“I loooooove ART!” is whispered, grunted, and squealed daily in TRA’s Art Studio Room. We believe this happens because creating art is us utilizing our God-given creativity. We believe everyone can draw—and draw well.
TRA’s Art Studio curriculum is unique in three distinct ways:
As image-bearers, we believe everyone is capable of creating beautiful works
We use Atelier Methods (classical drawing methods) to develop the skills of art
Art history compliments what students study in each grade level
First, we believe everyone can produce beautiful works of art:
Have you ever heard someone say (or maybe you have even thought), “Well, I’m not an artist and I can’t draw?!” At TRA, we disagree! Drawing and painting well is a by-product of skill. Skill can be learned over time and with proper scaffolding. Progress can be seen weekly and yearly as students repeat skills, such as those used in drawing.
We study truth, beauty, and goodness through exploration of skill, intelligence, knowledge and craftsmanship. This tag line hangs large on the Art Studio wall (Art & the Bible, Schaeffer)(‘Art for God’s Sake, Ryken).
Those who have older students will notice similar assignments done at each grade level and how each grade takes it a bit further. Scaffolding assignments through the year and over multiple years breeds confidence through familiarity. Knowledge is gained over time and with exposure to a variety of media, methods, and techniques. Intelligent decisions are made and include a lot of lovely errors along the way. Put all this together in application and attention to detail and process, and we develop good craftsmen.
Our study and search for truth, beauty, and goodness is our gift from God. Through this pursuit, we endeavor to create wholeheartedly in the sight of God.
Second, we use classical methods for teaching art to train our students well:
‘Ateliers’ are workshops where students work with a master artist. Ateliers have been around since the Middle Ages and were popular in the 19th century. In fact, our revered artists such as Michelangelo, DiVinci, David, and Picasso all studied in Ateliers. These small schools lessened after the World Wars; universities acquired them and these art schools became something other than places to study how to draw well.
However, Ateliers are regaining popularity. The Atelier methods center around drawing well and drawing truth. Sight-size methods are used, requiring precise measuring. The artist learns to see—to really see—the relationship between lines and shapes. Here at TRA we have been practicing measuring skills from the first grade on up.
TRA’s Classical Art Curriculum easily and intentionally aligns with the Grammar, Dialectic and Rhetoric stages. Our Elementary/Grammar students study the basic Elements of Art (line, shape, forms, space, texture, and color). This fall, all of our students have worked with line in different capacities, and recently we’ve been making shapes into form. Older students will move to integrating the principles of design (balance, emphasis, movement, pattern, repetition, proportion, rhythm, variety and unity).
7th, 8th, and 9th grade’s Dialectic stage is perfect for learning one point and two point perspective. These students are interested and excellent at learning mechanical drawing skills that will serve them well into their future. In ninth grade, our students return to Atelier methods, and our tenth graders will study using the textbook “Beginning Atelier” (Aristides). These are the foundation years preparing them for their master copies; in line with a traditional Atelier, our 11th graders pursue a drawing after a master work and 12th graders will complete a master painting copy (imatado).
See the image of the foot and know that it took this student twelve hours using only a mechanical pencil (and a desire to search for truth).
Lastly, our students learn Art History as it integrates with their time period of historical study:
TRA’s history timeline is strategically in perfect alignment with what we’re studying in art history for each year’s respective period. For example, our first grade is completing a clay pinch pot after studying the clayware of the Hopi Natives, complete with native designs. The 2nd grade class created a clay hippopotamus after the infamous Blue Hippos found in many Egyptian tombs. Our 3rd graders designed and molded Greek vases, and so on. Thankfully there are many resources that help us learn this well, such as AP Art History/Khan Academy and other reliable videos, research, and images.
In the end, we believe as we learn to create art, we develop skills which lead us towards truth, beauty and goodness. All of this leads us toward emulating our Creator. To God be the glory!
Blessings,
Cyndi Noyd
BFA Painting, UW
WA State K-12 Teaching Certificate, Art Education
National Boards 4-12 Art
MA candidate, Florence Academy of Art
