Dear fellow Art educators,

Welcome to our second Art CPD newsletter! We are thrilled to have you with us and are excited to share the latest updates, tutorials, and insights with our growing community of art teachers. The response to our first set of tutorials was truly heartwarming, and we want to express our gratitude for your kind comments and feedback. It's your enthusiasm and encouragement that make all our hard work truly worthwhile.

Miriam Schultz from Pennsylvania, USA, beautifully articulated the very reason why we are so passionate about sharing our skills and experiences through these tutorials: "The struggle to keep students engaged and learning new skills is real. What you do is amazing - and providing me with a needed uplift. I think I am slightly obsessing over the next course(s). Thanks so much!!"

Our tutorials are designed to empower every art educator, from those just starting their teaching journey to seasoned professionals. They cover a diverse range of materials, techniques, and processes, all aimed at nurturing creative freedom in the classroom. Our tutorials are not just templates to follow; they are springboards for your creativity, open to adaptation to suit different age groups and project themes.

As art educators, we understand the importance of starting each term with skill workshops. These workshops, which are not assessed, provide students with the space to experiment, take risks, and explore without the pressure of grading. Mastering technical skills lays the foundation for artistic expression and boosts students' confidence. By enabling them to create realistic and representational art, we set them on a path to further artistic exploration and achievement.

When students launch into their projects, they have the opportunity to apply the skills they've acquired, make creative choices, experiment, and adapt. This process leads to a deeper understanding of their creative voices, allowing them to develop a sense of identity and purpose as artists.

Now, let's dive into our new tutorials released in recent weeks:

Crowd of Faces: This lesson is designed to rekindle the enthusiasm of your students. After weeks of studying realistic portraiture, students can unleash their creativity by covering their pages with whimsical faces without lifting their pencils. This exercise is perfect for refreshing and inspiring your class.

Negative Spaces: Botanicals: This tutorial series focuses on the importance of negative space. From outlining and blocking negative space to creating complex compositions, this suite of lessons helps students understand the interplay of light and dark. It's versatile and adaptable for various age groups and abilities.

Kandinsky: Our first step-by-step tutorial takes inspiration from the master, Kandinsky. This tutorial helps students create expressive original artworks while delving into the visual elements and composition. Turn up the music and watch your students delight in their masterpieces.

Visual Elements Ball: This engaging project goes beyond creating an artwork; it's about constructing a 20-sided ball, a true crowd-pleaser. It's a fantastic hands-on experience that can be tailored to different age groups. Patience is required, so teamwork or teaching support might be a good approach for younger students.

In our journey as educators, we've had the privilege of teaching in diverse educational settings with unique philosophies. Striking the right balance for each age stage can be challenging but is essential for a well-rounded art education.

In other news:

Upcoming New Tutorials: We have a multitude of exciting tutorials in the pipeline, including routes to abstraction, mixed media expressive portraits, folds and creases, and reflections. Stay tuned for these creative journeys!

Teachers Pay Teachers Art CPD Store: We're thrilled to announce that Art CPD is now part of the Teachers Pay Teachers community. This platform supports educators in sharing their expertise, creating high-quality teaching materials, and earning recognition for their hard work. You can find all our tutorials on our TPT store at TPT Art CPD Store. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Art-Cpd

Birthday 50% Off Sale: It's our birthday on 11/11, and to celebrate, we're offering a one-day-only 50% discount on all our tutorials. Don't miss this fantastic opportunity to grab some great deals and enhance your teaching resources.

'Buy Me a Coffee' Button: We've made all our tutorials free for the first 12 hours of launch, and the response has been overwhelming. To support our ongoing work, we've introduced a 'Buy Me a Coffee' button for voluntary donations during the free launch window. Your generosity will be greatly appreciated.

To keep up with our promotions and new launches, follow our Facebook page, where you can also engage with our Art Teacher agony aunt feature, ready to answer your questions about the creative classroom experience. https://www.facebook.com/artcpd

We encourage you to get involved, write reviews, provide feedback, suggest new tutorial ideas, and join our discussions. Let's make November a month of creativity and inspiration!

Warm regards,

Vikki Gibson

Art CPD Newsletter Team