Communication, Arts & Leisure Sciences
4-H Visual Arts Project
The Colorado 4-H Visual Arts Project helps youth develop creativity and lifelong artistic skills through exploration of multiple media.
In Sketchbook Crossroads, participants work with drawing, fiber arts, and sculpting, while learning elements and principles of design, evaluating their work and others’, and connecting art to other disciplines.
In Portfolio Pathways, youth expand into painting, printing, and graphic design, continuing to develop artistic techniques, assess work critically, and explore creative expression across a variety of subjects and ideas.
Project Overview
Sketchbook Crossroads
Designed for members 8-18 years old.
Inspiring youth to:
- Explore three media areas:
- Drawing
- Fiber arts
- Sculpting
- Understand the elements and principles of design
- Encourage the development of skills for a lifetime
- Choose and evaluate a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas
- Reflect upon and assess the characteristics and merits of your work and then work of others
- Make connections between visual arts and other disciplines
Portfolio Pathways
Designed for members 8-18 years old.
Inspiring youth to:
- Explore three media areas:
- Painting
- Printing
- Graphic Design
- Understand the elements and principles of design
- Encourage the development of skills for a lifetime
- Choose and evaluate a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas
- Reflect upon and assess the characteristics and merits of your work and then work of others
- Make connections between visual arts and other disciplines
Official Project Materials
Materials & Curriculum
Member Resources
Find Your County
Counties play a crucial role in 4-H by providing a platform for young people to learn and grow.
Counties facilitate the delivery of 4-H programs that are of particular interest in their area and qualified, compassionate adult leaders run local clubs to support our youth 4-H members.
To find out if this project is supported locally, contact your local extension office.
Upcoming Events
Currently there are no events scheduled at this time associated to this page. Please check back for the latest events as they are scheduled.
Project Tips
- Provide pictures of all completed art techniques in the Visual Arts e-record
- Explain what you learned in your story
- Study the elements of design and the art principles and incorporate them into your exhibit
- Be sure to use the appropriate medium
- Show your creativity with your art techniques and your exhibit
- Ready-to-hang means sturdy wire hooked to the frame of the picture
- Talk to a local artist and get tips from them
- Go to local gallery or art show
- Enter a picture or painting into a local art show
Judging Criteria
- Design Elements – color, line, shape, texture, space, and value
- Art Principles – emphasis, unity, rhythm, proportion, and balance
- Quality of Technique and Workmanship – appropriate use of medium, condition of materials, finishing techniques, care and durability
- Creativity, originality, freshness, and imagination
- Neatness
- Level of difficulty for age and years in project
Careers
Artist
Person who creates artwork to sell to others
Art Director
Someone who manages art programs, shows, or galleries
Art Teacher
Someone who teaches others to do artwork
Book Illustrator
Person who provides illustrations for books
Exhibitions Designer
Person who sets up artwork for display at art shows and exhibitions
Graphic Designer
Communicating through
layout, photos, color,
and text
Multimedia Specialist
Work across various media industries to develop successful designs and animation
Package Designer/ Product Designer
Person who designs packages for products