Little Ashcan's Collage Creature Painted Portraits: Where Imagination Comes to Life! 🦄🎨

 

Collage Creature Painted Portraits

Our young artists unleashed their creativity by mixing and matching whimsical features to create one-of-a-kind creatures! 🦄✨

Sketching the Creature 🖊️👩‍🎨
Once they had their features selected, it was time to sketch! The students got to work, bringing their creatures to life on paper. They let their imaginations run wild, thinking about how their creatures would look and what they wanted to include. Some drew creatures with a bit of attitude, while others created sweet, whimsical beings—there were no limits to what they could create! 🐉💫

Adding Color with Acrylic Paint 🎨🌈
The fun really started when the students picked up their paintbrushes! Armed with bright, bold acrylic paints, they started bringing their creatures to life on canvas. Some students stuck to realistic colors, while others went wild with neon greens, pinks, and blues. We loved how they mixed colors and added layers, making their creatures pop with life and energy! 🎨💖

What’s Next? 🌟
This project was just one of the many ways we encourage creativity and self-expression here at Little Ashcan. We’re so proud of all the hard work and imagination our students put into their artwork this past Fall 2024—and we can’t wait to see what they dream up next for the Winter Spring 2025 Session! 💖

Interested in a Trial Class?
If your little artist are ready to dive into the world of art, we’d love to have you! Check out our classes and let’s get creative together! 🎨✨


📞 718-819-0004
📧 infolittleneck@ashcanart.com

Little Ashcan Blog Post: Observational Drawing & Styrofoam Insect Prints 🐞🎨

🌟 Last Class Project: Observational Drawing & Styrofoam Insect Prints 🌟

In our latest Little Ashcan class, we dove deep into Observational Drawing and explored the fascinating world of bugs through Styrofoam Insect Prints. 🐜🖋️ Here's a glimpse into what they learned and created!

Observational Drawing: Project Overview 👀

Observational Drawing is all about capturing the true-to-life appearance of a subject. They focused on details—the more they observe, the more realistic their drawing becomes! Students began by brainstorming locations where they might find bugs.



The Process 🔍✂️

  1. Watercolor Painting: First, students used watercolors to create their bug “homes”—the places where insects might live, like an apple core or a crumpled up piece of trash.

  2. Styrofoam Bug Prints: Afterward, we moved on to creating the bugs themselves! Using printmaking foam, students carefully carved out the details of their bugs, making sure every leg and wing was true to life.

  3. Bug Stamping: Once the foam prints were ready, it was time to stamp the bugs onto the watercolor backgrounds, bringing their homes to life with beautiful, detailed prints.

The Results 🌟

The students’ final artworks were a mix of creativity and observation, showing their ability to capture the world around them with incredible detail and imagination. Their bug prints, each unique, were beautifully layered onto their painted scenes, bringing these little creatures to life in a fun and engaging way! 🦗🎨

💡 Want to Learn More or Join Our Next Class? 💡
Come create with us! Our next Winter Spring 2025 session will feature even more exciting projects for young minds to explore and grow in their artistic journey.

📞 Contact: 718-819-0004
📧 Email: infolittleneck@ashcanart.com

 

🎨 Little Ashcan: Complementary Colors in Organic Shapes 🌈

At Ashcan Studio of Art, our Little Ashcan artists recently completed a colorful and creative project that explored the fascinating world of complementary colors and organic shapes. This project was a perfect way to introduce young artists to color theory and new painting techniques while letting their creativity shine.

The Creative Process 🖌️

In this project, our Little Ashcan artists started by learning about the color wheel, which is the foundation of understanding how colors relate to each other. They discussed primary colors and how they mix to form secondary colors. The focus was on learning complementary colors, which create strong contrast and vibrancy when used together, making them a fun and engaging choice for our young artists.

Last week, our students explored organic shapes, which are free-flowing and natural in form, like those found in nature—think leaves, clouds, or waves. This week, however, we shifted focus to geometric shapes, such as squares, triangles, and circles. The students had the chance to experiment with these more structured forms, helping them balance creativity with precision as they built their designs.

