I have a 5 year old & messing around with charcoal and paint

Well my Chinese student turned 5 yesterday and I made him a dinosaur and rocket card. When he opened his present he informed me that I had not given it a bow tie (ribbon) and he did say his card should be addressed to him on the front and not simply say happy birthday - I will know for next time, only he is going to sadly have moved back to China by then. After my lesson on space he announced he wanted to watch a video on how to make a space rocket. Today he wanted to see one on how an aeroplane is built. He may well design these one day, you never know. He definitely has an enquiring mind.

Yesterday I had a really fun art lesson with Sarah Fynn. We looked at portraits done by Emily Ball and Sarah read an interesting quote from her book which said drawing should be like bungee jumping - you should be full of adrenaline and it should be demanding. We doodled with charcoal, playing around with mark making and tone, before smashing up some sticks with chalk and them using the ball of our hands to create form out of the powder. We then used a gum rubber to create light areas and another stick of charcoal to make even darker parts. Oh, before this we also did an interesting experiment where we had to feel our face with our eyes closed and convey what we felt onto paper. Finally we slapped paint onto primed card and worked into it, doing a portrait of a lovely old lady called Pebbles. I think I get more adrenaline when trying to use colour than from charcoal. Always hard to decide what colour to go with and what background to use.

Self portrait from feeling my face blind

Portrait of Pebbles - still in progress

I've been contacted again to meet some more French people at the airport and assist them in French with car hire. I apparently got a good review from last time which is nice to know, but I will have to work on my French again - Duolingo here I come. I am also busy applying for a few more possible teaching posts for next year. As I will lose my Chinese student I need to find some more. I will be very sad to see him go.