It's no secret that I have grand aspirations of the artistic bent (and my kids always remind me, "expectations versus reality!"). Which is why reviewing the Drawing Program from Creating a Masterpiece is such a joyful thing.
We reviewed Creating a Masterpiece a couple of years back, and I am pretty happy with our experience now as I was back then. It's an online, video-based art program. While I reviewed the Drawing Program, they also have an Art History Program (recreating famous art works from different periods in history), and a Core Program (learning foundational techniques using a variety of media).
The lessons are taught by Sharon Hofer, who, as I have said previously, reminds me of a strict but kind grandmother. Each project is divided into several short video segments, each ranging from under two minutes to a little over five minutes. The first video is an introduction, and Sharon talks gives an overview of the project, and talks about the materials needed. Each project also has a list of supplies needed, and a link to the Blick website, where the supplies are conveniently placed in a cart, ready for you to purchase. And even if you don't plan to buy from Blick, you can check out the brands that Sharon recommends.
There are four levels in the Drawing Program--Beginning, and Levels 1 to 3, with six to eight projects per level. The drawing projects use either pencil, charcoal, or colored pencils. Sharon recommends higher-quality materials, which usually are pricier. We had a hard time procuring these, because of availability, and also because of budget. I got the best materials I could.
We started with the Beginning Drawing level, and chose to work on Simplicity, Hoot Owl, and Polar Exploration. These are fairly simple, and we were able to finish each project in one sitting without getting overwhelmed. Sharon breaks down the process into simpler steps that you can actually follow (pausing the videos every now and then so you can catch up). I appreciated the camera work--the shots of her work in progress were sharp and easy to see.
The girls (Raine, 12yo and Breeze, 9yo) and I thoroughly enjoyed working on our projects. I was actually amazed that it was Breeze who asked to start working on Creating a Masterpiece already! Raine is the self-proclaimed 'artsy' one, who is either doodling or writing (instead of studying or doing her chores!), so it's a no-brainer for her to want to do the art lessons. Breeze, on the other hand, always drags her feet and carries that look of impending doom whenever I say that it's time for Art. However, she remembers our first review of Creating a Masterpiece, and it really must have been an enjoyable experience for her. Yay!
I am pretty impressed with our projects *pats self on back*. While our works of art aren't polished, and still look amateurish, it's still way better than the stick figures and one-dimensional line drawings I usually end up with. I am hoping that by the end of our subscription year, I can apply whatever I have learned to other projects of my own. Oh, and yes, same goes for the kids.
The entire Drawing Program is available as either a monthly or an annual subscription. You could also choose to subscribe to a specific level only. The other programs are also available either monthly or yearly, for the entire program or per level.
Other homeschooling families also received an annual subscription to the Drawing Program from Creating a Masterpiece Click below to read about their experiences.
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