As you allow your home students to explore different art forms, one medium you will want to incorporate into your curriculum is painting. Although the best known type of paint used by classic artists has been oil paint, the medium has some distinct disadvantages to many home schoolers:
• Are not appropriate for younger students as they may contain pigments or materials that are toxic if ingested.
• Require solvents for clean-up and malleability.
• May require more advanced knowledge of the artistic process.
A better approach may be water-based paints. There are several types of paints available that vary in price and application:
• Poster Paint/Tempura Paint
• Acrylics
• Gouache
• Watercolors
$=low cost $$=average $$$=expensive
Poster Paint or Tempura Paint $
Both of these are low cost paint mediums that are suitable for student or children’s art. These paints usually come in plastic bottles in a variety of colors, including metallic colors. They are ideal for covering large areas and are thinned with water. Clean-up is easy with soap and water. I would suggest that your younger students where smocks or old clothes when painting. Have lots newspaper ready to cover your table!
Acrylics $ to $$
Acrylic is a paint made by suspending pigment in synthetic polymer (emulsified by water). These paints are essentially “glues” that are water-soluble and therefore have good adhesive qualities. They are very stable, meaning these paints resist oxidization and chemical decomposition, and will not yellow over time. These types of paint are sold in a bottle or tube. They may be used directly from the bottle or tube, or thinned with water.
Because acrylic paint is “glue”, it dries very quickly. This is both an advantage and a disadvantage to your student. The advantage of a fast drying time is that he or she can apply many layers of paint in a short amount of time—glazing and layering to achieve a rich effect with the paint. These layers of paint bind to one another because of their inherent adhesive qualities.
The disadvantage to paints drying quickly is that there is little time in which an artist can manipulate the paint once it is laid onto the surface. However, there are additives available that can slow drying time and allow the student more time to work with the paint before it dries.
Clean-up is easy and reduces the need to use chemicals that may create harmful effects or fumes in your home that would be needed with oil paints.
Gouache $-$$
Gouache is an opaque water-based paint. This differs from watercolor paints that are transparent and allow you to see the "white" of the paper below the paint. Gouache is generally applied in solid colors. This allows an artist to paint in layers from dark to light (the reverse of watercolors which is painted light to dark). Gouache dries to a matte finish (no glossy shine). This makes gouache a choice for graphic artists who may then transfer their work to an electronic form by scanning it. Gouache is sold in tubes (a moist paste), bottles (liquid) and in dry pan form (“cakes”).
Watercolors $ (student grade) - $$$ (artist grade)
Watercolors generally come in different grades (artist grade or student grade) based on the amount of pigment held or suspended in the paint. Artist grade watercolors contain a full pigment load, suspended in a binder, generally natural gum arabic. Artist grade watercolors are generally sold in a tube and are thinned and mixed on a dish or palette with water.
Watercolors may also be sold in a liquid form which contains dyes as well as pigments suspended in an aqueous medium. Since these are fluid, they are very suited to thin washes on the paper. Many brilliant colors are available.
Watercolors are also sold in a ‘cake’ or pan form, available in artist as well as student grades. The pigment and binder are suspended in a dry ‘cake or tablet’. The student applies water directly to a brush and then moistens the cake to lift the pigment (color). The student will use a palette (or pan) to mix colors. Generally the pan or palette will come with the watercolors as part of a set. This type of watercolor is ideal for field studies and painting outdoors. You may want to take your art class outside to paint if you have these types of watercolors.
All watercolors are used on paper and other absorbent surfaces that have been primed to accept water-based paint. Clean up is easy, with soap and water.
Armed with this knowledge you are now ready to choose the right medium for your student project. Remember, painting is one of the best ways for your student to explore their creativity. Enjoy!
As an artist, Robert H. Zondag has turned his passion into teaching children and adults to both create and enjoy the visual arts. He continues to act as a catalyst and consultant for administrators, educators and parents to design and assess art education programs. As a Regional Program Director for Young Rembrandts, Robert works with various districts, community education programs, private institutions, and home educators to incorporate successful drawing courses into schools, early education programs, and summer enrichment sessions.
Robert is available for consultation with your home schooling group or to speak at state or local conventions and meetings.
Robert H. Zondag
Regional Program Director
Young Rembrandts
729 Summit Ave
St. Paul MN 55105
Robert.Zondag@youngrembrandts.com
http://youngrembrandts.com/emetro-wwis/
612.382.6745
651.292.1582 (fax)
