Page 95 - The Decorative Painter Winter 2015

teacher's corner
In the Teacher’s Corner
Teacher’s Tips – Part 2
Great Tips From Your Favorite Teachers
You’ve studied and learned the TDP manual and passed the test. You're ready to start logging your 100 hours so you can become a TDA. Good for you! You're on your way!
It can be challenging and a little frightening when you want to start teaching classes. Will you remember everything that was in the manual? Even if you did, there are always times or situations that arise when you will be unsure of what to
do. If only you could ask someone who has been teaching for a while what to do. Now’s your chance! I asked some fellow teachers for some good teaching tips they can pass on to you:
DO share everything you know about painting with your students.
DON'T share your personal stories unless it relates
to the project. Sharing your personal life is for your per- sonal friends, not your students.
DO compliment their work. If they are not happy, offer to help if they want help.
DON'T make your class about selling products or your classes.
I have always felt that teaching the majority of people
how to paint is simply telling and showing them what I did.
I am not a trained professional with an art background. I am simply someone who loves to paint. I love to see the "light bulb" go on when a student understands how to float or do line work, or even base coat properly. Let me share some- thing with you. Over the last two or three years, I have been focusing on teaching my students how to really SEE what they are looking at in a photo they are referencing. One lady has taken off in a completely different direction than anything I ever taught her. I am definitely not a landscape painter, and yet, after teaching her how to deal with paints, brushes and
canvas, she took off on her own and paints the most beauti- ful scenery! I am so proud of her and amazed at what she has accomplished. She was in her early 70’s when she started painting with me and bless her heart, she is always thanking me for teaching her to paint. It was a hidden talent when she started, something neither of us knew she had, and she is so happy with it. She paints ALL the time at home.
In closing, if you LOVE painting, and LOVE teaching, you will most likely LOVE your students! I am not saying ALL of them, because every class has a student who is a real chal- lenge....keep your chin up and realize we all have them.
Julie Polderdyke
My favorite new tool is the Frixion Erasable Pen by Pilot. I originally found this pen in a quilt store as it is great for marking fabric. It comes in several colors and the ink disap- pears with heat or the attached eraser. I used it on fabric items I was painting and it is magic to remove. Another advantage to the teacher who transfers multiple line draw- ings for a class is that you can use your tracing many times
as all you have to do to remove the ink is use a hairdryer on it. This is truly a time-saver as you can instantly see that you have traced all of the drawing and re-use the pattern over and over. Look for Frixion Erasable Pens by Pilot at quilt shops, office supply stores and even grocery stores.
Kathy Swigon cda
I hope these tips will help you with your classes. If you have more questions, TDP Committee are always here to help! Please feel free to contact me for any questions you have. If I can’t answer them, I will find out who can.
Vicki Alley tda, TDP Committee Chair, alleyvicki@yahoo.com.
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