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Category Archives: art teacher tips

Photoshop Tutorial: How to Create Photo Collages for Your Blog

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Golden-themed graphic titled 'Photoshop Tutorial: How to use Photoshop Elements to make blog pics' with colorful artwork below.

Nora asked, “Hi Marcia,  I love how you lay out photos on your blog! Could you please tell me how you do this? Thanks! My blog is http://www.waitsfieldart.blogspot.com” I use either Photoshop Elements or Picmonkey to create the collages of artwork for my blog posts.  If I want to share several examples of artwork I often shrink them down and place them side by side or in a grid layout, like this: I also create photo collages as a “header” … Read more… →

Types of Lines in Art Handout

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Types of Lines in Art Handout

Are you teaching about LINES in art?  Here is a FREE printable types of lines handout. I have been working on some quick assessment sheets for key concepts in art class.  This is perfect for kindergarten, first grade and maybe higher.   Click to download this free Types of Lines in Art Worksheet. Let the kids interpret the lines how they want.  Curvy, wavy and scalloped could be all very similar. This is the best book I have found for teaching … Read more… →

Reader Mailbag

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Reader Mailbag

From time to time I receive comments on blog posts or emails from readers that might be interesting to other art teachers.  These new Reader Mailbag posts will highlight questions and comments that I think are intriguing and you will too! Elizabeth asked, “Do you think it’s crucial to be an extremely talented artist yourself if you’d like to teach it?”   Wow, that is a great question!  First, I think it depends on what level you are planning to … Read more… →

Summer Art Challenge Display

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A colorful bulletin board displays various kids' artworks, including paintings, crafts, and paper cutouts created during a summer art challenge.

At the end of the year last school year, I passed out Summer Art Challenge sheets.  Each of the students who participated received a certificate and a prize or two or three depending on how much of the challenge they completed.  Visit this past blog post to read about the challenge activities. Here is the certificate I passed out.  I blocked off my name and the school name/year, so you can use this award sheet and just add your name … Read more… →

Art Games and Puzzles for an Enrichment Center

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Enrichment Center featuring colorful blocks, toys, puzzles, and games, including Spot It!, Floor Puzzle, and Pick a Paint.

I have a bookshelf in my classroom that students can go to when they are done with their class assignments.  I also have free choice days where students can select from a wide range of activities.  Since students finish at all different times it is a good idea to have art enrichment activities for them to do.  I like to have low mess activities with little extra guidance needed for those students that finish early.  Here are some of the … Read more… →

Art Room Organization

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Art Room Organization

I love organizing things, especially art materials.  It makes it easier to find things you need when your room is organized!  I am always revamping my organizational systems and I feel like my room now is arranged pretty well for my needs.  I am sure I will find some things that need tweaking over the next few years. On each table I have a plastic drawer set labeled with pencils & eraser, glue sticks & scissors, and markers.  On the … Read more… →

First Day of School for Art Class

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Colorful background with blurred hues of red, orange, yellow, green, and blue; text reads, "Tips for the first days of school in Art Class.

Are you nervous about starting the school year?  Or are you excited to get things going?  Even though this is my lucky 13th year teaching, I still get anxious to go back.  It’s a combo of nerves, excitement and anxiety about getting back into a different routine.  I still have dreams that the class is out of control, I forget that I am scheduled to teach or I oversleep.  Recently, I asked readers to share their top tips for starting … Read more… →

Big Fun Art Teacher Giveaway

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Big Fun Art Teacher Giveaway

Hello!  I love giveaways and thought it would be fun to have a summer art teacher giveaway in honor of reaching 400 likes on Facebook.   To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this blog or on the Facebook post about it answering this question:  “What is one tip you would give to art teachers (or other classroom teachers) to make the beginning of the year go smoothly?”  or “What do you do with your students in the first weeks … Read more… →

Positive Behavior Notes for Art Class

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Colorful "Good News Note!" cards with stripes and polka dots, praising students for their achievements and positive behavior in art class.

I now have “Good News Notes” in my shop.  Save time with parent communication by filling out these easy positive notes.  It’s always better to start with positive communication so that when you have something less positive to say you already have a relationship with the parents.  I used to send out Good News notes and decided I wanted to revamp and update them for next year.  Here is what one of them looks like: Send individual notes to parents … Read more… →

Reflections on Intentions

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A colorful display of student artwork on shield-shaped banners arranged in a row on a wall.

I was honored to be included on a list of recommended blogs from Art Mouse House.  I have just recently started following Art Mouse House and it is a very new blog.  It already looks like it’s going to be a wonderful blog with lots of fresh ideas and clear explanations. I read her post about setting an intention and found myself nodding my head in agreement the whole time.. thinking, yep, that’s totally what I believe too!  I’ve been … Read more… →

Art Around the World – Sketchbook Prompt Cards

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Art Around the World – Sketchbook Prompt Cards

I am super excited to tell you about my new pack of sketchbook prompt cards.  My Art History Sketchbook Prompts have helped out a lot of art teachers and I wanted to make more.  My students enjoy learning about different art works and they like getting small nuggets of information along with the chance to create artwork inspired by what they see.   The new art history prompts are called Art Around the World – a set of 14 task cards … Read more… →

Art Award Certificate (Free Printable)

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Art Award Certificate (Free Printable)

This is a beautiful art award certificate to use for art shows, end-of-year awards or simply to celebrate your students at any time! Click here to download the high resolution printable ART AWARD CERTIFICATE! If you would like to purchase a package of 14 Printable Art Certificates with a variety of headings and styles visit my shop. I also have a beautiful package of 13 different Art Award Certificates in bright and colorful designs!

25 Awesome Art Books for Kids

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A collage of 10 colorful art book covers for kids with the title "25 Awesome Art Books for Kids" in the center.

Hello! If you are visiting this page NOW, be sure to check out my Amazon Affiliate List where I have a running list of ALL my favorite art books for my elementary art classroom. I continually update this list as I find new amazing art books to share! ART BOOKS FOR KIDS (Amazon Affiliate list – no extra charge for you, I receive a small commission for recommending these books, which goes to support the upkeep of this blog.) HOW … Read more… →

Fun Puns about Art and Artists

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Fun Puns about Art and Artists

Are you looking to add some humor to your class? We had a “Funday Punday Monday” at our school where kids and teachers brought in puns to share.  I rounded up some fun art-related puns you could use in your class.  Sidenote:  When I read these in class and I asked “Why did the artist go to the bathroom?”  One of my second graders called out (without missing a beat) “because he was consti-painted!”  That was a new answer and … Read more… →

  • Banner with colorful artwork promoting an art shop featuring kindness coloring pages, artist activities, and resources for teachers.