Rothko used simple shapes : squares and rectangles. Some were big and some were small and some were super skinny! Here is how to create a Rothko style artwork.

1. Draw 2 to 5 rectangles of different sizes
   
2. Color them in! You can mix colors in each rectangle
   
3. Color the background. Make sure you outline your rectangles 
   

Every child is special. Every doodle they create is unique and shows the freedom they experience when young. Their first artwork, a line or a curve is their first expression, their signature. How many of us parents honestly take the effort and time to understand and treasure these masterpieces, or even share with our friends and family?
Children are in their purest minds while they run these lines of imagination!As parents and teachers, we need to provide them the time and tools that help them broaden their circle of imagination, in other words; to become Creative!

“Creativity comes with less rules at home or school, where children are encouraged to think for themselves.” says Harvard psychologist Teresa Amabile.
Creativity in musicians, artists, architects, athletes, even doctors bring joy and wonder to their work as they enjoy doing it and are not told to do so! By letting them learn few things on their own and not by the book/other people's perspectives, brings out the creative side of a child that goes into adulthood helping him/her to lead a healthier and happier life. This creative thought process is your child's own genuine and unique approach to life!

A good read for all parents who want their children to be creative:
How to Raise a Creative Child. Step One: Back Off!
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/opinion/sunday/how-to-raise-a-creative-child-step-one-back-off.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=0

Next month's topic: “Importance of Shapes”

Mangala Narayan – Artist and Mum.
StudioAleenta on Facebook and Etsy.

Summer is usually kids' favorite time of year -- but not so for parents and nannies. It can be tricky finding activities to keep your little ones occupied during this time off from school. Other than days by the pool or trips to the beach, what can you do to bring some excitement into the seemingly endless dog days of summer?

The answer: crafts!

Here at 62 great kids-friendly craft ideas that inexpensive, easy, great for all age groups and perfect to do indoors or out in the summer sun.

Below are 3 articles that give some amazing psychological insights into a kid's mind via their artwork.

Children love to draw, and their work is a reflection of their inner world. Most kids don't think about or censor their artwork. For the past 40 years, Dr. Martin Stein used children's drawings as an important part of his pediatric practice. At each well-child visit beginning at 4 or 5 years old, their nurse asked the child to "draw a picture of  your family doing something." To simplify the process, each exam room is equipped with blank white paper on a clipboard with a black felt pen. Read more


As a five year old, all my brother wanted to draw were enormous bonfires burning everything in their path and emitting thick, choking black smoke.
My daughter at the same age drew her family standing in the garden – but on closer inspection, under the turf lay rows of bodies. “They’re the dead people,” she explained, brightly. Read more


Children’s drawings, doodles and sketches have been the subject of study now for over a hundred years, and new theories and ideas about what they mean, how they develop, and how they can be used both educationally and therapeutically, are arising all the time. This week, I’m going to look at whether children’s drawings, especially younger children, can give any psychological insights into their character and thinking.  There is a school of thought that believes that children’s scribbles and doodles are in fact deeply revealing of intelligence, personality and emotional state, in the same way graphologists believe that handwriting is for adults. Read more

I bought a couple of canvas frames and acrylic paints for my daughter today and decided I should paint with her. I only bought yellow, red, white and blue. These colors are enough to mix and make other major colors. I wanted to make something simple and yet something that my kids would be excited to see. So the idea of mixing candy with nature - The Lollipop Garden :-)