It was a very exciting box to open, when the new art curriculum arrived on our doorstep. The Feed My Sheep Curriculum Bundle Package included everything we need to work through the curriculum: the book, DVDs, paints, brushes, drawing pencils, color pencils, pen, eraser, pencil sharpener and paint cards. The lessons may be used with elementary through high school age students.
Art is one of my favorite activities and my daughter particularly likes working through self-paced art lessons. Feed My Sheep is a four-year curriculum that guides artists in drawing at beginning art, beginning drawing, nature studies, penmanship and painting.
Feed My Sheep has hundreds of daily lessons that give young artists detailed instructions in the book, reinforced with excellent DVD lessons that enhance the information by showing exactly how to draw or paint a particular way.
Barry Stebbing developed Feed My Sheep curriculum by traveling across the country, teaching 3-day art classes to homeschoolers. He knows how to instruct homeschoolers directly and clearly using the three methods of teaching: showing, telling and demonstrating to encourage participation. The DVD lessons are short and clear, giving the artist plenty of time to complete a lesson. Of course, if something is missing the lesson can be replayed.
I particularly liked Barry Stebbing’s instruction style. For example, lessons about foreshadowing (showing a flower, drawing the forms and filling in the detail) were so complete that everyone I asked to try the lesson did amazing work. Both experienced and inexperienced artists were able to draw a pansy from several different angles, giving proper perspective by changing the size of the petals. Foreshadowing is one of the components of art that can be frustrating and discouraging to new artists. But with Barry Stebbing’s explanation all were pleased with their own work.
The curriculum includes instruction about color, color blending, and theory with pencils and paints. Complete drawing instructions start by drawing forms and shapes and move to portraits and anatomy. Using accepted art techniques by building on experience, lessons get progressively more difficult: Artists begin with creating cups and glasses and move on to drawing animals with fluffy or fuzzy fur. At each point, Barry Stebbing points out that God has made each of these things in nature with balance. Observing God’s creation and the patterns He placed all around us makes drawing simple when we see His great artistry in everything.
The art appreciation section gives a brief introduction to Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Early Christian, Early Renaissance, High Renaissance, Baroque, Neo-Classical, Pre-Raphaelites, Impressionism, and 20th Century art periods. But it doesn’t end there; happily the appreciation course introduces artists like da Vinci, Rembrandt, Remington, Monet, Van Gogh, among others.
Yet another section to Feed My Sheep is Academic Drawing. The combination of science and art gives artists understanding of anatomy, entomology, astronomy, zoology, inventions and technology.
Not only are the lessons wonderful but the included supplies are quality products. In my trial-and-error experience I’ve found that proper supplies especially in art make so much difference. Honestly, I can’t recommend buying quality art supplies enough. It can be the difference between your child getting excited about creating art and completely giving up.
The supplies in the Feed My Sheep bundle package are high-end quality products, and the prices are the less than what you would pay at the store. This is a real deal for encouraging your artists to draw and paint.
This bundle package is an excellent value but it’s not the only offering available from How Great Thou Art Publications. There are art curricula for semester- or year-long art classes for a variety of ages and to fit different budgets. There is also a 16-chapter book titled How to Teach ART.
Wait it gets better! Barry Stebbing offers 25% discount scholarships for missionaries and their families. He supports the family’s sacrificial calling and wants children to love art no matter where they are in the world.
I strongly urge parents and art teachers to invest in this four-year curriculum bundle package with instruction book with over 260 lessons, the DVD and the supplies to complete the lessons. The quality products alone would cost you more than the whole package: Lyra pencils and Prisma color drawing pencils and Prisma rubber eraser. Other packages available include Strathmore paper, Prang markers, Winsor oil colours, Reeves water colours and upgrade brushes.
For more information about the Feed My Sheep Art Curriculum and How Great Thou Art visit http://www.howgreatthouart.com , write PO Box 48, McFarlan, NC 28102 or call: 1-800-982-DRAW (3729) / 1-704-851-3111