Expert: MaryAnn F. Kohl - 1/29/2005

Question
MaryAnn,

I've read in a few places that one variation for easle paper is to cut holes in it before the children paint.  Can you explain the reason behind this? What does it do for the experience? the children?  I did this in my classroom last week and the I'd love to explain the reasoning behind it to the parents.  Thank you.

~Rachel  

Answer
Hi, Rachel.

I'm happy to try to answer your question.

It's simply a challenge to the child's creativity...requiring that the child look at paper differently than he/she may have ever looked at it before. Some children incorporate the hole into the painting (they make it a lake or a mouth); other chldren ignore it completely, which I find interesting!; still others enjoy painting around it as part of a non-pictorial design. Other similar ideas are:
1. paper cut into shapes like circles or diamonds instead of the traditional rectangle on most easels.
2. paper with shapes glued to it, like a red square or a yellow circle
3. paper that already has designs on it, like a checkerboard, graph, or swirls
4. paper that is wrapping paper with design, foil, or see-through

All of these encourage the child to think and create much differently...it inspires new creativity. That's about it!

Many kids don't like it, though! I remember that from my teaching days.

MaryAnn Kohl
art author
maryann@brightring.com
www.brightring.com

* Visit my website for free art ideas and a peek at all the books I have on art ideas for kids of all ages.