Welcome to the ‘Art in Heart’ – Art program in kindergarten Magic world
“I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process.”
– Vincent Van Gogh
What is Art in heart program?
Studies have shown that artistic activities benefit children’s development in multiple areas: attention, concentration, satisfaction, exploration, experimentation, divergent thinking, relaxation, and creativity. The interest of children and parents in these activities has created an interest in the art program (Art in Heart). Through this program, we aim to motivate children to discover and embrace art as a source of joy in both experiencing and expressing themselves. By enrolling their child in this program, parents are not only nurturing their child’s unique interests and talents, but also fostering holistic personal growth.
Although art activities are already included in the regular program, our goal is to offer children and parents a more intricate art approach through this program. It allows children to upgrade their artistic abilities and explore limitless opportunities. Additionally, we aim to raise awareness among parents about their child’s talents and hidden potential.
Goals
STRATEGIES
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ART TECHNIQUES AND ACTIVITIES
PAINTING is a form of visual art that involves using color to shape the surface. Artists create pictures by applying pigment and glue to different surfaces like canvas, paper, wood, glass, and more. To create visual effects and convey their ideas, artists use various painting techniques and skills. There are different types of paint such as tempera, acrylic, oil paints, watercolor, ink, or glass paint, which have distinct properties and drying times.
In abstract expressionism or action painting, the artist becomes an essential part of the painting process. The painting captures the artist’s spontaneous movements, created through brushstrokes, spilled paint, dripping, or sprayed paint.
Children have a natural ability to immerse themselves in the space of artistic creativity without any inhibitions. This unique style of working captivates children, allowing them to explore their creativity and engage in playful experimentation. By combining acquired knowledge and action painting, we enhance the child’s skills, enabling personal development and the creation of unique insights and experiences.
DRAWING is a unique art technique that offers insight into the thought process of the artist. Apart from traditional drawing on paper, we can also draw on sand, snow, loose materials, and even digital drawing. The background for drawing can be any visible-stroke material such as styrofoam, plastic, cardboard, paper, textiles, canvas, glass, wall, sand, stones, etc.
There are endless possibilities for body position when drawing, such as standing, dancing, or moving, using two hands at the same time, drawing with legs, mouth, eyes closed, and more. Drawings can be made on rough and smooth textures, in smaller and larger formats. When drawing on a large format, children can use their movement to create with other children, and explore details, lines, and various art techniques. The large format can become a wall, floor, wood, climber, etc.
The commonly used drawing techniques for children are pencil, coal, ink and feather, colored felt-tip pens (markers), and white chalk.
Sculpture is a form of art that deals with creating three-dimensional objects using length, width, and height. It is a design that extends through space and involves the use of various design elements such as size, texture, light, shade, and color. Sculptors can create objects that look like real-life people or things, or they can design their shapes and forms.
Traditionally, sculptors used carving and modeling techniques to create objects out of materials such as stone, metal, ceramics, or wood. However, since the Modernism movement, there has been complete freedom in terms of materials and processes used in sculpture.
In the second half of the twentieth century, soft materials were introduced into sculpture, leading to the development of soft sculpture. This form of sculpture incorporates performance and raises questions about the use of different materials. Soft sculptures are made from flexible materials such as fabric, cotton, yarn, sponge foam rubber, plastic, paper, fibers, and similar substances.
PRINTMAKING is the process of creating artwork by printing, normally on paper, but also on fabric, wood, metal, and other surfaces. “Traditional printmaking” normally covers only the process of creating prints using a hand-processed technique. Prints are created by transferring ink from a matrix to a sheet of paper or other material, by a variety of techniques. Common types of matrices include metal plates for engraving, etching, and related intaglio printing techniques; stone, aluminum, or polymer for lithography; blocks of wood for woodcuts and wood engravings; and linoleum for linocuts. Screens made of silk or synthetic fabrics are used for the screen printing process.
Printmaking emphasizes the beauty of printing and texture research. The focus of the research is on creative graphics for reproduction.
Pop Art can be defined by both its common themes and the techniques and processes used during creation. Printmaking and silkscreen printing were two of the most prominent painting techniques used by Pop Art Artists.
Land art
Land Art is a form of contemporary art that emerged in America during the 1960s and 1970s as a response to the commercialization of art. This movement involves creating large-scale art projects in open spaces, rather than displaying them in museums or galleries.
The main idea behind Land Art is to create something directly into the landscape. It can be created in situ, right there in the natural environment, or it can be recreated as installations in galleries. Most of these arts are documented with photography by the artist over time, through different seasons.
Land Art incorporates natural elements such as leaves, rocks, sticks, flowers, seeds, shells, light, and water. It encourages children to play and create in a natural environment, fostering imagination, creativity, and a connection with nature. This approach also teaches children about the natural world.
Overall, Land Art is an excellent activity that combines creativity and learning, making it a great way to spend time outdoors while also gaining a deeper appreciation for the environment.
