Making the Abstract Practical
Here is the record of our homeschool journey into drawing, using Mona Brookes' Drawing with Children as our main resource. My daughter Sprite is nine years old. She is a motivated artist who wants to hone her skills. I do the activities right alongside her!
Since we are still using this book, this page is not a finished project. I will continue to add my insights, tips, and images of our work.
Drawing with Children
This book is more of an art education philosophy than an open and go curriculum. Although it offers a lot of great ideas and how-tos, you'll have to use some planning to make it work in your homeschool.
Drawing with Children
Drawing with Children
Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 07/06/2009)
Used Price: $6.25
This is the book that is the center of this lens. It is more of an art education philosophy than an curriculum. Although there are specific activities outlined in the book, it's not an "open and go" type of lesson plan. You do have to use some thought as you implement Brookes' ideas.
This book is highly respected by Charlotte Mason educators and homeschoolers.
Elements of Drawing
Ms. Brookes explains that anything we can see or draw is made up of these components:- Straight Lines
- Curved Lines
- Angle Lines
- Dots
- Circles
So she begins her drawing instruction with learning to recognize and draw these elements. For fun, visit Cartoon Particles, a breakdown of Disney characters into the basic shapes. If we can learn to see things broken down in the individual elements, we can more easily draw them.
In Drawing with Children, each lesson begins with a warm up exercise using the elements. There are different types of warm-ups, so there's no need to get bored with one type.
One type of exercise is making up your own abstract piece of art with bold colored markers.One person gives general directions which the others can interpret as they choose. For example, you may say:
- Draw four blue circles anywhere on your paper.
- Using a new color, make three intersecting lines that go all the way off the edges.
- Overlap your dots with black curves.
- Using any three colors you choose, draw sixteen curves inside a huge circle.
Another warm-up involves duplicating abstract patterns.Looking at abstract patterns made of these elements and copying them later transfers into breaking down any image into the elements it is made up of and then drawing what you see.
Ms. Brookes says that you should "spontaneously use some kind of similar warm-up before each drawing lesson." The book offers some examples which you can copy. But you'll certainly have to make some of your own. Visit Donna Young for many free printable warm up exercises (such as the image here) that will keep you busy for some time.
A third kind of warm-up is the mirror image one.
This is most challenging, in my opinion. You complete the symmetrical missing half of a shape. Here is a printable to get you started. But again, you'll have to make some of your own or use Donna Young's site to have a warm up for each day.
Warm Up Exercises
These are some examples of warm up exercises we've done. Some are mine and others are Sprite's.
elements of drawing...
elements of drawing...
elements of drawing...
elements of drawing...
elements exercise51
elements exercise52
duplication practice
elements exercise1
elements exercise2
elements exercise3
elements exercise4
A Great Project
This project explores the various elements of drawing and hones the eye for detail.
This idea is from Art Projects for Kids --From Geometric to Organic. A great exercise is the elements of drawing and in observing closely.
"Drawing is a teachable subject
and artistic talent can be developed."
-- Mona Brookes
Poll
In my reading about using Drawing with Children, I've found that many people consider the book non user-friendly. What are you experiences with this book?
When to Start With This Book
Ms. Brookes has recommendations for children as young as 4, but I think that this book would be best for children at least 7 years old. There is no upper limit. These methods could also be used for adults just learning to draw. And I strongly encourage you to do the activities alongside your child.
Beginning to Draw
lessons 1 & 2
From the directions on pages 75-79, we drew birds. Here is Sprite's finished drawing, based on the step by step directions.
Because she wasn't totally satisfied with her results, she made another bird, relying more on her own imagination rather than the steps from the book.
And lastly, she went down her own path, creating a totally different style of bird.
Using the directions on pages 106-112, Sprite drew this all by herself. She simply followed along with the step by step pictures in the margin. I doubt that she read any of the text as she worked on it.
Mona Brookes recommends having a picture file for inspiration and for subjects to sketch. Despite the feeling that copying from another source is "cheating," Mona reassures us that even professional artist use various photographs and the works of other artists as references. It's not cheating at all. We must first see what we are to draw.
This is a pencil sketch of a rhino that Sprite saw in a science book.
