FAQ

Big Ideas Art Studio is 100% child-centered, process-based, inclusive, and comprehensive. Each child will create their own art, using their own ideas, while being supported and guided during a live class or by a collection of resources carefully curated into three different membership levels.  Most programs focus on the creation of easy-to-reproduce 2D artworks (which is great if that’s what your child needs), but here at Big Ideas, we’re flipping the script by asking kids to step into the role of the artist, generate their own ideas and then bring those ideas to life in whatever 2D or 3D media makes sense to them. Additionally, Big Ideas Art Studio focuses are the entire process of making art including play and experimentation, idea generation, documentation, sharing, and connecting to the contemporary art world. Our instruction is about more than making pretty pictures, here we’re learning how to be artists.

I created my classes and membership based on my experience with elementary-aged kids. However, both can be used for slightly younger children and upper-elementary preteens depending on individual development, skill-level, and needs.

Kids who’ve developed reading skills will be able to access and use the site independently. There are voice-over audio options on same pages (eventually all pages) to help pre-readers, but they might still require adult assistance navigating the virtual studio and finding what they need. With that being said, the best way to figure out if this program is right for your kid is to give it a try!

Absolutely, as a former public school teacher, I created Big Ideas Art Studio with my classroom in mind.  These passes can be used in a choice-based setting to support student autonomy or as options for early finishers.

Yes, the class/membership price includes all children in one household. When you purchase a membership specifically, you’ll be asked to provide individual names so I have an idea of who’s who.

For the membership, whatever you have available is enough to get started. From there, you can purchase materials that pique your child’s interest during the video demonstrations, or you can ask your child to get creative using the materials you have available. I have students who work only with pencil and paper, some who are sculpture lovers and work only with recyclables taken from the kitchen, and some who prefer materials like pastels and paints – it all depends on your child. Regardless, buying new materials isn’t a necessity.

For live classes, a list of necessary materials will be provided.

You can find all of my favorite art supplies for kids here.

The art process is sometimes messy. With that being said, I’ve created resources available within the membership portal to help you and your child maintain a clean work area. Also, it’s okay to limit access to certain materials based on your personal tolerance for mess as there are plenty of options within the how-to libraries that don’t require messy materials.

Yes! Directed drawings can be a fantastic way for some kids to learn how to draw and to build confidence. At Big Ideas, I’ll include my own directed-drawing PDFs for those kids, but we’ll also learn how to take those drawings, add our own creative voice, and make them our own.

While accessing the skill libraries, you won’t have to worry about your child stumbling onto something they shouldn’t or becoming distracted with advertisements. Not only that, but YouTube doesn’t offer printable PDFs, an Inspiration Station, or the support of an artistic community!

Art teachers use these terms when describing the type of instruction they offer. Traditionally, art instruction has been teacher-directed and product-driven, meaning the teacher created an art lesson based on skills, topics, or artists they wanted to teach, and then walked students through the creation process, leading them to a curated result. Child-centered means placing the child in the role of the artist and asking them to use their own ideas. Process-based means focusing on the process of making art rather than the product, or the actual art. So, in other words, while the product is an important part of making art, it’s not the most important part. The process is where all the magic happens– it’s where our brains light up as we problem solve, create new connections, and learn in deep, meaningful ways.

Creating a home studio space for kids isn’t necessary, but it could be helpful to dedicate one single space to creating, whether that’s the corner of a room or even the kitchen table. If you’re tight on space, portable centers or even just an “art box” that can be taken out during creation time and neatly stored away is PERFECTLY FINE! Whatever you choose, keeping it simple enough for your artist to work and clean independently is important to the sustainability of your space.

At this time, no, but you can still add a bookmark of the log-in page to the home screen of your child’s device so your child can use their art studio independently. Make sure to have “remember me” selected on your log-in page. This way your child can access the studio in a similar way to their other applications.

How-To for Apple Products

Add website shortcuts to your Android phone’s home screen

1. Open the Chrome browser
2. Navigate to the bigideasartstudio.com/account
3. Tap the three-dot menu in the top left corner
4. Tap “Add to Home screen” and a shortcut icon will appear on your home screen