Meet the Art teacher
The Art in Heart program at Magic World Kindergarten is led by Jelena Hotnjan, a teacher with years of experience and training in art for preschoolers. Teacher Jelena has devoted herself to the preschool field for over eighteen years, while maintaining a strong passion for art. Her joy lies in exploring art with children and helping them discover their inner artist. She enjoys expressing herself artistically through different media, such as painting and sculpting.
Land art is her true love because she draws inspiration from the forest and the rest of nature. During her work experience, she initiated two major art projects with the themes “Art Around Us” and “Famous Artists Throughout History,” which included exhibitions of children’s artwork.
To support children’s integral development through the fine arts, she attended and completed her education at the Professional Development Center, at the Trešnjevka kindergarten. This expanded her work with children, opening new horizons.
BENEFITS OF ART FOR Children
Art benefits children in many ways. It helps to develop and learn to express themselves in different ways.
The benefits of Art for children are as follows:
- Appreciation and acceptance of children’s authentic artistic expression according to their developmental characteristics.
- Art allows children to acquire special artistic and motor skills when it comes to art materials and techniques.
- Through artistic expression, children can learn to deal with emotions such as anger, aggressiveness, guilt, sadness, fear, shame, and low self-confidence.
- Art can help a child achieve a better mood and a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment.
- Visual creativity stimulates the development of emotional intelligence, including recognition, understanding, and control of emotions, social skills, self-control, and flexibility.
- Gross motor skills: These are the movements of the large muscles of the arms, legs, and torso, which aid balance and coordination with our nervous system. Art activities such as painting, drawing, crafts, and scribbling encourage the connections between the brain and these muscles.
- Fine motor skills: These involve the smaller muscles in the fingers and hands. Exercising these muscles helps with writing, tying shoelaces, turning the pages of a book, using scissors, and so much more.
- Hand-eye coordination: When drawing, painting, or doing any other intricate task, it’s our eyes that guide our hands to do our bidding. Playing with different shapes, tracing, connecting the dots, and even coloring within lines, help hand-eye coordination.
- Language skills: Art allows children to talk about colors, shapes, and what they are doing. They can describe what they have painted, scribbled, or created, helping them to communicate and expand their vocabulary.
- Comprehension skills: Art can help children understand the world around them in many ways. Reading directions for how things are done, or working out how to do something, can aid their comprehension.
- Literacy: Art can help develop writing, reading, listening, and speaking skills, making a child more literate. Encourage them to look at illustrations and match them to the text of a story, or express themselves through dance, music, or drama.
- Improve problem-solving and critical thinking skills: Children will learn to think constructively about what they are doing and work out ways to help them achieve their goals.
- Visual learning: Looking at art can help a child interpret, criticize, and process what they see. These skills can be applied to many other aspects of their lives. A child who is a visual learner will likely enjoy reading and picture books and will often want to see how something is done before they attempt it themselves.
- Improve creativity and individual craftsmanship: Children will learn to be original and innovative when using art as a medium from a young age. They will be able to express themselves and will work out which type of art they prefer.
- Imagination: Art in all its forms encourages a child to use their imagination. Escaping reality and entering the world they create can help with their well-being and mental health. Looking at and describing art can also promote a child’s imagination as they create their own stories about what they see.
- Improve concentration: Art often leads to an end product. Following steps in sequence to complete a drawing or craft project can help a child focus and concentrate. This is especially the case if it’s something that interests them or is new to them.
- Teamwork and collaboration: Whether it’s creating or appreciating art forms, it gives children a chance to connect with their peers or adults who might not share the same interests. Talking about art or working together to create something that provides common ground.
- Being able to follow directions is a useful skill all through life
- Improved social skills: Joining an art group helps children communicate. It’s also a great way for them to expand their social circle and make new friends.
- A sense of responsibility: Participating in the Art program as part of a group can help give kids a sense of responsibility. They might have their piece of the project to look after and know that they are crucial to its successful completion.
- Ability to resolve conflicts: Art can help children understand there is more than one way of looking at something. It will help them express points of view and work out solutions that are beneficial to everyone. Conflict can be seen as a chance to learn and grow.
- Handling criticism: Although there is no right or wrong with art, constructive criticism is a way that can help kids accept there is another point of view. This may be someone assessing their art, or them looking at the art created by others.
- Confidence boosting: Art teaches children self-respect and can be a respite for kids who need to excel at something. Feedback from peers, and learning to accept as well as give criticism, helps build self-esteem.
- Teaches patience: Waiting for things to happen can be challenging for children. It could be something as simple as waiting for glue to dry before moving to the next stage of a craft. Learning to hold back teaches them the value of patience.
- Promotes self-expression: Art can give a child an outlet to express themselves. Whether it’s choosing what color to use on a painting or which fabric to pick when crafting.
- Allows for exploration and healthy risk-taking: Experimenting during arts and crafts is a great way for kids to learn what works and what doesn’t. Seeing as there’s no right or wrong, they learn from what they might see as mistakes.
ART EXHIBITIONS
After years of creating art with children, many of their pieces have been displayed in exhibitions. These works of art can currently be found in kindergartens’ courtyards, terraces, and corridors, and who knows, maybe they will be showcased in art galleries in the future. Anything is possible.
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