The project combined these ideas using a variety of materials. The students used acrylic paint to mix and apply their chosen complementary colors to the organic shapes they created. To add an extra layer of creativity, we incorporated masking tape into the process. The tape technique allowed them to create sharp, defined edges around their shapes, adding an element of precision to their artwork. Once the tape was peeled away, the result was a beautiful contrast between clean lines and vibrant, blended colors.

A Burst of Creativity 🌟

This project was about more than just mixing colors and painting shapes—it was a wonderful opportunity to help our students understand color theory, contrast, and composition in a hands-on, approachable way. By using complementary colors, our Little Ashcan artists learned how to create energy and balance in their artwork. The technique of working with organic shapes also encouraged them to think outside the box and use their imagination to create something unique.

Beyond the technical skills, this project encouraged self-expression and problem-solving. Kids had to make decisions about how to use color and shape to convey their ideas, and they gained confidence in their ability to create beautiful artwork. As always, it was rewarding to see their growth not just as artists but as thinkers, collaborators, and creators.

Ready to join the fun?

If you’re interested in signing up for our programs or want more information, feel free to reach out to us!
📞 Call: 718-819-0004
📧 Email: infolittleneck@ashcanart.com

 

Little Ashcan Learns the Basics of Color Theory and Shape Exploration in Art Class 🎨✨

 

Exploring Complementary Colors with Organic Shapes 🌈

Last week at Little Ashcan, our artists took a deep dive into the world of color theory and shapes, learning foundational concepts that will help them as they continue to develop their creative skills. From complementary colors to organic vs geometric shapes, it was a class full of exploration, discovery, and lots of colorful fun! Here's a look at the exciting lessons our little artists learned:

One of the highlights of the class was learning about complementary colors—colors that sit opposite each other on the color wheel. These colors, when used together, create stunning contrast and harmony in a painting. Our students had the opportunity to experiment with these vibrant color pairs, applying them to organic shapes—those that are freeform, flowing, and found in nature, like leaves, flowers, and waves.

By painting complementary colors on organic shapes, the students were able to see how colors like red and green or blue and orange could make each other pop! The result? Stunning, eye-catching artworks that truly celebrated the beauty of color and form. 🌟

Getting to Know the Color Wheel 🎨🔴🟡🔵

Next, we took a trip around the color wheel! Little Ashcan artists explored the three primary colors—red, yellow, and blue—which are the building blocks for creating all other colors. Then, we learned how mixing primary colors together creates secondary colors—green, orange, and purple. The kids had a blast mixing paints and seeing firsthand how these primary and secondary colors work together to create new and exciting shades.

It was amazing to watch our young artists experiment with different color combinations, and it really helped them understand how colors relate to one another and how to use them creatively in their artwork. 🌈

Organic vs Geometric Shapes 🟢🔲

The final lesson of the day was all about organic vs geometric shapes. Organic shapes are natural, flowing, and asymmetrical—like the shapes of plants or clouds. Geometric shapes, on the other hand, are structured, regular, and often symmetrical—think squares, circles, and triangles.

Students learned how to apply their knowledge of complementary colors to both organic and geometric shapes. It was fascinating to see how the two types of shapes could affect the way the colors looked when applied, and how the balance of organic vs geometric forms in a composition could influence the overall feel of the artwork.

From painting soft curves to creating sharp, clean lines, our young artists were able to experiment with different approaches, learning how to use shapes and colors together in fresh and exciting ways.

Interested in joining our next class or learning more about Little Ashcan?

Give us a call at 718-819-0004 or send an email to infolittleneck@ashcanart.com to find out how your child can get involved in our fun and educational art programs!

