Sidewalk Chalk Art

The Holy Family     Doni Tondo by Michelangelo  1506

For Picture Study this term, we are looking at the works of  Michelangelo.  This is one of the subjects that we do in our TBG Community, and Heidi is our picture study maven.  She does an amazing job and I wish you could visit when she is teaching.  I don’t think she had much experience with art before she began homeschooling, but no matter.  One of the important things we do before each term at our planning meetings is discuss how the subject is going and compare this to what Charlotte Mason says about it.  It keeps everyone learning and growing.  (See the post – When Adults Love to Learn:  Flowing Streams or Stagnant Pools for more on this.)  Lest you think our picture study is full of bells, whistles, activities, and lectures, think again.  Heidi has this so fine- tuned that the children eagerly await whatever she may have to say (which is living, but minimal) and cannot wait to see what that week’s print will be. After that, the work is all on the children’s part – observing, studying, retelling.

Do you see the chalk drawings? They took my breath away.  (Homeschool moms will get this.)  It started with the study of the Doni Tondo a few weeks ago.  Then, this past week we did The Creation of Adam.  For fun, Heidi sent the children this video to enjoy – Sidewalk Chalk Michelangelo. (A.maz.ing.)   Next thing I know, I have little girls running in the house and telling me that I MUST NOT come outside until I have their clearance.  Hmmmm.  By supper time, I was escorted out to see their surprise for me.

Can you tell what this is?  Complete with the cracks!

I hugged the girls and we took some pictures.  LizzieBee (dd10) explained what some of the difficulties and challenges were.  The Sistine Chapel may have been a curved ceiling, but rough concrete sidewalks aren’t exactly a piece of cake. It’s so hard to get details with super-chunky sticks and with only pastels to work with and…you get the idea.

Tonight I think I’ll share with them my vast knowledge of sidewalk chalk art which is presented in the following video.  I think they’ll enjoy this.  (Here’s the link, in case you can’t see the video – The Pavement Artist.)