November Kids Art - Native American Heritage Motifs, Deer, & Moose
Topic: Kids Art Class

We drew the animals by coloring in imaginary outlines. Simple forms are easier. Hence the origami looking figures. Some kids made outlines around their animals after they had 'colored' them in. It helps you to 'feel' a form by working this way. It can also be frustrating because it is hard to control, but it is not supposed to be neat & tidy, even though the kids may want it to be neat and tidy. Some kids just drew the outlines first anyway. We also have a few very young ones who work alongside drawing whatever and however they can.  Young ones allowed to make themselves happy drawing and making marks will naturally progress on their own. 

 

My demonstration drawing of deer, in silhouette blocking style, and moose in outline style.

Here we started out using a Peace Treaty Wampum design to build figures with small block marks to imitate the beads. What else is this like? Mosaics, tiles, pixels, needlework are some we brainstormed.

My demonstration drawing of peace treaty wampum design, Native American canoing & teepees on the river bank.

 

Apple Picking, Pumpkin Patches, & Scarecrows - Kids Drawing Class
Topic: Kids Art Class

We've been drawing on apple picking, pumpkin patch, and scarecrow themes the past few weeks in the kids drawing class at Rockland Library. In my apple bough drawing I wanted the kids to get an idea for using circles (the apples) to make patterns. There is a straight line, a curving 'S' line, a circle, and a spiral. Then I wanted them to see how the branch is also a curving line but it is broken up. I want the kids to make a flow, a connection, between the objects they put in their picture. There is also an apple pie and a blob of ice cream which they asked for!

For the pumpkins I wanted them to learn a bit about giving a circle some form. We tried observing how a roll of masking tape when viewed in one position looks like a circle but when viewed from other positions the circle becomes gradually a thinner oval (ellipse), until it disappears altogether into a straight line. This was a hard concept for a six year old. The literal mind cannot yet see a thick roll of tape as a straight line - afterall, it is thick! Too late I realized the trouble. It was a trauma. Such is the experience of verbal language and it's inevitable misunderstandings.

The kids learned that a scarecrow is meant to scare crows from eating the crops. Why would a scarecrow be able to scare crows? "Because he looks scary," said one child. (She may even have said ghoulish.) No, not because he's ugly. Why can he scare a crow? "Because crows are scared of people!" a child finally exclaimed. Yes! And sometimes tin pie plates or tin cans are tied to the scarecrow to blow around jangling and help with the scaring. In our scene the crows are not afraid of the scarecrow. The poor fellow's hat is on the ground and a crow sits on his bare burlap head.

The apple picking scene was inspired by a Carl Larson painting. Drawing the scene would have to be a stand in for apple picking this year. When I went to go for apples that past weekend, the orchard was all sold out. There had not been much of a crop this year because of all the bad weather we'd had.

Let's Draw Butterflies and the Monarch Migration
Topic: Kids Art Class

We started by drawing the Monarch butterfly - head, body, wings, pattern. I used an unnamed Victorian illustration from Dover publications. When I came around to the kids to show them the illustration and let them compare it to a photo I'd taken of a Monarch butterfly, one of the kids pointed out that we'd just drawn a decoy butterfly - probably the Viceroy. He explained that it's patterning mimics the Monarch and prevents birds from eating it. Birds don't like Monarch butterflies because the milkweed they eat makes them taste nasty to birds (or anyone I suppose). We'd been fooled as well. Monarchs have more rows of white spots, as well as spots on their head and body.

The Swallowtail was meant to be just for basic shape. The kids were to make up their own designs.

Here are my demonstration drawings, the kids' drawings follow. 

August Children's Drawing Classes at Rockland Public Library
Topic: Kids Art Class

Press Release
"Let's Draw up a Collection of Maine Memories for August!" Children's Drawing Workshops at Rockland Public Library

Rockland - Children will continue exploring drawing Maine memories this summer at the weekly 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.

Wendy and Keith Wellin sponsor the workshops, which are free and open to the public, with all materials provided. The classes meet every Tuesday, 4-5 pm, Community Room, Rockland Public Library, 80 Union St., hosted by the Friends of Rockland Library. FMI - Jean Young, children's librarian, 594-0310.

August themes will include subjects such as: Maine lighthouses -Marshall Point Light; rowboats, sailboats, & lobsterboats, a visit to the Union Fair - blueberry farming, belted galloways, ferris wheel; Maine birds - puffins, eagles, ospreys, chickadees, and more.

Knoth believes that everyone can draw if they keep their minds and eyes open, and that drawing by 'following along allows one to discover new ways of interpreting subjects. Knoth, known for her watercolors of Maine scenes and animal drawings, also gives watercolor workshops. Her work may be seen at www.catinkacards.com

You can download her marine coloring pages and try drawing them yourself. Demonstration drawings (shown above) by Catinka Knoth

 

Marshall Point Light (2 views)
Friendship Sloop Race by the Rockland Breakwater
Lobsterboat
Sailboat

Contact Catinka Knoth
38 Pleasant St. #201
Rockland, Maine 04841
207-596-0069, 207-542-7317
Some of Catinka's prints at Imagekind
Selection of Catinka's greeting cards to order singly at Greeting Card Universe
Catinka's Fan Page on Facebook!
Follow Catinka on Twitter:

"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