The Little Yellow Building

09/23/2025

For our TLYB families,

We keep a lot of our day-to-day updates, reminders, and contact info in a private Facebook group called the Student Information Board. That’s where things like parent letters, Art Notes, and schedule changes get posted so everyone’s in the loop.

If you’re a parent and not already in the group, please text me and I’ll send you the link to join.

All the best,
– Derek

09/03/2025

Level 2 – Reimagined Masterworks
Here are the results from last month’s big project. We spent the month on the elements of design, looked at how the masters used them, and then saw how contemporary artists pay homage, pulling classic works into new contexts through parody or derivative pieces.
Our challenge was simple on paper: pick one masterwork from our list, make a plan to change at least one element (color, value, line/mark-making, texture, or space), and then bring it to life in two class days following the plan.
Hope you enjoy seeing how they bent the originals into something new!

08/01/2025

OPEN SEATS (Fall 2025) Classes start next week
Painting by Level 2 Marianna

I’ve got a few spots left in three of our weekly classes and wanted to open the door before they disappear:

• TUESDAY – Level 2 (usually grades 5-9)
For kids who already sketch with light, exploratory lines (not hard outlines), understand basic shading & color theory, and are itching to push those skills to the next level.

• THURSDAY – Level 3 (usually grades 8-10)
This is where we stack bigger, multi-step projects and new media on top of Levels 1 & 2 fundamentals. Students should feel solid in all the core basics before jumping in here.

• FRIDAY – Level 4 (usually grades 10+)
Advanced studio/portfolio work. You’ll need a strong handle on everything we teach in the earlier levels and a sense of who you are as an artist. We spend the year shaping that into real-world, portfolio-ready work.

Why “levels” and not “grades” anymore?
Age doesn’t always line up with artistic readiness. I’ve seen 4th-graders who draw like high-schoolers and teens who are still brand-new to shading. Basing placement on skills (not birthdays) lets every kid learn at the right pace, without boredom or overwhelm. The grade ranges above are just a rough guide.

If you’re not sure where your artist fits, take our short placement quiz on our homepage www.thelittleyellowbuilding.com or text me and we’ll figure it out together.

Want one of these seats?
Text me directly. Facebook drives me up the wall. Seats go first-come, first-served once I have your message.

Can’t wait to see what these young artists create this year.
– Derek

07/01/2025

🎨 Our beginner Painting Camp starts next week—Monday through Friday, July 7–11, from 10AM to 12PM.

This one’s designed for grades 4 and up and is perfect for kids just getting started. We’ll cover color theory, brushwork, paint mixing, and how to build a painting from start to finish.

Camp is $135, all supplies included. Sign up at thelittleyellowbuilding.com/summer-arts, or feel free to text me with any questions.

06/16/2025

💻 Next up: Digital Art Camp
June 23–27 | 10AM–12PM | Grades 5+

This one’s for students who want to explore drawing on screen instead of paper. We’ll be working in Adobe Fresco, learning how to use digital brushes, layers, and tools to bring a finished piece to life.

If your kid already loves to sketch or has shown interest in digital art apps, this is a great starting point.

All supplies are provided. Camp tuition is $135.

🟡 Sign up here: https://www.thelittleyellowbuilding.com/shop/p/week3

Week 3: Basics of Digital Art (Adobe Fresco) (6th Grade & Up) 📅 June 23 - June 27 🕙 Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM This camp introduces students to digital art using Adobe Fresco. Students will learn how to navigate digital painting tools, understand layers and brushes, and analyze digita

06/02/2025

🎨 June Art Camp Seat Update

If you’ve been meaning to sign up, now’s the time—seats are almost gone.

✏️ Drawing Level 1 (Grades 4–6)
• June 9–13 → 3 seats left

✏️ Drawing Level 2 (Grades 6+)
• June 16–20 → 1 seat left

💻 Basics of Digital Art (Grades 5+)
• June 23–27 → 2 seats left

All camps run 10AM–12PM, are $135, and include all supplies.

🟡 Sign up here: www.thelittleyellowbuilding.com/summer-arts

06/01/2025

Last batch of photos from our school year! Proud of everything these kids created—now on to summer.

05/30/2025

Another batch of photos from the studio—just wrapping things up. One more batch to come

05/29/2025

Here’s another round of photos as we keep wrapping up the school year.

Lots of different projects coming to a close right now—some finishing touches, some final proud moments before we head into summer. I’ll keep sharing as I get everything organized, but I wanted to make sure these got seen.

05/28/2025

I’ve been deep in prep for summer art camps and totally forgot to share photos from the past couple of weeks—so this is the beginning of the end-of-school-year photo dump.

We’ve had a lot going on in the studio, and I’ve got plenty more to share over the next few days as we wrap up the school year and head into summer mode.

Hope you enjoy seeing what the kids have been working on.