Use play trays to keep art materials in a defined work space. They are typically available in both small and large sizMark crayons, colored pencils and paint containers in Braille so that your student can independently choose theirowncolor themes. Keep Janine Sytsma items marked with Braille (Braille ruler, Braille crayons, colored pencils, stencils, small tactual art items, watercolor paint, etc. ) in a separate container for easy access. Provide verbal descriptors for reference such as: green as the grass, blue as the sky and yellow as the sun.
Accept individual creativity for color schemes and color choices.
Use a thick black permanent marker, bold colors or tactual markers such as dried glue, tactual or textured marks for outlines and hands-on demonstrations.
Include use of a tracing wheel for raised outlines of your student design ideas. A fabric tracing wheel will do the trick.
Offer a variety of foundations to create your special projects including embossed Braille paper, corrugated cardboard, foam, canvas, bubble wrap, velvet, wax paper or other tactual background material.
Provide textured materials for design construction on your foundation such as: cut out foam pieces, glitter glue, sand paint/glue, puffy paint, cotton balls, removable glue dots (commercially available), paper crimpers (commercially available offering various textures such as corrugated, bubble and diamonds), foam noodles and craft sticks offered in various shapes and sizes. Use materials with auditory components.
Have materials prepared (prior to each lesson) and ready for use in small bins labeled in Braille.
Provide a description of the project in Braille format. Braille descriptions should be kept in a marked Braille folder for reference.
Use tactual markers to help your student outline their creative designs prior to painting or construction.
Be verbally descriptive when speaking about or showing art projects to the class or when speaking about or showing peer work including: visual, tactual and auditory components.
Enjoy brainstorming special tactual art projects and the time that you have with your blind students. These experiences can be professional/educational growth experiences that can change the way you view future lesson preparation and teaching techniques.
Finally, be sure to show off your blind students tactual art projects along with their sighted peers on hallway bulletin boards. Art projects should be hung in accessible areas at student level so that they can be enjoyed tactually by your blind and sighted peers.
