Tag Archives: Children

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Blue is for Boys, Pink is for Girls

Many expecting parents are going with a new trend; they are painting nurseries neutral colors. Are people trying to get away from common childhood stereotypes? Whoever said blue is for boys and pink is for girls?

Even though it is true today, color has not always perceived this way. Before the middle of the 20^th century, children were not assigned gender specific colors. In fact, there is a lot of debate about the masculinity of the color pink; how some of the world’s most honorable men wore dresses; and what colors really attribute to males and females.

Is the pendulum swinging back to center? Are neutral-colored parents taking a stance against societal norms? Or is this saying true: blue is for boys and pink is for girls?

The Masculine Color Pink

Pink can be seen in the men’s sections of most clothing stores – even if it is not always referred to as pink. Some men opt to call it, “salmon.” Regardless of title, the point is this: a lot of men look good in this color.

Back in the day, pink was not seen as a “dainty” color or overly feminine, as it is today. Actually, during World War II this color was used in military combat – and there is nothing feminine about war. At one point, the British painted an entire militia of warships pink. They thought this hue would blend in at dusk. The tactic was used to confuse the Germans. Did it work?

Honorable Men Wore Dresses

When Franklin Delano Roosevelt was two and a half years old, he was pictured wearing a long white dress with shiny black shoes and long curly hair. His mother was not mistaken about his gender – this look was appropriate for boys in the late 19^th century. In fact, during this era, it was appropriate for boys to wear dresses until the age of seven. White cotton dresses went well with white cloth diapers. They were functional and easy to clean.

Who’s Whose Color?

It was not until the middle of the 1900’s that blue and pink were attributed to boys and girls. Even then, it was said that pink was for boys and blue was for girls. This was stated in an article printed in the trade publication, Earnshaw’s Infants’ Department, in June of 1918.

All this changed, however, in the 1940’s. After World War II, boys began dressing like their fathers, and girls like their mothers.

Gender specific colors go to show how inseparable colors are to the human psyche. Much of a person’s identity comes from the apparel he or she dons. Many children learn about their genders by the colors they wear and play with. But will blue always be for boys? And will pink forever be a girl’s color? Or will the pendulum swing again?

Image Credit: JEONGMEE YOON / BARCROFT

Pursuing a Career in Art

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What do you want to be when you grow up? Many kids are asked this question. At the start of a school year, when optimism is fresh and hopes are high, children set goals and claim their dream jobs. This doesn’t pertain exclusively to children though; many adults reflect on their childhood dreams as well. Like young souls, adults can also be found wondering and exploring what it takes to pursue a career in art.

Did you dream about becoming an artist?
Do you support your child’s dreams of having a career in art?

When a child’s artwork decorates a refrigerator, it is hard to imagine how carefree creativity will earn him or her a comfortable living. All too often, many parents believe artistic endeavors only lead to poor career paths. However, there are plenty of stable, high earning jobs– like architecture, interior design, and graphic design – that require creativity and artistic talent.

Architecture

Curious children love to build and create. They are fascinated by how items work and fit together. If a child is inclined to building creative pieces of artwork, architecture may be a great career to pursue. Support this natural talent by giving him or her toys like Legos, clay, and miniature models.

Interior Design

Interior design may be a future career for a child who has a knack for arranging colors, is fascinated by textures, and comes up with unique art combinations. It requires these interests and is necessary in many different forms. There are competitive careers in home décor, office design, bathroom remodeling, and more.

Graphic Designer

Growing up in a technological world may raise a generation of children who use visual designs to communicate. Graphic design is used to sell products, inform the public, and inspire viewers. Many fields require artistic talent for graphic design. This is a great career because there are many ways to make money.

It is never too early to prepare for the future. Supporting a child’s artistic dreams may encourage the little one to thrive in academic studies and extracurricular activities. It may also infuse a parent’s life with revived passion. For anyone feeling this urge, know that it is never too late (or too early) to pursue a career in art.

Read more Segmation blog posts about Careers in Art:

Use Color to Change Employees’ Job Performance

Selling Your Art in a Strained Economy

Office Paint Colors and Effective Employees

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Back to School Art Projects

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Summer holiday is over. September is the month when children return to school. Young students in their elementary years may experience mixed emotions about early mornings and homework. Starting up such a routine is less than thrilling but back to school art projects can make returning to the classroom exciting.

Listed below are art projects that are creative, fun, and great conversations starters. Since getting back to school is all about starting fresh and making new friends, these functional art pieces are sure to kick off the school year on the right foot.

Pencil Toppers

Make plain, old yellow pencils fun. A number of household items can be used to top a pencil. (Walnuts are an example listed here: http://www.redtedart.com/2012/08/13/back-to-school-crafts-ideas/.) This is a great back to school art project for young kids. And, it makes a student’s school supplies one-of-a-kind.

Notebook Designs

Many schools require students cover their books. Change it up this year by covering a textbook with something extraordinary – like denim. Also, make ordinary notebooks more exciting with stickers and original designs.

Backpacks

Adding patches and pins to a backpack can give it a new look. For young students, a themed backpack may boost confidence and increase excitement about going back to school.

Organizing the Homework Area

Schoolwork starts in the classroom and continues at home. Setting up a creative homework area is a fun and beneficial activity. These resources have a few fun ways for kids to set up their own homework stations: http://spoonful.com/back-to-school/back-to-school-crafts. Maintaining this space within a home can be a great way to stay organized and make schoolwork enjoyable.

Back to school is anything but boring. Make sure kids get excited — and stay excited — by adding creative activities. These back to school art projects may begin at home but they are taken into the classroom. A student can show off his or her creative talents and stand out this year.

Read more Segmation blog posts about Art Projects:

Candy Art: We Don’t all Have to be Artists to Create Art!

