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Art Beginnings

What Is Art?
Michelle Copher and Karen Loutzenhiser
All the Titles in the Art Beginnings Series
What Is Art?
Art Supplies
Principles of Design
Prehistoric Art
Art & Early Civilizations
Ancient Art Around the World
Greek Art
Roman Art

Student Journal
Art Sketchbook

Guidebook For the Mentor

Arts Guidebook: How To Teach Layers of Learning Arts

Printable Pack
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purchased this unit. It was sent on your receipt and is available from your
account at Layers of Learning.
 o f Learnin
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What Is Art? s
Michelle Copher and Karen Loutzenhiser

Published by HooDoo Publishing

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 Art Beginnings
Unit Overview What is Art?
Key Concepts:
Art is not easy to define. It is something we create
• People have always had using both skill and imagination. We often think of art as
an instinct to create, so the paintings we see on the walls of galleries, and that is
art in many forms has
definitely one example of art, but it goes far beyond an art
always been a part of life
on earth. gallery. Everywhere you look today, you can see art. The
• The basic purposes of art buildings we see, the clothes we wear, the books we read,
fall into these categories: the products we buy, and even much of the food we eat is
beauty; emotion; art.
imagination; spirituality,
ritualism, & symbolism; As we learn to really see the art in this world, it can
political or social change; engage our imaginations and let us notice and appreciate
psychological health & things around us more fully. Likely, there’s more art around
healing; propaganda you than you even realize. Look around your bedroom.
& commercialism; Are there posters, pictures, or decorations that you find
preservation of history attractive or meaningful? What background is on your
• If you’re looking for it, phone, computer, or device? How many colors are there
you’ll see art all around within your closet? Even a walk around your neighborhood,
you in many forms.
city, or town will reveal artistic architecture, signs, and
Vocabulary: landscape design. Someone designed the earrings you
• Art wear and the buildings you walk into. Someone wrote the
• Creativity scripts for the movies you watch and designed the clothing
• Subject you are wearing.
• Representational
• Abstract
• Architecture
• Digital Art
• Performance Art
Notable Art & Artists:
• Cave Paintings of
Chauvet Cave, France
• Waterlilies by Claude
Monet
• Buddha Statue
• Guernica by Pablo
Picasso
• The Pearl Tower in
Shanghai

This is the children’s counter at our local library. They’ve adorned

it with whimsical sculptures to create a fun space.
Look around the buildings and offices in your community.
Can you find any art on display?

During this unit, we’ll learn about creativity, explore

some of the purposes of art, and begin to see some of the
art that exists all around us. Art has become an important
and pervasive part of our society. It is both useful and also
provides pleasure and beauty. It can spur on emotions,
ideas, and responses. It engages our senses. It helps us find
common ground and a cohesive culture within our society.

2
 What is Art?
Hopefully, as you learn more about art, you will
Family School Levels
recognize and more fully enjoy the art you see around you,
come to understand the purposes of art, and learn to talk The colored smilies in this unit
about it in more meaningful ways. help you choose the correct
levels of books and activities
for your child.
Step 1: Library List ☻= Ages 6-9
Choose books from your library that go with this topic. Here’s a list
☻= Ages 10-13
of some favorites, but also a list of search terms so you can
☻= Ages 14-18
utilize what your library offers. Read the books with your kids
and/or assign them some to read independently. It is from On The Web
these books your kids will learn most of the facts they need
from this unit. For videos, web pages,
games, and more to add to
Search for: introduction to art, purposes of art this unit, visit the Resources
page:
☻☻☻The Usborne Introduction to Art by Rosie Dickens & layers-of-learning.com/
Mari Griffith. Read “What is Art?,” “Looking at Paintings,” resources/
“Fact and Fiction,”Familiar Faces,” “Setting the Scene,”
You will find a link to video
“The Art of Illusion” on pages 6-16. play lists, web links, and more.
☻☻☻How To Draw All The Things for Kids by Alli Koch.
This is a basic how-to-draw book that can get kids started
sketching confidently. How-to-draw books are a worthwhile
Bookworms
purchase for your homeschool library.
If you’re looking for a family
☻Museum ABC by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. read-aloud we’d like to
This alphabet book shows four different works of art from suggest this one.
various periods for each letter of the alphabet. A beautiful
introduction to how artists portray items differently.
☻Simon at the Art Museum by Christina Soontornvat.
Young Simon just wants cheesecake in the museum cafe,
but then he begins to watch the people as they are sad,
happy, and arguing over art. He begins to understand the
ways that art speaks to people.
☻What Is Art? by Janell Smalls. A picture book look at
many different kinds of art and what makes art, art.
☻What Adults Don’t Know About Art by The School of Life.
This book starts with the question “Why is art important?”
Instead of answering the question, it explains why all of the
usual answers aren’t very good, then proceeds to answer
“Why is some art important to you?” instead. A thoughtful
book for young people who hate art and art museums.
Masterpiece by Elise Broach
☻☻World Art: The Essential Illustrated History by Dr. Mike is the story of a little beetle
O’Mahony. Read the introduction to art on pages 9-15. named Marvin who has
a knack for art and gets
☻☻The Art Book by DK. This can be read aloud to the caught up in an art heist. It’s
group. Read the introduction on pages 10-13. the first book in a five-book
series.
☻Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative

3

Teaching Tip
Here is a checklist with four
simple art expectations for
any project:
Checklist
For Your Artwork
Creative
Neatt
Nea
Colorful
Complete
Art Warm-Ups
You may want to begin each
art lesson with an art-warm-
up. Much like handwriting
practice, when we routinely
practice sketching, it builds
our confidence and abilities.
Here are some ideas for
quick art warm-ups to use at
the beginning of each art
lesson:
• How-to-draw books or
websites
• Grid drawings
• Monthly, holiday, or
seasonal sketches
• Self-portraits
• Squiggle game
• 2-minute timed sketch
You’ll find more art warm-up
ideas within the sidebars of
each arts unit.
Art Beginnings
Mind by Scott Barry Kaufman and Carolyn Gregoire.
This book takes a deeper look at the psychology and
neuroscience of creative people.
☻Art History from KhanAcademy.org. Use these videos
as lectures for your high schooler. Have your student take
notes from the videos. During this unit, study “Looking at Art”
and complete the lessons under “Why Art Matters.” You’ll
be completing many of the other lessons in future units.
Step 2: Explore
Choose a few hands-on explorations from this section to
work on as a family. They should be appealing activities
that will create mental hooks so your kids remember the
information in the unit. Save the rest of the explorations for
the next time you do this unit in four years when your kids
are older. You can also explore the sidebars together and
go off on some little rabbit trails.
This unit includes printables. See the introduction for
instructions on retrieving your Printable Pack.
The Drive to Create
☻☻☻EXPLORATION: The First Art
For this activity you will need:
• “The First Art” printable from the Printable Pack
• Pencil or pen
Every single society we know of in the entire history of the
planet has created some type of art. Creating artwork
seems to be ingrained in us naturally somehow. Let’s look
at an early example of art. There are hundreds of caves
around the world that are covered with images made by
artists from the Stone Age. We don’t know who the very first
artist was or which of these early art displays was created
first, but it is interesting to look at the various cave art
around the world and imagine the artists who made them.
Chauvet Cave, in southern France, was named for the
man who discovered it in 1994 and is just one of the many
examples of early art. The cave’s walls are covered with
hundreds of pictures of animals, plants, and people. Some
of the pictures are painted on, some are drawn with
charcoal, and still others are scratched into the surface of
the rock walls.
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 What is Art?
Memorization Station
Art: something visual we
create using both skill and
imagination
Creativity: The use of
imagination or original
ideas, especially as you
create art, invent things, or
innovate

Fabulous Fact
Some of the paintings are so deep within caves that we
can imagine the artists creating them by torchlight. We People have been creating
art throughout the history of
have to ask - why did these early artists go to so much
the world in all kinds of forms.
trouble to create art? The truth is, we don’t know why. They Creating art is one of the
might have been passing time during a hunt, participating defining characteristics of the
in a ritual, or hoping for good fortune in their hunting. We human species. Visual arts,
can only guess their reasons. Imagine watching one of dance, music, writing, and
these cave paintings being created and getting to ask the all kinds of other creations
artist why he or she went to so much trouble to make it. are the byproducts of human
creativity.
1. On “The First Art” printable, write some possible reasons
you think early art might have been created.
2. Then, think about why we create art today and write
what you think motivates people to make it.
3. Add the page to the Art section of your Layers of
Learning Notebook.

☻☻EXPLORATION: Order from Disorder

For this activity you will need:
• A collection of Legos, building blocks, Lincoln Logs, or
another similar building toy.
Many people have a natural desire to create. Creativity
is a natural human instinct. When we see a smattering of
potential ingredients, we have a tendency to want to put
Deep Thoughts
them together and create something.
Besides just the desire to
create, many artists say their
aim is to bring what is inside
of them out. They want their
imagination, ideas, and
viewpoints to be seen and
felt through their art.
What is inside of you that you
could turn into art?