Exploring Complementary Colors 🍌🎨

At Little Ashcan Studio, we love to inspire creativity through exploration! Our latest project focused on Complementary Color in Still Life Painting, drawing inspiration from the iconic works of renowned artists Henri Matisse and Andy Warhol. Both artists masterfully utilized complementary color schemes to create their distinctive styles, and we wanted our students to experience this powerful technique firsthand.

What Are Complementary Colors? 🎨✨

Complementary colors are pairs of colors that, when combined, cancel each other out. This means they produce a grayscale color (black or white) when mixed, and they can create vibrant contrasts when placed next to each other. This project allowed our students to see how these contrasts can enhance their artwork!

The Banana-Themed Still Life 🍌

Our young artists dove into their projects with enthusiasm, creating banana-themed still life paintings. They experimented with various complementary color sets to depict different forms of bananas—peeled, in bunches, and as single pieces. The results were not only vibrant but also showcased each student’s unique artistic vision!

The Artistic Process 🌈

Throughout the project, students explored the following:

  • Color Mixing: Understanding how to create shades and tones using complementary colors.

  • Composition: Arranging their banana subjects in a way that highlighted color contrasts.

  • Technique: Applying different brush strokes to bring their still lifes to life.

Join Us! 🎉

We’re thrilled with the creativity and talent displayed in this project, and we can't wait for our students to tackle even more exciting challenges in the future! If you're interested in enrolling your child in our art programs, contact us today!

📞 Contact Info: 718-819-0004
📧 Email: infolittleneck@ashcanart.com

Little Ashcan Artists: From Sculpture to Stunning Watercolor Portraits! 🎨✨

Last week at Little Ashcan, our young artists embraced their creativity by sculpting incredible figures. This week, they took it a step further by bringing those sculptures to life through watercolor painting! But before they jumped into painting, they had an exciting session of watercolor studies. Let’s dive into their learning journey! 🖌️

Mastering Watercolor Techniques 🌊

To prepare for their portraits, the students practiced essential watercolor techniques using swatches. Here’s how they got started:

Here’s how they got started:

Solid Washes: They began by learning how to create a uniform color wash across the paper, which serves as the foundation for their paintings.

Graded Washes: Next, they experimented with graded washes, gradually transitioning from a dark to a light shade. This technique adds depth and dimension to their work!

Drop Color on Wet Color: The students also explored the fun technique of dropping color onto wet washes, allowing the colors to blend and create beautiful, organic effects. 🎨

Wet on Wet Duo Tone: They practiced the wet-on-wet technique, where they applied new colors onto a wet surface, resulting in soft, diffused edges that create a dreamy look.

Masking with Tape: To maintain clean lines and shapes, the students learned how to use masking tape effectively. This technique helps create crisp edges in their portraits.

Dry Brush Technique: Finally, they experimented with the dry brush technique, adding texture and detail by using a brush with minimal water, allowing for expressive strokes. ✨

Creating Watercolor Portraits 🎭

After mastering these techniques, it was time for the main event: painting watercolor portraits! A portrait is a representation of a person, capturing their unique character and personality. Our young artists focused on translating the essence of their sculptures into vibrant watercolor portraits.

With their newfound skills, the students were able to express their creativity and individuality, resulting in stunning artworks that reflect their vision. The transformation from sculpture to painting was truly magical! 🌈


We’re incredibly proud of our little artists and their achievements this week. From sculpting figures to mastering watercolor techniques, they continue to grow and explore their artistic abilities. Stay tuned for more exciting projects at Little Ashcan!

📞 For more information or to enroll your child in our art classes, contact us at 718-819-0004 or email infolittleneck@ashcanart.com. We can’t wait to see what your child will create next!

