This was a truly valuable experience.
The object of this lesson was to experiment with coloured pencils to see how a combination of colours can create new colours.
As we are using the text (Barry Stebbing’s Feed My Sheep) as a reference rather than a workbook, it required drawing a lot of little circles first. Very tiresome business, that. It was also impractical for my class of little people in the park, so I created a pdf which you can download and print out, experimenting with colour mixing, including suggestions of colour combining to try. {It will open in a new window, and if you click it there, it will download. I have no idea why it opens in a new window. =) }
For this activity, if it is at all in your power, purchase for your children a large set of colour pencils. Twelve pencils is a desperate kind of torture to a child who loves to use colour. Thirty-six is better, but a set of fifty Crayola will set you back about $20 and bring hours of unmitigated joy. 
Label the colours as you create them if you choose to complete the activity in your sketch pad, and this will be a valuable reference for future drawing use. I have seen a new and adventurous attitude to colour among my own children after completing this exercise. It will empower your little people to be daring with colour!
July 7, 2009 at 6:25 pm
What a beautiful lesson!
Where were you when we were buying coloured pencils? We bought a set of Faber Castell, but they were much more expensive. I didn’t realise that Crayola were so inexpensive, but perhaps they were unavailable where we shop.
What do you think of the Barry Stebbing’s Feed My Sheep text? Is it all that you thought it would be?
Blessings,
Jillian
July 7, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Does 10+ sets of 12 count? I have about 22 years worth of colouring set – all we need is a good sharpener!
BYW going ahead with the book purchase, thanks for all the encouraging posts in the art area.
July 8, 2009 at 8:02 am
Jillian, we have used the Faber Castell before, and while they are lovely pencils, they don’t seem to have the vibrancy of the Crayola. The muted tones of the FC are possibly better for older users, but the wee folk here like a LOT of colour on the page, which is why when babies they preferred to draw in black pencil, and liked to colour with felt pens.
Crayola are sold on line, but I’m not sure if the delivery fee would make the cost savings of no benefit.
The “Feed My Sheep” text has been very good, but I really wish that he had given completed examples in colour. (One of the reasons I decided to post here was so that others using the same resource would have something to go on!)
There have been a couple of lessons where it was a bit tricky to understand what he was hoping to achieve, and a colour example was necessary. I haven’t led the park class in those lessons yet, but I will use the same ideas, but provide my own examples. I haven’t tried any other art teaching curriculum to compare this one to, but despite the few things I have found lacking, I consider it has been a great thing for us. Perhaps something out there would have been even better, but I’ll never know
Ruby, 10+ sets of 12?!
A larger set will give you a lot more options. However, using the experimenting with colour pdf will get you a lot more out of your 12 colours!
Sharpeners are like potato peelers. You just have to keep buying them until you find a good one.
We recently purchased a (..can’t remember what it’s called…) sharpener that you put the pencil in a box and turn the handle. It’s only plastic, and doesn’t look like it will stand up to hard use, but what I would really like is one of the old metal that were attached to the teachers desk at school.
I’m glad to hear your having a go with the art book. It is a lot of fun, and if you can drag in relatives, neighbours, or other homeschooling friends to do it with you, it will be even better. I hope you post your lessons! I’d love to hear how you go
July 8, 2009 at 10:20 am
Help, I can’t get the pdf to open! Could you try linking it again, please?
Thanks for offering it to us less capable ones
July 13, 2009 at 11:55 am
@ Beyond Bluestockings your kids are very good with a pencil in hand .
July 14, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Thank you, Luke. A little bit of instruction with children goes a long way when they are enthusiastic about a subject.
July 16, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Hello B.B.
I took the leap and bought Lanb’s Book of Art 1 (awaiting arrival) and have roped in 2 accomplice mothers!(8-10 children)
I know it isn’t the same as you are doing but hopefully I can post something we are doing once it gets going.
Thanks for the push along. We are back to school this week and in a strange way life does get more in rhythm for us then.
Ruby
July 16, 2009 at 7:52 pm
Oh, Ruby, you will have so much fun!! It is great to have some extra mothers and children: it really makes it easier to schedule the time and it is lovely just to have an excuse to get together with some other homeschooling families.
I’d love to see what you get up to in your art lessons. The favourite lessons, we have repeated at home just for the pleasure of it. It has been such a great thing for my children.
I know what you mean about life having rhythm when you get back to school. My older students have requested that we don’t take holidays unless we are actually going away. They find it easier to work year round, and just pause for ‘away’ type holidays, because it is too difficult to establish routine afresh multiple times in the year.
August 13, 2009 at 11:31 pm
Tongue in cheek link to your post here!
http://ohpeacefulday.blogspot.com/2009/08/be-still-my-beating-heart.html
Jeanne
August 16, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Jeanne, thank you! That was a great post