How to Spark Creativity with Homeschool Art Lessons

I’ve known for a very long time that my son had a unique gift when it comes to artwork. He can just sort of see something in his mind, and before you know it he puts it to paper in amazing detail. He kind of sees things in 3 dimensions. I’ve wanted to provide him with homeschool art lessons for a long time. 

But, I didn’t think I could afford them.

I love to watch him draw because it’s really unlike anything I’ve ever seen or imagined when it comes to art. If I were to sketch, or color, or paint an image, I’m quite methodical in my approach.

He will with the flick of his wrist draw a vertical line here, a curve over on the other side of the page, and a horizontal line somewhere else.

He keeps doing this until he has completed his artwork and I’m amazed because those little lines have become a 3 dimensional drawing with incredible details. 

When he was younger we couldn’t keep enough paper and colored pencils on hand for him. We had stacks and stacks of sketches. Over time, he’s transitioned to doing most of his artistic work on Minecraft.

A few months ago he had an assignment in his civics class to draw a picture of  James Madison. So in his civics notebook he used a pencil and sketched a picture of Mr. Madison. To my knowledge he had never before done a sketch of a face. So when he showed me his work, I was stunned. 

As you can see, he sketched incredible details. 

That’s when I came to the realization that I needed to truly let him build his art skills by allowing him to take some art courses. In the past I had looked into art lessons locally (before we moved to Missouri from Ohio) and I simply couldn’t afford the cost of the lessons. 

But, being the resourceful homeschool mama that I am, I knew that there had to be online options. 

I received use of Sparketh for free for a limited time, in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own and I was not required to write a positive review. I am being fairly compensated for my time. This post contains affiliate advertisement links.

Homeschool Art Lessons Using Online Video Course

I discovered Sparketh.com, an online library of video art courses. 

The first thing you’ll notice is that the videos are all pre-recorded. That means the student can work at their own pace, and is not cumbered by the constraints of a live class. In fact, my son really likes being able to play the video, pause so he can do the work, and then resume the video to see what comes next. Or, he can replay areas he may not grasp right away to get a better handle on a technique.

Each lesson is broken down into a series of short videos which walk the student step by step through the process. They start with a simple video explaining the tools needed for the project. There are videos that explain techniques or skills needed, like mixing paint colors, before the project tutorial begins. 

The lessons are simple, straight forward make it easy for the student to follow the instructions. So regardless of skill level, each student can accomplish beautiful artwork. 

3 Levels of Courses

• Beginner – marked in blue.
• Intermediate – marked in green.
• Advanced – marked in red.

The courses cover a wide array of art mediums and techniques. They give instruction in pencil drawings, mixed media, acrylic, pastels, oils, water colors, as well as perspective, textures, and shapes. They include a variety of challenges to inspire individual creativity as well. 

How to Afford Homeschool Art Lessons

Let’s talk affordability! Sparketh makes it easy to subscribe and with your subscription you get access to all pre-recorded video homeschool art lessons.

• $25 a month 
  Or
• $250 a year

Either way, you have access to the entire video course library. Therefore, your student’s can work at thier own pace. You can have them do as many lessons as you want within the given time frame. They are always adding new lessons, so you won’t run out of courses for your child (or you) to complete. The biggest difference in pricing is the annual subscription is $50 less than if you paid monthly for an entire year.

You will need to purchase your own supplies, but Sparketh includes a complete listing of what to purchase, so you will have everything you need, on hand.

With local art lessons running from $15 to $30 per hour, per lesson, plus the cost of supplies, $25 a month is much more affordable. 

3 Reasons to Consider Homeschool Art Lessons 

Even though my son has a natural talent for art, I find that the lessons are simple to follow, and anyone can learn and grow their skill level regardless of preexisting talent.

• Serves as a High School Elective
• Helps to increase critical thinking skills
• Sparks creativity both in art, and in other areas of learning, such as music and writing.

There really are a lot of reasons to encourage students to take a homeschool art lesson. These are just 3 that I find to be of good benefit for most students. Having some basic knowledge of art will help a person throughout their lifetime. But, if you are like me, you need some guidance as a homeschool teacher. I always felt intimidated when it comes to teaching art, beyond the basics of what I know. 

Sparketh, allows me to teach art without having to be the one doing the teaching. And, it gives my son an opportunity to explore artistic techniques beyond the use of a pencil or crayon. For me, that’s worth it! But having the convenience of doing these lessons at home, and being able to do them at our own pace makes it the best option for teaching homeschool art lessons. 

You can also follow Sparketh on your favorite social media networks, Facebook, Pinterest, and don’t forget about Instagram. You can always tag them with your kids art!

By the way, Sparketh has a pretty neat Blog. I spent some time reading through it and was super impressed with their content. I got some great tips for how I as a non-artistic mom can help my artistic son. Be sure to take a look and subscribe to their blog so you don’t miss out.

Tell me about your experiences teaching homeschool art lessons. I’d love to know what you’ve tried. Or, have you avoided it like I have for too long? Share your thoughts in comments. 

This post is featured at iHomeschool Network’s How to Homeschool Creatively.

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