Dover Coloring Books-Art Appreciation Ideas

One benefit of using Dover Coloring Books has become clearer as the years have ticked by. They actually helped my children learn to draw. My middle son loves to draw airplanes but if you have ever tried to draw a real airplane you realize just how hard it is to get the wings to look right and the shape of the airplane to be in proportion.

My son solved this problem by looking at Dover Coloring Books. He uses them as a guide when he is trying to make his airplanes "look right". He is very visual and after looking at the drawing in the coloring book he can see how the author solved the problem and imitate it in his own drawing by first tracing it and then after he became more familiar with the shapes and perspective, he could draw it free hand. Thanks to the black line drawings in the Dover Coloring Books he is now very proficient at drawing airplanes.

You can read more about this topic on my blog My View on Art Appreciation Using Dover Coloring Books.

I have a child who never colors inside the lines of a coloring book. I am the opposite and at first it drove me crazy that he wouldn't follow the lines as boundaries for separate colors. Using the lines as a basic guide and not as a strict "do not cross" line, your child can individualize the pages.

I have seen how observing the black lines of the coloring pages shows them how to set up their own paintings. By comparing the coloring book outlines to the original artist's painting, they can see how the sketch you start from doesn't always show all the details. It may not seem like an earth-shattering concept but it is something that every artist needs to know.

You can sign up to receive weekly free Dover Coloring Book pages. I have found these to be a great source of supplemental artwork and inspiration.

Sign Up for Free Dover Sampler

It is always nice to preview materials before you purchase so go ahead and sign up for their weekly free samples to come right into your email box. I will view the pages available and then print those that I think we will eventually use in our homeschooling. I keep them in a folder that my children can access during their free time as well.