Hands make a great subject for drawing. There is so much more possible than the Turkey handprint you did in Kindergarten. First, you always have your hands with you. But more important, they are so expressive, and can make their meaning known with just a gesture. They are beautifully different as we age, […]
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There are a couple of ways to approach drawing your image onto the paper and “Contour” line is one of them. By definition a contour line drawing is “a continuous line which defines a form or outside edge of the object”. Basically, it’s an outline and you probably draw like this all the time […]
What is a “Still Life”? “A drawing or painting that features an arrangement of inanimate objects as its subject.” Classic examples would be a bowl of fruit or flowers in a vase. Making your own Still Life arrangement is wonderful practice for drawing from life. And, thank goodness, the objects don’t move. […]
What are “Complex Shapes”? When you combine several simple shapes you will have created a more complex and detailed image. You are drawing and “seeing” at a more advanced level when you can analyze an object down to its simple shapes. Every child discovers when you combine a large square, a triangle, […]
Designing a Mandala, or Kaleidoscope, is a perfect culmination exercise to practice all your skills with lines, shapes, and patterns. You’ll need a paper, pencil, compass, and ruler for this. 1. Start by finding the center point on your paper. Using the compass, draw a circle in pencil to nearly fill the page. […]
Do you love coloring books? Adult coloring books are very popular right now. And I admit there is a wonderful meditative calmness that comes with coloring. But… there is nothing in those images and designs that you can’t draw yourself! And there is so much more enjoyment and satisfaction in a design that’s […]
Here’s a warm-up exercise to practice drawing all the different ways to make a line look and feel. On a piece of 80 lb paper, draw several shapes. Make them different sizes, overlap them, and have at least one go off the page. Next, with a fine tip Sharpie, fill in each of the shapes […]
A blank piece of paper staring back at you is SO intimidating!! Where do you start? What if you’re wrong? Relax, breathe. The basic building blocks of drawing are simply LINES and SHAPES. That’s all. Every drawing begins with a line. Start with a dot . . . the shortest LINE you can make. […]
Hello Creatives!! I went on a shopping trip to Michael’s to help you select supplies for this beginning drawing unit. I looked for the most basic supplies to start with, yet those that will yield the best results. Shop happy!! Paper – Many brands and kinds available for different uses. […]
“My line drawing is the purest and most direct translation of my emotions” Henri Matisse What shall our philosophy of Drawing be? Just as every other field of study has one, drawing is the necessary “base and core” for all Art. Through its clarity and simplicity the viewer can experience the artist’s ideas […]