• Subscribe to Blog via Email

    Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Author Archives: Marcia Beckett

About Marcia Beckett

Marcia is an elementary art teacher and loves painting, drawing, sculpture, art journaling and clay. Her blog, Art is Basic, features many exciting art projects for kids.

Vinyl Sticker Art Project – Modern Abstract Art

By | | , , , ,
Leave a comment
Abstract artwork with irregular shapes in pink, blue, and purple, interspersed with colored circles on a white background.

Have you ever made vinyl sticker art? I saw an amazing idea to use vinyl sticker sheets (like the kind you use for a Cricut machine) on this post by Helloroscreates on Instagram. Cutting these into shapes is an easy, mess-free way to make modern abstract art! The kids had a fun time and we got LOTS of compliments on this project because they were all very successful and they were very eye-catching from a distance. This type of art … Read more… →

Fun Art Supplies for Kids with Art Projects to Try!

By | | , , ,
Leave a comment
Nine colorful Super Bright paint markers are lined up, perfect for kids and budding artists. The top of the image features the text, "Art Supplies to Try with sample projects," decorated with rainbows.

I wanted to share a few awesome art supplies for kids that I either recently discovered or just really love. I’m always on the lookout to spice things up in the art room. I know some budgets are tight, but you can always buy one set for a whole table and then the kids can share them. I used to think I needed many sets of everything, but honestly sharing, manners and taking turns are very good skills to practice. … Read more… →

Matching Mittens Art Project with Free Templates

By | | , ,
Leave a comment
Colorful paper mittens with patterns like spirals, hearts, and stars create a charming match on the blue background adorned with paper snowflakes—a delightful matching mittens art project.

Matching Mittens Art Project This is a fun winter art project that allows students to use their creativity to make matching mittens, exploring symmetry and balance! I have been doing this art project for years and years and I keep returning to it every year because I think it’s great for fine motor skills and spatial awareness. It also strengthens their attention to detail as they work to make both mittens match perfectly. I’m not sure where I originally learned … Read more… →

Making Time for Art with Timed Collage Prompts

By | | , , , ,
Leave a comment
Timed Collage: A vibrant paper cut-out composition features overlapping yellow and blue rectangles against a backdrop of wavy, vertical strips in black, blue, teal, and magenta.

Encouraging Creativity with Timed Collage! Are you trying to incorporate art into your daily routine? Are you looking for ways to encourage creativity in your students? A timed collage prompt might just be something for you to try! At the 2024 NAEA conference I went to a wonderful hands-on art workshop where we did timed collage prompts on index cards with art journaling artist Eric Scott! • This idea can be used to encourage experimentation and play in your students- … Read more… →

Easy Paper Weaving Tutorial with Free Template

By | | , , ,
Leave a comment
Colorful patchwork art with pink, purple, and red squares decorated with hearts, stars, and spirals. Features vibrant feathers along the edges, resembling a paper weaving masterpiece.

Are you looking for an easy way to do paper weaving with kids? Are you not wanting to cut all those mats for your students? In this tutorial, I will show you how to make a paper weaving the easy way – with a FREE template included. I thought I had posted about this template and technique but realized I never did. In a Facebook art teacher group, another member asked for a source to buy paper looms, which gave … Read more… →

Art Projects that Go Along with Children’s Books

By | | , , , , , , , , , , ,
2 Comments
A selection of children's books on a gradient background, featuring titles like "It's Okay to Be Different," "Elmer," and "The Shape of My Heart." Each book boasts colorful, engaging covers and inspires art projects that beautifully complement the stories within.

Are you looking for art projects that go along with children’s books? Here are 10 art projects that go along with children’s books!  I love to include children’s books in my art lessons.  It’s a great “hook” to capture their interest and also it provides a way for students to see beautiful illustrations and learn about concepts, cultures and other people.   In this post, I share a few of my favorite children’s books that go along with art projects.  Amazon … Read more… →

Lunar New Year Art Projects and Book | Chinese New Year

By | | , , , , ,
Leave a comment
Cover of "I Love Lunar New Year" by Eva Wong Nava and Xin Li. Features a child holding a dragon decoration against a festive red and gold background with lanterns.

Hello! Are you looking for some fun art projects to do during January? The Lunar New Year is coming up Wednesday, January 29, 2025 this year. I have a few fun art projects planned for some of my classes and I wanted to share with you these great ideas! First, I’m going to read some of the classes this book: I Love Lunar New Year (Amazon Affiliate links used at no extra cost to you. Money earned goes towards maintaining … Read more… →

15 Easy Winter Art Projects for Kids

By | |
Leave a comment
15 Easy Winter Art Projects for Kids

Hey, Elementary Art Teachers! Are you looking for some fun winter art project ideas to do right now?  I have lots of winter art projects I have done over the years.  Save this blog post, because you can look at these ideas later when you are out of ideas. If you have signed up for my newsletter, you have already received this fun round-up, but I figured it was something that would be useful to other art teachers as well who haven’t … Read more… →

Magnetic Building Blocks | Early Finisher Idea

By | | , , , ,
Leave a comment
A box filled with vibrant, patterned magnetic building blocks. Text above reads, "Early Finisher Idea!" Perfect for sparking creativity and fun for those who complete tasks ahead of time.

