Montessori Art Workshops: Teaching the Seven Elements of Art Through Nature
- Maria Grujicic
- Jul 25
- 3 min read
How Montessori Art Workshops Teach Children to See Before They Draw
Have you ever watched a child stop to look closely at a leaf?
Not just glance at it, but really notice the veins, the edges, the tiny curves, the patterns and the colours that often go unseen.
That moment of careful observation is where my Trace, Line & Paint workshops begin.
Many children's art activities focus on producing a finished artwork. In my workshops, the finished artwork is only one part of the journey. What interests me most is helping children develop the ability to observe, compare, imagine and create with confidence.
This approach is deeply influenced by Montessori education, where learning begins with the senses.
Learning to See Before Learning to Draw
In Montessori education, children are first invited to observe the world carefully before they are introduced to abstract ideas.
The Montessori Sensorial materials encourage children to compare shapes, notice relationships, discriminate colours, refine movement and develop concentration.
These experiences prepare children for later learning in mathematics, language, science—and, I believe, art.
In Trace, Line & Paint, children begin by exploring real leaves, seed pods, bark and other natural materials.
Together we ask simple questions:
What kinds of lines can you see?
Are they straight or curved?
Where do the lines begin?
Which shapes do you notice?
What textures can you discover?
These questions encourage children to slow down, look closely and become curious.
Before they create, they learn to see.
Discovering the Seven Elements of Art Through Nature
The Seven Elements of Art are often introduced as vocabulary to remember:
Line
Shape
Form
Colour
Texture
Space
Value
In my workshops, children experience these ideas before learning their names.
They discover line in leaf veins.
They notice shape in seed pods and flowers.
They explore colour through watercolour and complementary colour activities.
They uncover texture through frottage using bark, leaves and natural materials.
They begin recognising form by handling real objects found in nature.
They naturally experiment with space while arranging drawings and creating collaborative artworks.
They discover value through transparent and layered watercolour washes.
The language comes after the experience.
Montessori Geometry Becomes Creative Exploration
One of my greatest inspirations comes from the Montessori Sensorial Geometry lessons.
Children compare shapes and relationships such as:
inscribed
concentric
aligned
tangential
These lessons are not simply teaching geometry.
They are teaching children to observe relationships.
In my workshops, those same ideas appear naturally in leaves, flowers, bark patterns, seed arrangements and drawings inspired by nature.
Geometry becomes observation.
Observation becomes drawing.
Drawing becomes imagination.
Why We Trace
Tracing is sometimes misunderstood.
It is often thought that tracing limits creativity.
Montessori education views tracing very differently.
Tracing develops:
hand control
concentration
confidence
visual discrimination
coordination
fine motor skills
As confidence grows, children begin making their own marks, adding their own ideas and developing their own visual language.
Tracing is not the destination.
It is the beginning.
Every Artwork Tells a Different Story
One of the most rewarding moments in every workshop is seeing how differently each child responds to the same invitation.
The materials are shared.
The starting point is shared.
The observations are shared.
Yet every artwork is unique.
Some children notice tiny details.
Some become fascinated by colour.
Others create imaginative landscapes inspired by a single leaf.
There is no single correct outcome.
Every artwork tells a different story.
Building Creative Confidence
My hope is that children leave each workshop with much more than a painting.
I hope they leave with greater confidence in their own ideas.
Greater curiosity about the natural world.
A willingness to slow down and observe.
An understanding that creativity begins with paying attention.
These are skills that extend well beyond art.
A Growing Maria Grujicic Studio Art Curriculum
The Seven Elements of Art poster shared this week is one page from the developing Maria Grujicic Studio Art Curriculum.
This artist-designed curriculum brings together:
Montessori-informed learning
nature observation
the Seven Elements of Art
the Principles of Art
storytelling
drawing
painting
creative exploration
It is being developed to support workshops, educators, homeschool families and parents who wish to nurture children's creativity through thoughtful, process-led learning.
Thank you for following this journey as the curriculum continues to grow.
About Maria Grujicic Studio
Maria Grujicic Studio offers Montessori-informed children's art workshops in Darwin, artist-designed educational resources, picture books and creative learning experiences inspired by nature, observation and storytelling.
Explore upcoming workshops and learn more at:
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