Teacher Guide for Setting Up a Skill-Based

ClassroomBy Mandy Theis Hallenius

A Skill-Based Classroom Setup

Easels at Standing Height

Raised Model Stand

Single Light Source on

Model

Distance Between Model

and StudentProfessional Model

Drawing Board at

Eye Height

Easel Lights

You may not have access to a full easel setup, lights, professional

models, etc.

Don’t despair!

There are lots of adaptations you can make to provide a solid

environment for skill-based drawing and painting methods in your

classroom.

Don’t have drawing boards?

Try using foam core from your local dollar store.

• It’s light and easily stored.

• It’s cheap so that every student can have one and students do not have to remove their drawings between classes

Don’t have easels?

Students can prop drawing boards on the backs of chairs of students in front of them.

Don’t have a model light?

Try this cheap lighting hack.

• Shove a tall stick in a bucket of wet concrete.

• Let dry.

Try this cheap lighting hack.

• Add clip-on lampat desired height to stick-in-concrete-bucket.

• You can find this type of light at your local hardware store for about $5.

Don’t have a model stand?

• Ask the shop class or parent volunteer to make one for you.

• Make sure it is collapsible to save storage space in the classroom.

http://aliafineart.blogspot.com/2012_06_01_archive.html

Don’t have easel lights?

You can block off all your windows except for those on one side. You can use the unblocked windows as both the model light and ambient light for easels.

http://www.sadievaleri.com/blog/2013/5/26/studio-faq-lighting-wall-color-and-casts.html

• Control ambient light by adjusting your windows/overhead lights.

• Make sure to interfere as little as possible with the direct light source on your subject. (Notice how the setups in this photo are blocking ambient light from above)

http://www.sadievaleri.com/blog/2014/7/11/still-life-and-cast-stands-setup-and-lighting.html

If you want to geek out on lighting…

http://willkempartschool.com/art-studio-lighting-design/

Don’t have still life boxes?

Make some from foam core. Find directions here:

http://www.davinciinitiative.org/lightbox.html

Don’t have a professional model?

Check out our teacher guide for using students as models at

www.davinciinitaitive.org

Have ideas about setting up a classroom to share? Contact us at

davinciinitiative@gmail.com

www.davinciinitiative.org