Quick Fix: A Sink Shortcut for the Art Room

I have a problem.

A very common Art Teacher problem.

After a particularly busy clean-up day working with watercolor during my Art Appreciation class, I revisited my paintbrush cleaning policy.

This is why I’m a fan of routines and procedures:

I want to maximize class time with my students so they can spend more time creating art, and less time cleaning up and doing ‘housekeeping’.

so, I decided to make my “sink line” more efficient…. By eliminating it!

1. I placed a mop bucket (with a spout) and two deli containers on a table (or a desk). You may choose to cover desk with tablecloth or art roll paper, like I did.

2. I wrote reminder phrases on Post-its:
“Dump dirty water here”
“Place dirty brushes here”
“Put empty water cups here”
“Set opened palettes flat to dry”

(Eventually, I’m sure I’ll make some fancy-nancy laminated signs, but for now I’m a fan of “posties”)

3. When students have dismissed:

I quickly dump out the dirty water bucket, sometimes I spray with Lysol or rinse with soapy water.

Then I add brush-friendly soap + water to the deli containers, fill them with water and rinse the contents.

Then, I lay brushes flat to dry on a towel. I put the water cups (I use condiment cups from the dollar store, or old minute rice cups) on a plastic dish-rack or sometimes just stagger stack them upside down to dry.

but, if it lets the kids have more time to work on their art, then I’m willing to sacrifice 3-5 minutes of my lunch.

Besides, it shaves about 8 minutes off my cleanup. I now give them a 2 minute clean-up- it’s a routine/assembly line/mindless/habitual clean-up.

*Note* 
I usually do a chant to remind them:

…but in this case, these brushes are only in the deli container for such a short time, that I really don’t care if they do put it up or down.