Chinese New Year - of the Rat, 2020. Adult Art Class student display, 2/3/20

Chinese New Year of the Rat - 2020

We worked from reference pictures of the decorative designs created each year. This year's celebrations began on Saturday January 25 and continue for about fifteen days.

Exercises included practicing a Rat drawn in a few calligraphy strokes. We had cut a sheet of paper into quarters. Color a piece all red, (crayon). Now turn it red side down against a clean quarter sheet. Draw a rat on the back using a good bit of pressure with a number 2 pencil - or use a colored pencil. You have to draw firmly and directly. No futzing and sketching. You should have a kind of carbon copy on that clean sheet. Decorate as you wish.

We did simple papercuts too. Color a quarter sheet red. Cut out a rat figure so that you have a nice papercut and you have the background piece as a papercut. Arrange your quarter sheet creations onto a full sheet and attach. We used masking tape turned into double stick tape just by forming a short section of tape into a loop - sticky side out

December Children's Drawing Workshops at Rockland Library, with Catinka Knoth, 2018

"Let's Draw Pictures and Cards for the Holiday Season!" 

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Contact:  Catinka Knoth 

Rockland - Children will explore motifs from the traditional

celebrations of December in the free drawing classes at Rockland Public Library led by Catinka Knoth. Classes meet every Tuesday, 4-5pm, in the Community Room, Rockland Public Library, 80 Union St. Children 10 and under need adult accompaniment. The program, sponsored by Wendy & Keith Wellin, is free with all materials supplied, and hosted by Friends of Rockland Library. Contact Jean Young, children's librarian, at 594-0310 for more information.

Christmas, Winter solstice, Chanukkah, and the New Year offer lots of imagery for creative fun. Students will create images such as holiday wreaths, trees, gingerbread houses, ornaments and decorations; Santa Claus, toys, & elves; reindeer and sleighs; gift giving and more.

12/04    Gingerbread houses &  holiday decorations

12/11    Christmas & holiday cards

12/18    Holiday cards & winter solstice

12/25   No class, library closed for Christmas

12/31    No class, library closed for New Year's Day

Class often starts with a period of guessing and brainstorming ideas 

for the session's drawing. Knoth then leads children age 6 and up in "follow along" drawings.  She expects children to work independently and encourages adults to participate by making their own drawings. If time allows, Knoth takes group photos of the students' work at the end of class.

Holiday Motif Demonstration Drawings  by Catinka Knoth