Toy Design Inspired by Takashi Murakami 🎨✨

At Little Ashcan, we’re excited to dive into our latest project: Shape and Form: Toy Design with Shapes, & Observational Drawing with Texture! This week, our students have been exploring the whimsical world of Takashi Murakami, a renowned Japanese contemporary artist known for his vibrant sculptures and graphic style. His work not only captivates with its zany expressions but also offers a fascinating commentary on postwar Japanese culture. 🇯🇵🌟

Takashi Murakami Mr. DOB (2016)

Our students have been using styrofoam balls and colored clay to create their own toy designs inspired by Murakami's unique aesthetic. The emphasis on diverse shapes and bright colors encourages creativity and experimentation, allowing each student to infuse their personality into their sculptures. 🎈🎨

Sketching

So far, the students have been busy sketching their ideas and starting on their sculptures, and we are thrilled with their progress! It’s wonderful to see their visions come to life. 💖🙌

Before diving into their painting projects, our students are honing their watercolor techniques to prepare for the creative journey ahead. They’ve been experimenting with various methods, such as wet-on-wet, dry brush, and layering, to understand how water interacts with pigment. This hands-on practice allows them to explore blending colors and creating different textures, setting the stage for their upcoming portraits. As they master these techniques, we can already see their excitement growing for the vibrant paintings they’ll soon create! 🎨💧

Next week, we’ll take this project a step further with direct observational painting using watercolor. This will give our students the opportunity to capture the textures and forms of their creations in a new and exciting way. 🌈🖌️

Stay tuned for more updates, and we can't wait to share their stunning portrait paintings of these imaginative figures!

For more information about our programs, feel free to reach out:
📞 718-819-0004
📧 infolittleneck@ashcanart.com

Little Ashcans Learn About Shape and Form! 🎨✨

 

This past week, our Little Ashcans dove into an exciting lesson focused on Shape and Form! 🟦🔺

The students explored the fundamentals of art by studying 2D and 3D shapes, including the cube, cone, cylinder, and sphere.

 

What Are Value Studies?

Value studies are an essential technique in art that involve examining the lightness and darkness (or "value") of a shape. By practicing value studies, students learn to create depth, dimension, and contrast in their artwork. This week, our Little Ashcans applied these concepts to both 2D drawings and 3D models, helping them understand how light interacts with different shapes.

Why Focus on Shapes?

Shapes are the building blocks of all art! By mastering basic shapes, our students gain a solid foundation that will benefit them in every artistic endeavor. Whether they’re drawing, painting, or sculpting, understanding shapes enhances their ability to create realistic representations and develop their unique artistic voices. 🌟

As we prepare for the second part of our Shape and Form lesson, students are excited to take their knowledge further! This next phase will focus on Sculpture: Toy Design with Shapes and Observational Drawing with Texture. Students will use their understanding of shapes to create imaginative toy designs, while also learning how to capture textures in their drawings. 🧸✏️

We can’t wait to see what our Little Ashcans will create next! Keep an eye out for their amazing work! If you’d like to join us or learn more about our programs, don’t hesitate to reach out!

📞 (718) 819-0004
✉️ infolittleneck@ashcanart.com



From Lines to Sculpture: Little Ashcan Explores 2D to 3D 🎨🔗✨

This past week, Little Ashcan artists had the exciting challenge of taking Line Drawing to the next dimension by exploring 2D to 3D Sculpture! 🎉 Inspired by the abstract and playful work of contemporary artist Franklin Evans, our students learned how to translate lines into sculpture in a hands-on way. 🖌️➡️🗿

FF kingofthehill, 2007, watercolor on paper, 30 x 22

Featured Artist: Franklin Evans 🖼️🎨

Franklin Evans is known for his striking abstract paintings and art installations that often use overlapping, broken, and fragmented lines to create an atmosphere that feels dynamic, chaotic, and energetic. 🎇 His work emphasizes the importance of line quality, paired with bold color palettes, to evoke a sense of movement and playfulness. Whether you’re looking at his colorful paintings or his immersive installations, Evans’ work draws you in with its unpretentious and fun approach to line and form.

