Creative Arts On Pinterest
A "catalogue of ideas" - This is how the founder of Pinterest describes his website. It inspires users to "go out and do that thing".
Pinterest is a blank canvas, a bulletin board. Within boards users can pin images, videos, and other resources creating a collage.
All social media networks are expressive and give us the opportunity to be creative but all in their own unique way. When we are deciding which social media channels to use, we look at the content and must decide which channels to share the content on.
Creativity and Social Media
Creativity are expressive, inspiring and need a social platform which allows inspiration to blossom. Sure, it's possible to be creative on Twitter up to 140 characters, but it's not exactly a match made in heaven with the creative arts. Certain creative subjects have obvious social platforms.
- SoundCloud - Music
- YouTube / Vimeo - Video
- Instagram / Flickr - Photography
Social media has given the art world a fantastic platform in which people can share their inspirational work! Pinterest is a place for individuals who are highly visual and creative.
So what can I do on Pinterest?
“Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art”
The beauty of art is that it comes in many shapes and forms. Paintings, prints, drawings, design, performance art, sculpture, installation and so many more. Art is created with passion and a great deal of skill and talent.
Pinterest gives you the ability to showcase any kind of art. This could be anything from the art of making beautiful food to the art of creating beautiful Christmas decorations.
1. DIY - DIY is a massive part of Pinterest. People share handy hacks and tips for do-it-yourself projects. DIY & Crafts is one of the most "pinned" categories on Pinterest
2. Food and Drink - Hungry? Pinterest's stunning visual platform is the perfect recipe for when it comes to sharing creative and innovative food ideas.
Warning: Don't browse Pinterest when hungry!
3. Home Décor - Sharing creative, stunning, innovative décor for your home is hugely popular on Pinterest. Creative guides and tutorials to help people are integral to the sites success.
4. Holidays & Events - Lots of Pinterest's traffic is driven around seasonal holidays and events. From guides on decorating easter eggs and carving pumpkins to throwing the annual christmas party on a budget, Pinterest is a fantastic aid for the hectic holiday seasons.
These are just some of the most popular categories in Pinterest but there are thousands of hugely popular categories which can vary from the best way to clean your car to child nutritional values and how to best use your leftover Lego pieces!
How to Use Pinterest
Pinterest like many social media channels has a simple functionality and takes no time at all to get to grips with.
- Sign up with Facebook - Signing up to Pinterest takes seconds and you can sign up with Facebook connecting your account or simply follow the simple sign-up instructions.
- Twitter/Facebook friends - Easily build up a following and see what your friends/followers are already posting on Pinterest. If you join as a school you can share ideas and collaborate with other schools.
- Browser button - One of the best perks of Pinterest. When browsing the internet Pinterest's browser button allows you to just quickly click the "Pin it" button and with one click the idea will be added to your board. Say you find a tasty recipe or a great costume idea for halloween? Just add it to your Pinterest board and share with friends!
- Apps: Pinterest also has apps for mobile and tablet so it's simple to add pins to your board when browsing on any device for inspiration!
Using Pinterest in Schools
With Pinterest being so creatively driven and having so many different categories to explore, there is a real opportunity for schools to embrace Pinterest and utilise it as a teaching aid.
Pinterest can benefit both staff and students!
Pinterest is a community. It's a whole social media channel devoted to sharing these brilliant innovative ideas and helping one and other. Pinterest really captures, the art community as a whole. The educational side of Pinterest is also a community, where educators strive to help one and other by posting great content.
1. Bulletin Board - Bulletin boards are an essential part of any classroom! It's a chance for both teachers and their pupils to really demonstrate their creative side. Pinterest has some fantastic ideas for creating wonderfully innovative designs and putting life into your classroom bulletin board.
2. Lesson Plans - Why not spruce up lesson plans for subjects not usually associated with the creative arts? They are some fantastic lesson plans and ideas on Pinterest to give any subject that creative arts feel! 9 outdoor maths activities? Create world flags for geography?
3. Art Boards - Why not share and showcase all the wonderful work that your students create in class? There are many Pinterest boards from Art classes demonstrating some truly mesmerising work! This is a great advertisement for your school and the wonderfully talented students which you help to nurture into artists!
4. Create group projects - Community boards can be perfect for collaborative projects. One of Pinterest's main advantages is it's ability to save links or resources on the web, encourage students to collaborate on a Pinterest board. You can even moderate the board to see who is contributing.
5.Collaborate - Pinterest boards can be a great way to collaborate with other teachers. You can share ideas, resources, videos, news articles, infographics and images. You don’t have to be working in the same school, or even the same country, to be able to work on the same collection of resources.
Using Pinterest for Creative Arts
Pinterest lends itself perfectly to creative arts. And schools can use Pinterest to share the great things they create.
Many departments (particularly art!) use Pinterest for researching, as well as archiving the pupil's work.
Art
Collect and organise your art work by setting up boards related to the style.
Teachers can also use the search feature to research and curate particular artists or styles:
- Pop art
- Picasso
- Fine art
A search for 'Picasso' on Pinterest
DT
Physical products are very popular within the Pinterest community. Therefore, products created in your DT department should be shared.
A search for 'Product Design' on Pinterest
Textiles
Curate textiles inspiration for your pupils. This can then be a wonderful resource for them in the lesson.
Share the work that your pupils create!
A search for 'Textiles' on Pinterest
So Why Use Pinterest?
Pinterest is more than a website it's a lifestyle!
Pinterest is a powerful visually driven social network, which creates a caring community. In this community users share creative, innovative ideas, and express themselves!
The visual interest and interaction is what made Pinterest so popular and now has over 100 million users. Pinterest only continues to grow and has massive potential to achieve more with new features being added such as the ability to upload and pin videos.
Pinterest is a place to share the great things that your pupils create.
We would love to hear about how you use Pinterest and what innovative and wonderful resources you have shared!
Share your thoughts in the comments below...