"Let's Draw Marvelous May!" - Children's Drawing Workshops
Topic: Kids Art Class

Mother's Day cards and May baskets, migratory birds, marsh life, and Memorial Day are some of the themes for this month's children's drawing classes led by Catinka Knoth at Rockland Public Library. Children ages 6 and up
follow along with Knoth in drawing a variety of motifs. Children age 10 and under should be accompanied by an adult.

May is also American Wetlands Month. Children will explore marsh and wetland habitats by drawing such animals as egrets, frogs, and beavers. International Migratory Birds Day is another May celebration and a chance to draw Spring warblers and other migratory birds. Knoth leads participants in step-by-step drawing instruction for the day's theme. She encourages adults to take part in the classes with their children and discover that drawing is
for everyone.

...from recent press release. 

Step-by-step demonstration drawing of egrets and ducks. You should be able to see it develop, if your browser lets you.

Demonstration drawings prepped for you to color or draw from: 

Beavers building a dam coloring page

Herons & ducks in a marsh coloring page 

Furling Flags to draw for Memorial Day 

How to Make a Paper Easter Peephole Egg
Topic: Seasonal/Holiday

Print, color (or not), cut out, and tape together to make my paper peephole Easter egg. You can have the bunnies on the inside, or have them on the outside and make your own scene inside. Or, as this was first meant to be just a template for cutting the paper, just trace the egg and make all your own art!

Download peephole egg template pdf (c. 160kb) with bunnies.

We just did this project in drawing class yesterday. The kids had to make up their own for it of course. It was such fun. I wanted to get this template digitized so that people could make their own. i hadn't had any copies for the students to take home with them. Now, as I finished scanning and converting the template, it occurred to me I could shrink some of my Easter coloring pages and add them to the template. They started out as little models on the side area. Then I realized I could also put them inside the egg. Hope I'm not cutting down on anyone's creativity, but it was just too fun to make.

Husky Dogs and Dog Sled Papercuts
Topic: Kids Art Class
The 2009 Iditarod sled dog races started March 7. We drew Alaskan huskies and attempted tried to do papercuts of a dog sled team. My demonstration drawings are very rough. Huskies are a good subject to draw in 'stencil' style. The object is to color in without using outlines. The outline or edge is to be formed once one has colored in the shape. We started with the nose, next the eyes, then ears. Once the eyes are in, I ask the kids if they can see the dog. Afterall, if they can see it from just a nose and a pair of eyes, they are well on their way to following what they see in their mind's eye.

Instructions for papercut dog team:
Fold the end of 8.5" x 11" paper down c. 3". Cut along the loose edge so that you now have a folded over strip measuring 3" x 8.5" (unfolded it would be 6"x 8.5"). Fold over 1" from the folded edge and unfold. Fold over .5" from the folded edge and unfold. The top fold line is the ground line. Draw a row of 2-3 dogs along this ground line. You can see my dogs did not make it on the ground and got very oddly proportioned. Just draw smoothly any kind of creature with 2-4 legs, a bit like a cookie cutter. Cut out around the dogs but only to the ground line. The dogs need to stay connected to the ground. Then reverse the folds pushing them up inbetween the two rows of dogs. A cross section view of the paper should form a 'w'. This will allow the team to stand up.


My demonstration drawings:




Kids' Husky drawings and papercut dog sled teams:

Art of February Celebrations Children's Drawing Class
Topic: Kids Art Class

My demonstration drawings and the kids art from February classes

Coloring pages of the President's Day and Valentine demonstration drawings too. Click the links below. You may have to set your printer to 'fit to page'.

Mardi Gras Masks - demonstration drawing:

Kids' Mardi Gras drawings and masks:

 

 Presidents' Day demonstration drawing:

Presidents's Day coloring page - George Washington and Abraham Lincoln

Presidents' Day kids' drawings:
This was hard. The kids were frustrated. Once they saw their work up with all the others for the picture taking, they seemed to feel better and more triumphant. I think they are wonderful. (Though nothing photographs well in that lighting. Sorry.)

Valentine's Day demonstration drawing:

Valentine's Day coloring page 

March Program of Childrens' Drawing Workshops
Topic: Kids Art Class

Press Release:

"Let's Draw A March Medley!" - Children's Drawing Workshops at Rockland Public Library

Rockland - Iditarod Dog Sled Races, the circus, St. Patrick's Day, and Spring, are the subjects  children will draw this March at Rockland Public Library's ongoing drawing workshops led by Catinka Knoth. Participants follow along with Knoth as she demonstrates how to draw a variety of subjects for March. Husky dogs, mushers and dog sled teams, are motifs from the Iditarod Race in Alaska, which start March 7th this year.  Papercuts of dog teams may be explored.  March is also known as when 'the circus comes to town', bringing acrobats, animals, clowns, and tents to draw. St. Patrick's Day has shamrocks, St. Patrick, leprechauns, pots of gold, rainbows, and Celtic designs. The arrival of Spring gives inspiration to draw  daffodils, crocuses tulips, birds, and kites.

Sponsored by the generosity of local patrons, Wendy and Keith Wellin, the workshops, for age 6 and up, are free and open to the public.  Children age 10 and under should be accompanied by an adult.  All materials are provided. Ongoing workshops meet every Tuesday, 4-5 pm., Community Room, Rockland Public Library, 80 Union St., hosted by Friends of Rockland Library. FMI - Jean Young, children's librarian, 594-0310.

 
Dog team papercuts

Lion papercuts

Official Site of the Idtarod Race
Catinka's Dog Sled Race Art Lesson
Dog Sled Race Team Coloring Page

Here are some of my Spring coloring pages for you to enjoy:
Circus coloring page
Tulips coloring page
Spring Daffodils and Finches coloring page
Catinka's Spring Coloring Booklet to download, 1MB pdf It's been a while since I looked at this. It needs to be folded I think. Have fun!