Coloring is the work of the day around here. It's mostly coloring on blank sheets of paper and in small sketch books—illustrating stories they make up. Often these are about a "crazy party" but sometimes they involve a ballet performance. The middle child (whose work is shown here) is all about full saturation of color and filling up the page, entirely. She does this in a fast, almost frantic way, very unlike her older sister, whose work seems to be getting smaller and smaller. It's so fun to watch and I find all these pieces they create impossible to get rid of—so I keep them in a huge storage tub in the basement that I will have to spend months going through later when I am an old lady.
The fabulous small sketchbook is from Emily (available here) and is a favorite. For more handy sketchbooks, I also take sheets of paper, fold them in half short-wise, add a cardstock cover and sew a stitch down the middle with the sewing machine. Just like these. Super easy and cheap. I keep them in my bag with pens if we get stuck anywhere. They have saved me many times.
The most popular art supplies this past year have been:
- These skin tone colored pencils. We got this set as a gift. We also buy pastel colored pencils in skin tone colors here locally at Art Media, open stock. I buy the nicest ones I can. (Different brand than the set, but just as good.) They cover so well and since they are really into drawing people and really into skin tones and the variety of skin tones in sets is totally lacking in diversity—it's completely worth it. Dick Blick has open stock too.
- These pastels, which I buy by the 1/2 dozen, they are such a good price (I get the 12 color set for $1.90) they are perfect for heavy coverage.
- brush pens. Not cheap. We have had long talks about putting the caps back on. The brush tip makes for really interesting work, and they've been using them on colored paper, which makes a really cool effect.
- These triangular pencils from Stubby Pencil Studio.
- This outstanding pencil sharpener, which the girls can use by themselves. It's great at home and in my bag because it holds the shavings.