Inspired by Evans’ unique way of arranging lines, our students experimented with using line in a completely new way—turning 2D drawings into fully realized 3D sculptures! 🌟

The Project: From Flat to Fantastic! 📏✂️

Project Description:
Our Little Ashcan artists began by exploring simple line drawings, but instead of leaving their creations on paper, they transformed them into 3D sculptures using foam board as their base. 🖼️ They then used wire and pipe cleaners to create intricate lines and shapes that extend beyond the 2D world.

The beauty of this project is that it taught our young artists how to think in multiple dimensions, taking what is traditionally flat and giving it volume and space. 🎨🌈 The pipe cleaners could be connected together to create longer lines, mimicking the idea of broken or overlapping lines like Evans’ work, resulting in a dynamic, flowing composition.

We're proud of their creativity and can't wait to see what other explorations the next project will bring. 💥🎉

Stay tuned for more updates from Little Ashcan and feel free to reach out if you want to learn more about our programs! 👇

📲 (718) 819-0004
✉️ infolittleneck@ashcanart.com





Unleashing Creativity in Little Ashcan Class: A Dive into Line Drawing! 🎨🐚

This past week at Little Ashcan Class, we embarked on an exciting artistic journey inspired by the legendary Pablo Picasso! Our project revolved around his captivating series, Le Taureau, where we explored the beauty of line drawing through the transformation of a bull into its simplest form.

Exploring Picasso’s Vision 🐂✨

Students learned about Picasso's method of progressively refining the bull's image through 11 distinct lithographs. This process encouraged them to think about how lines can capture essence and simplicity in art. Under the guidance of our talented instructor, we discussed Fernand Mourlot’s insights!

Creating Our Own Masterpieces 🖊️🌈

After studying Picasso’s technique, the students picked up charcoal and pens to create their own line drawings, this time focusing on crabs & octopi! Each child embraced their unique style, producing fantastic interpretations that were vibrant and full of personality.

Join Us for More Artistic Adventures! 🌟

We’re excited about the creativity flowing in our class, and we can’t wait for the next project! If you're interested in joining our artistic community or learning more about our upcoming classes, feel free to reach out!

📞 Contact Us: 718-819-0004
✉️ Email: infolittleneck@ashcanart.com

Let’s keep the creativity alive—see you in the next class! 🎉🖼️

Little Ashcan Kicks Off the Fall Session with Franklin Evans! 🍂🎨

Welcome back to Little Ashcan! We’re thrilled to announce the start of our first Fall class, where our young artists are diving into the vibrant world of contemporary art through the inspiring lens of Franklin Evans. 🎉 Known for his captivating abstract paintings and dynamic art installations, Evans emphasizes line quality and color in ways that spark creativity and imagination. 🌈

Discovering the Art of Lines ✏️

In this session, our budding artists will explore the various types of lines that make up Evans' work. From straight and curvy to wavy, diagonal, and broken lines, we’ll build a rich vocabulary that enhances their artistic expression. Franklin Evans often employs overlapping and broken lines to create a lively, chaotic atmosphere in his pieces, and we’ll encourage our students to embrace that same unpretentious, playful spirit! 🎢

A Whirlwind of Creativity 🌪️

To kick things off, students will have the opportunity to experiment with different line styles as they create their own unique swirling designs. This hands-on experience allows them to express their creativity freely, and the best part? Once all their individual pieces are complete, we’ll bring them together to form a fantastic, whirling roller coaster on canvas! 🎠

Using acrylic paints, our young artists will learn not just the technical aspects of line-making, but also how to communicate their feelings and ideas through their art. The end result will be a collaborative masterpiece that embodies the fun and chaos of their imagination! 🌟

Join Us on This Artistic Journey 🚀

As we embark on this exciting session, we can’t wait to see how our little artists interpret the inspiration of Franklin Evans. We believe that every stroke and swirl will contribute to a vibrant tapestry of creativity, helping them develop both their skills and confidence.

