Art Class by See the Light

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See the Light has come up with a way to help homeschooled children have Art Lessons right in their own home.

Art Class is a 9 Disc Set comprised of 36 individual Art Lessons.



Each lesson is about 15 minutes in length, and it does offer ideas of what to practice drawing after the video lesson is over.  I would suggest watching one lesson a week and practicing a few other days during the week, for reinforcement.

I was given Volume 1 to review.  It starts out with the basic tools you will need to use with the program.  Most of the items could very easily be purchased inexpensively when school supplies are on sale in August.  Every item that was listed in the first lesson, we already had lying around the house in our everyday supplies.

From gathering supplies to the basic way to hold a pencil, the lessons swiftly progress. Moving through the drawing of lines and shading.... to contour and composition, then drawing what you see, not what you know. 

We were also given a preview disc that shows a wide variety of excerpts from Volumes 2 ~ 9.  This preview disc had my two artsy ones literally drooling.... and creatively begging me to get the whole course.




HOW WE USED THIS ART CLASS:

As soon as it arrived and was out of the package, I think it sat on the kitchen counter for maybe 30 seconds.  My 15 year old daughter grabbed it and plugged it into the computer to watch.  She watched the first two lessons in rapid succession.  At this point she was joined by my 8 year old son, who was just as enthralled. 

In following weeks the two of them would get their art pads and watch it in the living room on the TV....  Tayler (15) was much more diligent with the follow up practice than Hunter (8) was, but the each had different goals.  Tayler was looking to practice for mastery of the skill, and Hunter was just trying to get it to look like something on the paper.


MY IMPRESSIONS:

Volume 1 was clear, and easy to follow.  Both children used the suggestions of the teacher for follow up work...  It did a good job of whetting our appetite to learn more about creating art using different tools and mediums.

I am not an artist.... I don't even play one one TV....  I never took an art class in high school.   Still, I enjoyed these lessons.  Watching them with my kids, I felt confidant enough to give them pointers and reminders from the video lessons as they were working on their own. 

My husband IS an artist, he *could* play one on TV....  He does technical drawing and he can take things that are in MY head and draw them out on paper.....  that's right, I'm in awe.... 
.... how easily I digress....
Anyway.... he was impressed with the step by step method of teaching, and that it was very easy to follow for beginners.

A few things worth noting: 

• the product is billed as "art class" yet throughout the first disc the instructor kept referring to it as art club while it really wasn't a big deal, it might want to be addressed from a continuity standpoint.
• the preview disc, and the website state that the product offers Art History with the Class.  I did not see any Art History contained on the first disc.  It was shown on the preview disc, and I would surmise that it is contained on later discs when the lessons move past the basics.
• my daughter was "overwhelmed" by the speed of the bonus lesson.  my husband said that the instructor glossed over many of the steps without explaining why you might need to do something in a certain order.  we understand that everyone has a different teaching style, but this lesson would be one we would have to watch multiple times to fully grasp the concepts. ....  but the black light trick.... is WAY cool!

See the Light offers their Art Class lessons two different ways....  the 9 disc set.... for $99.00 or through an online subscription for $10.00 a month. It is appropriate for children of all ages... even my 4 year old will sit and watch "da wady dwah".

Check out these three free lessons!

Here are some lessons in lettering, chalk work and watercolors.

Viewing those videos above will really give you a taste of what this program is all about.  Take the time to surf around on their website : www.seethelightshine.com and see some of the other products they offer.

As always, you should never take just *my* word for it....  Other members of the TOS Homeschool Crew Reviewed this product.  Pop on over and see what they are saying about it!


*** For the purpose of this review, See the Light, provided Volume 1 to members of the TOS Homeschool Review Crew, free of charge.  No other compensation has been given.  All the above expressed opinions are my own and those of the members of my family that used the product.***