5

Writer’s Workshop
Brainstorm and write a list of
things you can do to get your
creative juices flowing when
you feel stuck.
Art Warm-Up
Look at yourself closely in the
mirror. Focus on the shape
of your face, your specific
facial features, and also
your expression. Using pencil,
lightly sketch yourself. You
can choose to do a full-body
sketch or just your head
and shoulders. Make sure to
include details like the exact
clothing you are wearing.
Once you are happy with
your pencil version, use
crayons, colored pencils, or
colorful pens to add color
to your self-portrait. You can
decide whether or not to
color the background of your
portrait as well.
When you are finished, add
your name and age to the
self-portrait you created.
At the beginning of each
school year, create a self-
portrait and write your name
and age in your handwriting.
Add it to your homeschool
portfolio each time you
complete your portrait and
then watch how you and
your portrait change year
after year.
Art Beginnings
1. Spread the building toys out on a table or another hard
surface. Think of anything inventive you could create
and just start building. You may make a tower, a castle,
a vehicle, a bridge, a building - you can build anything.
2. As you build, talk about why people tend to be builders.
When we see something that is out of order, we tend
to want to put it in order. If I were to place a packet
of seeds, some soil, a trowel, a cup of water, and a
flowerpot in front of you and walk away, most likely you
want to prepare the pot, plant the seeds, and water
them. Similarly, if I set a palette of paints, brushes, a
canvas, and an easel in front of you, chances are, you
would feel a desire to paint a picture.
3. Have a discussion and talk about each of these
questions:
a.  What makes you feel creative?
b.  What do you think the purposes of creativity are?
c.  What would you build with the Legos or blocks if
there were no limit to what you could create?
☻☻☻EXPLORATION: Ordinary to Extraordinary
For this activity you will need:
• A plain, white mug
• Pencil
• Acrylic paints, brushes, and a water cup
• Cotton swab
• Rubbing alcohol
• An oven and a baking
sheet
Many artists are
motivated to create
something extraordinary
from the ordinary objects
around them. Try making
your own ordinary item -
a plain, white mug - into
something more special.
1. Decide on a design that suits you. Use a pencil to lightly
sketch your design directly on the mug.
2. Paint your design using acrylic paints and a variety of
brushes. It works best if you apply the paint in several
thin layers, letting it dry completely between each one.
Along the way, if you make any mistakes, you can use
a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol to wipe away
6
 What is Art?
any paint or smudges you want to remove. When you’re
finished painting, let the mug air-dry for 24 hours. Writer’s Workshop
Write a short answer response
3. Place your mug on a baking sheet and bake it in an to this question:
oven at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes to set the paint.
What is the difference
4. After it cools, you can use your extraordinary mug. between copying something
Make sure to hand wash it instead of putting it in the and creating something? Are
dishwasher. both okay? When and why?

☻☻☻EXPLORATION: The Desire to Create Art Warm-Up

For this activity you will need:
Draw two balloons in your Art
• A natural setting Sketchbook Draw one little
• A watch or timer balloon, with white space all
• Any supplies you need for a project you decide on around it. Then draw one big
balloon that fills the space.
No one knows which was the first piece of art created in Notice what a difference size
the world. Prehistoric art existed, but because it is prehistoric makes as you are creating
(before records were kept) we don’t have many details. art.
No one wrote down the story of the first painting or the first
sculpture. We don’t know what motivated ancient peoples
to create, but we do know that something inside of us has a
natural desire to create.
1. Go outside and sit quietly in a natural setting - your yard,
a park, a forest, or a pond. Set a timer for ten minutes
and observe closely the place you are in with all of your
senses. Think about something you would like to create
that is inspired by the setting - a drawing, a painting, a
sculpture, a carving, or even a song.

2. Decide on a project and create it.

3. When you are finished, present your project and explain
what inspired you to create it.

7

Memorization Station
Subject: The main idea that
is represented in a piece of
art
A few common subjects are
• Portraits of people
• Landscape scenes
• The natural world
• Wildlife
• Historical events
• Spiritual, religious, or
mythological stories
• Everyday scenes
Deep Thoughts
Scott Adams, an American
artist and cartoonist, said,
“Creativity is allowing
yourself to make mistakes.
Art is knowing which ones
to keep.”
What do you think he meant
by this?
Famous Folks
Wassily Kandinsky is a Russian
painter who was one of the
most famous abstract artists
of all time.
Art Beginnings
☻☻☻EXPLORATION: Subject
For this activity you will need:
• “What Do Artists Draw?” from the Printable Pack
• Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
• Art Sketchbook
• Scissors
• Glue
The subject of a piece of
artwork is the main idea
that is represented in the
piece. Often, artists choose
their subjects based on their
thoughts and experiences.
1. Use the “What Do Artists
Draw?” printable to help
you come up with some
ideas you could use to
create art. Brainstorm some
things you see, feel, remember, and imagine. Draw or
write a list of each of those in the corresponding box.
2. Cut out the squares of the printable and add them into
your Art Sketchbook. Whenever you need an idea, you
can turn to this list and start creating.
☻☻☻EXPLORATION: Representational Versus Abstract
For this activity you will need:
• Colored Pencils
• Several sheets of white or soft gray paper
• Marbles
• Optional: Video tutorial about drawing marbles using
8
 The First Art

Rhinos in Chauvet Cave, Southern France

Why do you think early artists Why do you think artists create art
created art? today?

Layers of Learning
 What Do Artists Draw?
Some of the things artists draw are what they see, feel, remember,
and imagine. What subjects could you create art about?

I see... I feel...

I remember... I imagine...

Layers of Learning