Stay tuned for updates on our progress and the wonderful creations that will come out of this class! If you're interested in joining us for future sessions, feel free to reach out. 📬

Here’s to a fantastic Fall filled with art, exploration, and lots of fun! 🍁✨

For more information, contact us at:
📞 718-819-0004
📧 infolittleneck@ashcanart.com

🌸 Little Ashcan Learns How to Draw Flowers 🌸

As we wrap up our summer Little Ashcan classes, we're excited to share a glimpse into our last project of the season! This week, our young artists explored the beauty of flowers through a painterly style – a technique that celebrates loose, expressive brushstrokes and a more spontaneous approach to painting. 🎨✨

Project Overview: Our students embarked on a delightful journey of painting from direct observation. Here’s a peek into the process:

  1. Underpainting: We started by applying a thin layer of watered-down burnt umber to map out the darker areas of our floral compositions. This initial layer sets the stage for the rich, layered colors to come. 🌿

  2. Dark Sections First: Students then focused on painting the darker sections of the flowers, creating a strong foundation for their artwork. This step helps in establishing depth and dimension. 🌺

  3. Mid-Tones: Next, we added the mid-tones to bring the flowers to life. Using a variety of brush sizes and even palette knives, students embraced the painterly style, adding texture and vibrancy to their pieces. 🖌️🌼

It’s been wonderful to see our artists embrace this expressive technique, and their work truly reflects the beauty of the flowers they observed.

Looking Ahead: As we bid farewell to summer, we're thrilled to announce that our Fall session begins this week! 🍂📅 Don't miss out on the chance to continue your creative journey with us. Sign up as soon as possible to secure your spot and join us for more artistic adventures!

Thank you for a fantastic summer, and we can’t wait to see you in the fall!

Sign Up Now! ✍️🎨

🎨 Little Ashcan’s Weekly Lesson: Mastering the Art of Drawing Hands ✋🖋️

At Little Ashcan, we are always excited to dive into new artistic techniques and explore the mastery of great artists! This week, our lesson is all about drawing hands—an essential skill for any budding artist. 🌟

Leonardo da Vinci, Study of Hands, 1474. Silverpoint and white highlights on pink prepared paper. 8.43 x 5.91 in. Royal Library, Windsor, UK. Wikimedia Commons

🌟 Inspiration from Leonardo Da Vinci & American Sign Language (ASL)

Our inspiration for this week’s lesson comes from the legendary Leonardo Da Vinci and the American Sign Language (ASL) guide. Da Vinci is renowned for his precision and anatomical correctness in his artwork. 🖼️✨ His detailed studies of human anatomy and his accurate depiction of light and shadow serve as the perfect guide for our students. ASL also provides clear, detailed visual references of hand shapes and movements, enhancing both anatomical accuracy and expressive capability in artistic rendering. It bridges the gap between form and function, helping artists capture the subtleties of hand gestures and positions.

🖌️ Project Description

In this lesson, students will practice their observational drawing skills by sketching their own hands. This exercise will help them understand the structure and nuances of hand anatomy while developing their artistic technique.

📞 Get In Touch!

For more information about our lessons and to learn how you can get involved, feel free to contact us. We’d love to help you explore your artistic potential!

📞 Phone: 718-819-0004

📧 Email: infolittleneck@ashcanart.com




Revving Up Creativity: Little Ashcan’s Observational Drawing with Hot Wheels Cars 🚗🔍

 

At Ashcan Studio of Art, we believe in drawing inspiration from the best in the business.

This week, our students are diving into the world of Hot Wheels cars, exploring observational drawing techniques that pay homage to a legend in the toy car industry—Larry Wood. 🚗✨

 

A Legacy of Creative Design

Larry Wood, a trailblazer in toy car design, began his career by sketching car models and soon became one of the pioneering designers at Mattel for Hot Wheels. His use of color pencils to create vibrant and detailed illustrations set Hot Wheels apart from other toy brands, thanks to his broad shapes and eye-catching colors. Wood’s creative vision brought a new level of excitement to model cars, and we’re channeling that same spirit in our latest project! 🎨🖍️