I wanted to share with you something that is sure to be a hit in your classroom. These are some really fun magnetic building blocks my kids love to build with! This is a great idea for an early finisher center in the art classroom. As an art teacher, I’m sure you have encountered the situation (pretty much every day) that kids finish at all different times during the class period. Some of them work really quickly and others take … Read more… →

Snowman Art Project, Dog Portrait, Smiley Art Faces and More! (5 Fabulous Things)

By | | , , , , , ,
Leave a comment
Three crayon drawings capture the essence of a festive snowman art project under a crescent moon. Each snowman is uniquely decorated with hats and scarves, set against a backdrop of snowflakes and trees, their faces radiating joy reminiscent of smiley art faces.

Hello! A long time ago I used to do round-up posts of random things I am currently loving. Some have to do with art, some are just fun! I decided to bring that idea back. Hopefully some of my current favorite things will inspire you. 1. My Dad’s artwork My Dad has been making art for many years (mostly colored pencils and pastels) and recently I was reminded of how much I love this colored pencil drawing he did of … Read more… →

Grabie 100 Watercolor Set: My New Favorite

By | | , , , , ,
Leave a comment
Discover the Grabie Watercolor Set, a favorite among artists. This exquisite collection features 100 vibrant watercolor paints in a sleek metal case, complete with paintbrushes, a colorful floral box, and a blank watercolor sheet ready for your creativity to unfold.

As you may know, I have a little collection of watercolor sets and I love trying out new ones. Previously, my all-time favorite watercolor set was the Sakura Koi travel set. It was just so portable, handy and the colors are vibrant. When I saw this new set by Grabie, I was intrigued and wanted to try it out. 100 yummy colors! Grabie sent me a sample to try out and review for the blog. I was NOT disappointed! (Amazon … Read more… →

Chalk and Oil Pastel Landscapes using Stencils

By | | , , , ,
Leave a comment
Two childlike chalk pastel landscapes: one with a purple sky, sun, birds, tree, and waterfall; the other with a red sky, birds, trees, a river, and mountains.

Are you looking for a highly engaging art project using chalk pastels? I must admit, chalk pastels are not my favorite. The dust, the crumbles, the mess… and not to mention that chalk gives me the heebie-jeebies (as one kid said at school!) But, this project, the kids LOVED! They thought it was so exciting. And I love this project because it allows for a lot of creative freedom. It also give students the chance to see the difference between … Read more… →

Free Viking Ship Templates | Art Project

By | | , ,
Leave a comment
Four colorful Viking ship artworks with decorative sails on a blue and white background; text reads "Viking Ship Artwork, free templates for your next art project!

My first grade students had a blast making these Viking ship pictures. They have been studying about the Vikings in their Language Arts & Social Studies class, so it was a fun cross-curricular project. (See more images of Viking ships here.) I have provided free templates for you to use! You can find them for free at my shop here. Here’s how you use them: I hope you enjoy this project as much as my students did! It was a … Read more… →

Do You Want More Art Teacher Resources?

By | | ,
Leave a comment
Promotional image for a Cyber Monday sale featuring art supplies and essential art teacher resources around a sign. Text reads "Up to 25% off. Code: CYBER24.

Of course you do! And wouldn’t you like 25% off!?   On Monday and Tuesday you can get a full 25% off in my shop using coupon code CYBER24.  There are all kinds of fun and ready-to-print resources at my shop.   …. and much more! Check out lots of great art resources at TPT: https://www.teacherspayteacher… Winter Art Projects for Kids In this bundle, you will receive two popular winter art activities for elementary school- Snow Globes and Pop Art Snowman Drawing Lessons! … Read more… →

Free Elementary Artwork Reflection Sheet with Questions

By | | , , ,
Leave a comment

Hello! Are you looking for a simple and effective way to help your elementary students reflect on their art? One of my goals this year has been to find creative ways to get students talking about their artwork and thinking more deeply about their process. My co-worker and I brainstormed some thoughtful questions for this sheet and we came up with a quick reflection sheet that your students can fill out after finishing a piece and then attach to the … Read more… →

  • Banner with colorful artwork promoting an art shop featuring kindness coloring pages, artist activities, and resources for teachers.