TOS Review/ Artistic Pursuits

I was given the opportunity to review Junior High Book One The Elements of Art and Composition, from Artistic Pursuits.

I was thrilled to be chosen to review this art program.

My daughter loves art, so I knew she would be excited to get this.

Artistic Pursuits is different in that it doesn't teach you how to draw. It teaches you new techniques to improve your drawing.

There are four aspects to each unit. (There are 16 units.)

Building a Visual Vocabulary
Art Appreciation and Art History
Techniques
Application


Take a look at these pages from Unit 3.

You can see that the child is learning to think for himself what art should look like. He learns to look outside of the box, and not just follow a cookie cutter pattern of what others are doing.

He is learning new techniques to enhance his art, not just copy someone else's.

This art program is perfect for children who love to draw, but would like to learn how to take it up a notch.

My daughter fits this bill perfectly.
She loves to draw, and this program was just what she needed to help her draw at a higher level.


Here are the pictures that my daughter drew from unit 3:

 The challenge was to create an underwater scene using the textures they had just been taught.

 This challenge was to draw two separate pictures of objects, one showing marks to make texture, and the other a sample of rubbing.

This was the Unit Project. She was to draw a picture that shows a variety of textures.


We both love the fact that you can draw whatever you want, instead of having to draw what they tell you to.

My daughter says this program really makes it fun, and easy to learn how to draw.  

We would love to continue to use this art program throughout all of our school years.

If you use this program twice a week, for about an hour, it will last you one school year.

Of course you can tailor this to your student. If they are like my daughter, and want to do art everyday, you may go through 2 books per year.

On the other hand, if you only use it once per week, it may last you 2 school years.

The ability to customize this to your own schedule is just one more aspect of this program that I really like.

There is one thing that I didn't care for in this particular book.

In Unit 1, in The Art section, while talking about Indian art, it states, "Indian art has primarily been created for religious purposes. It is difficult for westerners to enter into the strange world of of fierce red god's and demons displaying symbols of their power, images which dominate Eastern religion."

Now, I know that they were simply describing the painting, and the culture of surrounding it, but I would rather my children not learn about these type of paintings in the first place.

I know this is not a Christian art curriculum, and therefore may have some secular topics, but I just didn't care for it. 

I am glad I chose to read this to my daughter, instead of just handing it over to her. I covered it with post its.

I have not finished the book yet, but so far this is the only time I have seen anything like this.
I will update here if I see anything else questionable.

Even with this, I highly recommend the art curriculum. We just love it!

Here are the supplies you will need to finish this course:

1st Semester:
2 each- drawing pencils HB, 4B
1- Ninyl eraser
1- metal pencil sharpener
1- sandpaper block
1- sketchpad for drawing
1- wire (aluminum or light weight types)

Second Semester:
1- pen or marker pad
1- waterproof drawing ink, black
1- brush, round #8
2 pen nibs, #101 imperial or similar nub
1- pen holder

Additional items:
drawing board, wire cutter or pliers

I have only bought the supplies for the first semester so far, but I found them all at Hobby Lobby.
I used their weekly coupons, and bought them one at a time, in order to save money.

I think you would really like this art program if you were to try it.
It makes it so easy to teach your children something that you may have thought you never could have. It is also non consumable, so you can use it over and over.
No more excuses...
Give it a try.

Junior High Book One ISBN 978-0-9815982-6-0............made in the USA..........Price: $42.95

Be sure to check out the rest of the series. 

Make sure you check out what my fellow Crew Mates had to say about Artistic Pursuits. We all had different levels, so check them all out!

*I have received a copy of Artistic Pursuits Jt. High book One, free, as a member of the TOS Homeschool Review Crew, in return for my honest opinion. No other compensation has been given to me.*