Project Overview

Our "Hot Wheels Cars Observational Drawing" project invites students to create detailed and vibrant drawings of Hot Wheels cars and other toy vehicles. By focusing on the intricacies of these miniature models, students will practice their observational skills and hone their artistic techniques. This project is all about precision and creativity—students will learn to capture the essence of each toy car with careful attention to detail. 🚗🔍

Materials and Techniques

To bring their drawings to life, students will use the following materials:

Pencil: For initial sketches and outlining, providing a solid foundation for detailed work. ✏️

Color Pencil: To add vibrant colors and fine details, echoing the techniques used by Larry Wood. 🌈

Pen: For inking and defining lines, adding depth and contrast to the drawings. 🖊️

Students are encouraged to take their time and focus on every small detail, from the contours of the car body to the shine of the wheels. By emulating the careful, vibrant approach of Larry Wood, they’ll develop a deeper appreciation for the art of toy design. 🚘🎨

Join Us in This Artistic Adventure

If you’re interested in learning more about our programs or joining us for future projects, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to support your artistic journey!

For more information, contact us at 718 819 004 or email us at infolittleneck@ashcanart.com. Let’s draw some inspiration and create art that zooms off the page! 🚗💨

Exploring Composition with Markers! 🎨✏️

At Little Ashcan, our young artists are always embarking on exciting creative journeys. This week, our students dove into the vibrant world of markers while learning about the essential concept of composition! 🖌️✨

What is Composition? 🤔

Composition is the arrangement of elements within an artwork to create balance, harmony, and interest. It’s the backbone of any successful piece of art, guiding the viewer’s eye and ensuring that each part of the artwork contributes to the overall story. Our budding artists explored this fundamental concept by experimenting with different layouts and designs.

The Power of Markers 🎨🖍️

Markers are a fantastic medium for young artists to express their creativity. They offer bright, bold colors that bring any drawing to life. This week, our students used markers to create their own vibrant illustrations, focusing on how to effectively place elements within their compositions.

Step-by-Step Learning 📝

Introduction to Composition: We began with a fun and interactive lesson on what composition is and why it’s important in art. The students learned about concepts such as balance, contrast, and focal points.

Sketching Ideas: With their newfound knowledge, the students sketched out their ideas, paying close attention to how they arranged their elements on the paper.

Coloring with Markers: Once the sketches were ready, the real fun began! The students used markers to fill in their drawings, experimenting with different color combinations and techniques to make their illustrations pop.

Final Touches: To finish, the students added final details and highlights, ensuring their compositions were cohesive and visually appealing.

Why Learn Composition? 🌟

Understanding composition is crucial for any artist. It helps in creating artwork that is not only beautiful but also engaging and meaningful. By learning these skills early on, our students are building a strong foundation for their future artistic endeavors.

Student Showcase 🖼️

We are incredibly proud of the amazing work our students produced! Each piece was unique, reflecting their individual creativity and understanding of composition. Here are a few highlights:

Pond Adventure

A beautifully balanced composition featuring pond critters and a some cattails.

Fieldscape

A dynamic scene with contrasting elements in the sky that draw the viewer’s eye across the piece.

Floral Fantasy

A vibrant, harmonious arrangement of flower and a butterfly, showcasing excellent use of color and space.

We love seeing our students grow and develop their artistic skills. Stay tuned for more updates on their creative journeys!

Contact uS!

📞 555-123-4567 📧 info@ashcanart.com

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our programs, feel free to reach out to us. 📞 555-123-4567 📧 info@ashcanart.com

Realism in Art: Little Ashcan Students Paint Fruits 🍓🎨

This week at Little Ashcan, our artists took a journey through the Realism Art movement, which flourished between 1850 and 1930. Realism emphasizes the depiction of subjects as they appear in everyday life, without embellishment or interpretation. For our project, students focused on creating realistic fruit paintings of strawberries and cherries, a classic exercise to hone their observational and painting skills.

