The size of the group also depends upon the size of the


class. If there are 24 kids, take four groups of six. If there are 20 kids, take four groups of five. Take two groups of six and one group of five from a class of 17, and two groups of seven from a class of 14, and so on. Behaviour and specials needs classes tend to be quite small and have teacher assis- tants, so you can take a whole class at once. Working with autistic children: I have worked with


several autistic children on mural projects. They were com- pletely focused once dressed in painting clothes, equipped with a palette and brush, and given a specific area to paint. The autistic children I worked with are quite talented and painting had a remarkably calming effect on them.


How much painting time per child?


The amount of painting time allowed for each child depends on the number of children in the school and the size of the groups. Generally, it’s feasible to allow each child 15 to 30 minutes of painting time. (The smaller the school popula- tion, the more time each child will have.) In large schools, you might consider working through the morning and afternoon recesses or increasing the size of the groups, particularly for the first two days of the project when there is more focus on painting large areas of colour rather than finer details. A lot of time can be saved, and thus children can have more time for painting, if one or two volunteers helps with organizing groups of children, dressing them in paint clothes, and clean-up.


Explaining the process


Teachers may have explained to their classes in advance about the mural painting project, but don’t leave it to chance. Make sure all children in the school know, perhaps through a P.A. announcement, that everyone in the school is partici- pating in painting the mural. Most children will have used only the kind of one-size-


fits-all bristle brushes and powder paints typically found in schools. They tend not to be familiar with paintbrushes with square, rounded, angled or pointed tips, or know how to choose brush shapes and sizes to make different strokes. They also tend to scrub with a brush, use far too much paint, and not know how to mix colours. Since children often want to start by painting smaller


details, you will have to explain that it is necessary to start with the background and end with the foreground because painting the background last could result in foreground details being unintentionally painted over. Explaining the process of painting has to be done very


quickly otherwise it will consume too much painting time. Some of the following points can be repeated as required while the children are painting:


• Show children a range of brush sizes and shapes • Demonstrate the strokes different brushes can make


• Show children how much paint they should load onto the brush


• Show them how to remove any excess paint from the brush


• Demonstrate how to hold the paintbrush – many children hold the brush close too to the bristles and get covered with paint, or hold it too far from the bristles, which results in lack of control


• Show them how to apply the paint • Show them how to keep within the lines sketched


• Explain that the paint is very expensive because it has to last for many years out of doors, so it is not to be fooled around with or wasted


• Make sure they understand that if the paint gets on their clothes or shoes it will not come off


• Explain that they will each receive a palette with a lim- ited number of colours to avoid paint wastage


• Show them how to mix colours right on the mural and not on the palette


• Explain that they will each be given a particular spot to paint


• Choose brushes for each student that are appropriate for the spot they will be painting


Starting to paint


Children are each allocated an area to work on. Try to keep at least three feet between students for elbow room. Some classmates like to work with their heads practically touching and paint the on the same spot, which is acceptable as long as they don’t get paint on themselves.


• The artist and volunteers take children to their painting spot and help them to get started, and circulate to moni- tor and give help as required


Tips:


Paint: For a good, durable exterior acrylic paint, Nicole uses Stevenson’s paint, which Canadians can order at: <http:// www.dlstevenson.ca>


Brushes: Watch for sales at art supply stores. Buy good quality 1/8” brushes with pointed end for fine detail, and brushes of various shapes and sizes up to 1/2” for the rest. Kids tend to be hard on brushes so the 1/2” size will end up wider after a few uses. You’ll also need large brushes and/or rollers for priming.


Palettes: Try to avoid using disposable plates for palettes, and plastic spoons for scooping paint from pots. Metal spoons and old plates bought at a second-hand store are reusable. Dry acrylic paint can be peeled off metal and china surfaces.


Paint clothes: Buy cheap shirts at thrift stores and garage sales for overalls for the kids. Once dry, Stevenson’s and other acrylic paints cannot be removed from clothing. One simply doesn’t want a ton of parents complaining about irremovable paint on designer clothing! A call could also go out to par- ents asking that they send in old large-sized T-shirts, plates, spoons, and paint rags.


GREEN TEACHER 93 Page 19


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