The tempera cakes are brought out for nearly every painting lesson except for the lessons that just need a few select colors. The cakes are easy to use and get ready for a class. The only bad thing about them is you can only get really good results on white paper. If you paint them on color construction paper you will have to apply many coats.
Acrylic would have to be my favorite, but it is so pricey and wastes quick! My after school Art Enrichment class is the only one that uses the acrylic.
I am also toying with the idea of purchasing new paint pumps. I like using big gallons and being able to dispense them quickly and easily for whatever purpose. I currently use this little trouble maker.
I am wanting to purchase one of these. I feel like it will be much easier to use. Why all the fuss? I want to know what's the best for your buck! What do you use in your class rooms?
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8 comments:
I love using tempera! I always use liquid and have an easy way to prepare it for my classes. I fill small plastic cups about halfway. I make sure to emphasize cleaning brushes when changing colors & show how to fix it if you accidentally dip a dirty brush in a color (lay a small piece of dry paper towel on the surface of the paint 'n pull off the paper towel w/the offending color). To keep from wasting paint, store the paint cups in a tray. Place tray in a plastic bag and fold under or fasten the bag closed. This keeps the paint moist for weeks in between classes. I just returned from a 2 week Xmas break & paint was ready to go! Just add more paint as needed. Hope this helps!
Nice idea Nancie! I just had a thought of getting some of those big big zip-lock bags to reuse over and over for that purpose. Thanks!! I will be trying that!
I use lots of tempera, liquid! I love the thick rich creamy feel. We use Sax Versatemp, inexpensive but decent quality, from School Specialty's Sax Arts and Crafts. I use plastic cups with lids and also disposable paper cups for one-day painting projects. Also microwave dinner trays when I want shallow paint (for sponge painting, or example). And we use newspaper or old sponges to wipe excess paint out of our brushes (my mantra: wipe, wash, wipe). It makes them so much easier to clean.
I use school-grade acrylic to paint my air dry clay, and papier-mache, plaster bandage, and other 3-D work. My brand-of-choice is Nasco's Bulk-krylic.
I have some old tempera cakes we use a couple of times a year, but I like the liquid better.
I use baby food jars. The older students take some time to mix the colors during a color theory project. I keep the lids on them when they are not in use. When we use them, I only put one paintbrush in each color and let the students have only one color at a time.
Let me knOw what you find out about those paint pumps! They look awesome. I can never manage to save paints for too long because so many kids use them they just get muddy! Sometimes I use small paper plates and I love the plastic cereal bowls the kids get with their breakfast.
I tried tempera cakes and thought they were terrible! The colors seems too watery and not opaque enough, I wonder if it's just the brand I purchased because I know of quite a few arr teacher who swear by the cakes. Right now I use Crayola Premier Tempera its great quality and super bright. I also use Blick brand tempera which has a thinner consistency but is just as bright when it dries. To dispense the paint I use cupcake trays or ice cube trays, this way I can get a few colors in one spot for a table of 4 students. I wrap them in plastic for the duration of the lesson and when everyone's done I have 'art helper' volunteers stop in during their lunch and wash out the trays. :)
Just found your blog and I am adding it to my reader! As a fellow art ed blogger, it's great to find new resources! Thanks for sharing.
Jessica Balsley
http://theartofeducation.wordpress.com/
I also use Sax Versa Temp. I almost never use our cakes... they dry very chalky and smudge off actually, so when handling them, the students and I end up having colors on our hands or clothes.
To store paints, I swear by the palettes that come with the lids. I place a piece of masking tape on the lids for the students/tables to label them for the next time. I RARELY have the paint dry out using those.
I DO NOT recommend, however, the "School Smart Squeeze Dispensers." The caps do not fit on the tips so I had to makeshift my own, and they were just too difficult to squeeze or get paint out.
We use Crayola for the watercolor sets. I ordered Prang once, but the colors just seemed a little off. Last, we use Sax True Flow Acrylics.
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