Artist Study

Here it is the middle of the month and we finally got around to doing our artist study. We are supposed to spend October studying the works of Michelangelo. This week we finally broke out the books I got from the library about him. I can't say Sophie was all that excited about these books. She did enjoy looking at all the pictures of his statues and painting and even some architecture. She loved it when I showed her my scrapbook from when I went to Italy and saw the David. I never made it to Rome so didn't get to see the Sistine Chapel. But this was her favorite thing to look at. She loved it that so many of the pictures were bible stories. She could even tell me what they were depicting without me prompting her.


So as a follow up to our look at the Sistine Chapel on day. I thought it would be fun for her to see what it is like to paint on the ceiling. No I didn't break out scafolding and have her paint the ceilings. I just put some butcher paper on the underside of the kitchen table and let her paint.


Sophie kept saying how difficult it was. She said the paint kept dripping and that her hair kept getting in the paint. I explained that Michelangelo had similar problems when he painted the Sistine Chapel. Maybe we need to watch "The Agony and the Ecstasy". I haven't seen that film in years. I am sure my kids wouldn't sit through the whole film but parts of it would be interesting.




Henry of course had to join in. He could tell this was fun so grabbed a brush and quickly started painting. Ian was good and just watched. Sophie and Henry both needed a bath afterward because of the paint in their hair. But I made sure to use washable paint so it came right off the table, floor and clothes.


The finished product looks a lot more Jackson Pollock then it does Michelangelo but I guess it was a fun activity and with Sophie there always needs to be a project.