to creating tints and shades and creating custom colors for older students.  The experiments don’t stop with just color. Learn the techniques that help artists engage in their artwork with enthusiasm and joy.

Each technique will be accompanied by an easy art activity for each grade level.

Module 5:
Releases July 1st

WATERCOLOR TECHNIQUES

The Saltwater Environment

Watercolor is either a classroom favorite or something to avoid. If you fall into the latter category, you’ll soon embrace this magical medium as your new fave art supply. And the reasons are clear: no paint is as forgiving as watercolor.

We’ll show you unique watercolor techniques that go beyond filling a shape with color. From the basics of wet-on-dry and wax resist to more advanced techniques of layering and masking, this module expands a simple set of watercolors into a dynamic art-creating tool.

And the best part? Watercolors help children slow down and enjoy the art-making process more than focusing on the end result. And that’s a win for everyone!

Each technique will be accompanied by an easy art activity for each grade level.

Module 6:
Releases July 3rd

CLAY TECHNIQUES

The Freshwater Environment

Few things are as irresistible to children as turning a lump of clay into a treasure. The tactile nature of clay - whether air dry, kiln-fired or even model magic--  is something all children love, especially if they don’t enjoy traditional media like pencils or watercolor.

But what if you don't know what a kiln is or have never worked with clay?

It can be intimidating teaching a medium you don't have experience in. We've all been there and will show you the differences between the different types of clay, what they are best used for and how to prep  your art room to begin a clay project.

You’ll learn our favorite 3 handbuilding techniques to get started with:  coiling, pinching and slab building as well as additional techniques for older artists. 

Depending on your specific circumstance, each lesson can be created using kiln-fired or air-dry clay.

Module 7:
Releases July 8th

PRINTMAKING

The Rural Environment

Printmaking is a process in art where an image is transferred from one surface to another, which can be accomplished in a variety of ways. It’s also the technique that will elicit the most oohs and aahs from your students.

You’ll learn how printmaking techniques elevate as the grade levels increase starting with how to use basic print-making tools like sponges and cardboard, to exploring relief printing with foam printing sheets and building up collagraph plates before printing with tempera paint, marker or printing ink.

And if you’re nervous of printmaking prep, we have loads of set-up and clean-up tips that will make printmaking a breeze!

Each technique will be accompanied by an easy art activity for each grade level.

Module 8:
Releases July 11th

PENCIL & COLORED PENCIL

Urban Environments

Pencils are commonly associated with learning to draw but did you know they can be very challenging for students? Pencils tend to bring out the perfectionists in our little artists and thwart creative exploration unless they are used to their best advantage. 

Amy from Team Sparkle breaks down the mystery of the different pencil types with easy to understand charts and exercise sheets to use with your students plus how to add contrast and texture to a work of art using advance (and deceptively simple!) pencil techniques.

 The eight drawing and coloring techniques in this module will have all of your students, including your kindergarteners, experiment with mark making, adding details and learning how to use pencils before graduating to using colored pencils to add color, build up values, create gradients and use implied form. 

This medium is so versatile, you could create an art program just using these materials!

Activity sheets, pencil guides and started projects included.

Module 9:
Releases July 15th

CHALK PASTELS

The Desert Environment

Though some find chalk pastels a bit messy, they offer a magical ability to allow students to lay down a lovely layer of color with just their fingertips. 

Learn how to prepare you chalk pastels so they are easy for your students to share, easy clean up tips to make working with chalk the easiest of all mediums and learn the best practices for preserving artwork.

Techniques range from experimental mark-making and blending to layering on details and creating custom colors. The techniques also include ways to add extra definition into an artwork colored with chalk by using cut paper, the tip of a colored pastel, black oil pastel and even glue.

If you love vibrant colors, easy prep and adding realistic contrast to works of art, this might become your favorite and most versatile medium.

Each technique will be accompanied by an easy art activity for each grade level.

20 Relevant and Inspiring Professional Development Hours are a click away….

PD courses don't often provide a hands-on opportunity to experiment and immerse yourself in relevant art activities.

We believe that engaging and interacting with the core concepts in a manner that you can transfer directly to the art room help fulfill your professional development requirements in a more meaningful way.

With this art workshop, you’ll experience….  

→ A supportive community where you're free to be your most creative self and take your students on an adventure they won't soon forget.

→ A hands-on approach where you learn the advanced properties of common art supplies and create your way through your PD hours.  

→ An experiential framework that explains the HOW of teaching art to children in a clear and practical way.  

All this so you can step into the classroom this upcoming year and create inspiring and an academically aligned art program with fresh zeal and creative enthusiasm.