Still life, pitcher and fruit

Paul Cezanne

Date: 1894

Style: Post-Impressionism

Class began with direct observational drawings. Students carefully observed the details of strawberries and cherries, capturing their shapes and textures with pencils on paper. This initial step is crucial as it lays the foundation for a successful painting.

Next, students began their painting by focusing on the darker areas of shadow first. This method helps in establishing depth and contrast early in the process. Gradually, they brought forward the mid-tone values in the fruit, carefully blending and layering colors to achieve a realistic effect.

One key technique we emphasized was using the white of the paper as the intended highlight. This approach requires students to be mindful of their water usage, avoiding excess water that could blur the fine details.

Final Pieces

Through this project, our Little Ashcan artists not only learned about the Realism Art movement but also developed their skills in direct observational drawing, color mixing, and layering techniques. The results were stunning, and we couldn't be more proud of their hard work and dedication.

Stay tuned for more exciting projects and updates from Little Ashcan! 🎨✨

📞 718-819-0004

📧 infolittleneck@ashcanart.com






Exploring Landscapes: Little Ashcan's Journey with David Hockney

This week at Little Ashcan, our budding artists embarked on an exciting project inspired by the renowned English painter David Hockney. Known for his painterly approach to landscapes and his early works that drew vast inspiration from cubism and abstract painting, Hockney's style provided the perfect foundation for our students to explore and express their creativity.

Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)

David Hockney, May 1972.

Under the guidance of our instructor, students observed and painted a beach landscape using reference images. The process began with students sketching out their beach landscapes on a toned canvas. This step was crucial as it allowed them to map out their vision and structure their compositions effectively.

Once the sketches were complete, students transitioned to painting from observation, using their chosen reference images. This approach helped them understand the nuances of landscape painting, such as light, shadow, color, and perspective.

David Hockney's influence on this project was pivotal. His unique and inventive approach to landscapes encouraged students to think outside the box and experiment with their styles. By observing his works, students learned to appreciate the balance between realism and abstraction, allowing them to create landscapes that are not only accurate but also infused with personal expression and creativity.

We are incredibly proud of the stunning beach landscapes our students have created this week. Each piece is a testament to their hard work, creativity, and the inspiration they drew from David Hockney's masterpieces. At Little Ashcan, we believe in nurturing our students' artistic abilities by exposing them to diverse styles and techniques, and this project was a perfect example of that mission in action.

Stay tuned for more updates on our students' artistic journeys and the amazing projects they will be tackling next! 🎨✨

Little Ashcan Artists Create Self-Portraits!

This past week, our talented Little Ashcan students embarked on an exciting new project: self-portraits! Using graphite on watercolor paper, each young artist captured their unique features with careful observation and skill. 🖼️✏️

Starting a self-portrait involves a few essential steps:

Gather Materials: Choose your preferred medium (pencil, charcoal, paint, etc.) and ensure you have quality paper or canvas, an eraser, and a mirror or reference photo.

Set Up Your Workspace: Position your mirror or reference photo at eye level. Ensure good lighting, ideally natural light, to avoid harsh shadows.

Outline Basic Shapes: Begin by lightly sketching the basic shapes of your head, including the oval shape of your face and guidelines for your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Add Details Gradually: Refine your sketch by adding details to your features. Pay close attention to proportions and the unique characteristics of your face.

Shade and Refine: Start shading to add depth and dimension. Focus on light and shadow to capture the three-dimensional aspects of your face.

Review and Adjust: Continuously compare your drawing to your reflection or reference photo. Make adjustments to ensure accuracy and capture your likeness.

The choice of watercolor paper is no accident—next class, we will be adding vibrant colors to these detailed sketches. The students are eager to bring their portraits to life with paint, exploring new techniques and experimenting with their artistic vision. 🎨✨

Stay tuned to see the colorful transformations of these incredible self-portraits! Our Little Ashcan artists continue to amaze us with their creativity and dedication. 🌟

📞 718-819-0004 and 📧 infolittleneck@ashcanart.com