The Meaning of Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving Art

Ideas for Creating Halloween Art

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Reviving Art as the Heart of Education

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School art programs fall victim to tight budgets. For years, it has been evident that art classes and extracurricular activities suffer because of budget shortages in the education system. Schools strive to meet state and national standards and, as a result, art programs get left behind.

Recognizing its importance, many teachers and parents see to it that art remains a utilized teaching tool in and out of the classroom. Reviving art education is possible, but to fulfill this need, a new approach is required. Reviving art as the heart of education begins in the family and continues in the classroom.

Art Programs Fall Victim to Tight Budgets

In addition to attendance and enrollment, funding for schools relies on teaching, tests, and other measurables. Art cannot be graded this way. As a result, art programs, which produce numerous benefits for developing minds, are not supported by the current education system.

Art as a Teaching Tool

Some schools and districts work hard to preserve art programs. These schools value the fact that art can be used, not only for expression, but as a teaching tool. Many subjects are better taught with an element of creativity; this brings facts to life, makes information stick, and encourages kids to think beyond the learning structure that controls education.

Art at Home

Like all subjects, art isn’t limited to the classroom and it should not be confined to the four walls of a school house. Creativity works to define who we are, what we value and how we exist in the world around us. Art is found in unlikely places when we choose to make art a part of our everyday lives.

Ultimately, facts, figures, concepts, and information are all empty without the element of creativity. It is important to have opportunities to connect with what we see, hear, and learn in meaningful ways. This happens best through creative expression.

Is art a big part of your life? How can you make art a bigger part of your life? How can you encourage children to be creative learners, and how can a creative approach to education enhance the learning experience?

Read more Segmation Blog Posts about Art Education:

Art and Science – A Genius Combination

Is Art Education Necessary?

How Well Do You Know The Color Wheel?

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How did the yellow school bus come about anyways?

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Love it or hate it, yellow is here to stay. The color wheel’s brightest shade can be seen on the road every day. But neither cars nor trucks have the unique yellow paint jobs that belong to school buses. How did the yellow school bus come about anyways? And why are school buses still being painted this shade?

History of the Yellow School Bus

Knowing the colorful history of yellow school buses sheds light on this timeless tradition. The lineage of the school bus dates back to the 1930s when a man by the name of Frank Cyr conducted an in depth study of student transportation vehicles throughout the United States.

At the beginning of his research, Cyr, a professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, was observing school buses that cost (on average) $2,000. Quickly he found out that these vehicles had little in common. Various manufacturers, schools, and districts used different buses.

This inspired him to call a conference of educators in spring 1939. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss a standard protocol for school buses. The end result was a 42 page manual that discussed the ins and outs of the school bus. In this manual, the color was declared: national school bus chrome.

National School Bus Yellow

In 2010, the questionable use of “chrome” was exchanged for “yellow”. Still, the color seen on school buses today was the color decided at the conference over seven decades ago. The precise shade of yellow was taken so seriously, that a committee was appointed just to decided which one of 50 shades of yellow would appear on the school bus.

Why has the Color not Changed?

Once national school bus yellow was decided, it became a nationwide mandate. One of the original reasons for the broad directive was because school bus manufacturers “had to have different booths to spray-paint them.” More so, the color became a universal symbol of student transportation.

In fact, most Americans have been raised in environments where yellow school buses shuttle children to and from school. It is hard to imagine life without them.

Source:
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/19/why-are-school-buses-yellow-a-teachers-college-professor-said-so/

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What to do With A Child’s Artwork: Tips and Tricks for Parents and Grandparents

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If you are a parent or a grandparent you may be familiar with the joy of receiving a child’s drawing as a gift. In this case, you also know it can be a challenge to store the many scraps of paper covered with imaginative drawings and colorful doodles.

Here are some tips and tricks for preserving your child or grandchild’s art:

Create and Organized File System– Purchase a large binder and folders. Organize the folders by age and start filling them with your child’s artwork. Too many drawings to choose from? Consider purchasing a binder for grandma and grandpa as well. This way, you can divide the child’s drawings so everyone can enjoy them. A system like this will also serve as an organized record of your child’s achievements.
Turn and Entire Wall into a Refrigerator Door– Is your refrigerator door filled to capacity with your child’s artwork? Now you can purchase magnetic primer paint and convert an entire wall into a refrigerator door. This means your child can have an ongoing art exhibit in his or her bedroom.
Turn the Drawings into Placemats– Pick some of your favorite drawings and have them laminated. Make sure to have your child sign his or her name and include an age. The drawings become usable objects in your house and will make great gifts for family and friends. This is also a great way to help your children enjoy being creative.
Make a Photo Album– Photograph your child’s artwork and put it in an album or scrapbook to create a book full of childhood memories. Or, scan your child’s drawings and save them digitally. Then, send them off to a company that can turn the drawings into a one of a kind coffee table book.

Looking for a way to make your children’s art come alive?

Animate their Drawings– Gamefighters.com can animate your child’s drawings. Can you imagine your child’s creation coming to life in this way? This will get your kids excited about their art work because they get to interact with their creations in a virtual setting.
Turn their Drawings into Stuffed Animals– Child’s own Studio can take your children’s drawings and transform them into stuffed animals, which means your kids can create the designs for their own toys! These also make wonderful gifts for grandparents.
Show off your Child’s Art by Wearing it– Formia Design turns your child’s drawings into pendants and charms that you wear as necklaces or bracelets. You can showcase your child’s creativity proudly by wearing one of these pendants.
Hide their Artwork Around the House– Stick some of their drawings in books, magazines or even cookbooks. Someday, you may just find yourself pleasantly surprised by the memory you uncover. Your children will also be delighted to find their old drawings in one of their favorite childhood books.