So begin collecting photographs, magazine ads, greeting cards, and calendars. We have found that our postcard collection works very well! Sprite is, like any 9 year old girl, a lover of all animals. So she enjoys browsing through the postcards to find an interesting animal to sketch.
This giraffe drawing is actually from a postcard:
"Be patient with what unfolds,
don't put any emphasis on comparison of levels, and keep encouraging yourself and your children to simply enjoy the learning process you are experiencing together."
--Mona Brookes
Drawing from Still Life
lesson 3
We didn't really care for the still life selection offered in the book. I also felt that to copy something from a book was drawing from a graphic and not actually a still life. So I allowed Sprite to select some things to sketch. She chose a red bike helmet and some various toys.
This is her sketch:
And this is mine:
Anything can serve as the subject of a still life. Here is a plush backpack that Sprite chose and her sketch of it.
Artist's Manikin
a poseable wooden form
I happened upon a great find at an Ikea store! Poseable, wooden artist's manikins for just a few dollars each! I bought two for Sprite to sketch. The idea is that you study the proportions and angles of the limbs and sketch more realistic human figures. You can even work on top of the model sketch to add in facial details and clothes. Here are a few of Sprite's sketches from her manikin.
4-1/2 Inch Wood Artists Manikin
Amazon Price: $4.99 (as of 07/06/2009)
Resources Online
for implementing Drawing with Children
- Masterpieces Yahoo Group
- This yahoo group is devoted to art -- drawing and appreciation of fine art. The files have a wealth of resources for using Drawing with Children.
- Paula's Archives
- A no-frills, no-nonsense website jam packed with ideas. Here are Paula's art ideas. She also hosts a plan for using Drawing with Children.
- Donna Young
- Here you'll find another very straightforward website with a plethora of free printables -- lots of warm up exercises at many levels of difficulty. The image of the duplication exercise is a free printable from her site.
- Art & Learning to Think & Feel
- This is Marvin Bartel's art site. You'll find plenty of food for thought on this rich site! His philosophy is similar to Mona Brookes'.
- Encouragement for Using Drawing with Children
- Barb of Harmony Arts shares her thoughts on this art philosophy. Also included are some sample photos of her children's work.
Sprite's Sketches
If you'd like a weekly sketch topic, join in the Sketch Tuesdays at Harmony Art Mom's Blog. Each week she offers a general theme for a sketch. You send in your drawings and she posts them to a Flickr slideshow. It's a great way to motivate your children, to share their work, and to have fresh ideas for sketching.
We like to upload Sprite's artwork to Flickr. That way we can keep it forever. No need to pack it up or store it. Here is an assortment of some of her sketches.
For ideas about what to do with your children's artwork, visit What to Do With All of This Artwork?
Picasso said
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."
Other Drawing Resources
The Drawing Blog
This delightful blog is written by a teenage artist. It's a great insight into the creative mind and is sure to inspire your own teen.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand by(Drawing Day 2009 is June 6, 2009)
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 07/06/2009)
The website for this book is here.
Other Squidoo Pages
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Drawing With Children: Nature Journal Style
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This lens will help you gather the supplies needed to use this book with your children. I will also share some easy to use lessons to go along with the book that will help you and your children practice your skills in your nature journal. Even if yo...
Nature Study Sketches
The drawing skills that you develop using Drawing With Children can carry over nicely into your nature studies. And alternatively, nature can provide excellent inspiration for subjects to draw.
Reader Feedback
I welcome your feedback. And you're more than welcome to share links where you've blogged about using Drawing with Children. Or do you know of other beneficial drawing links? Please share! Basic HTML is accepted.
Ami wrote
We are starting our lessons with this book soon. I spent about three hours today with the book. I am excited but scared! We'll see how it goes...I decided today to wholeheartedly commit nine lessons (nine weeks) to this philosophy before I make any kind of decision.
Thanks for this lens; you've inspired me once again! :) Ami
Posted June 13, 2009
C-Joy wrote...
Sounds like a fabulous book - I could certainly use some help honing my own drawing skills. My classroom kids are young enough though that they think EVERYTHING I draw is amazing:)
Posted March 13, 2009
SusanFaye wrote...
What a wonderful tutorial about drawing for all ages... It's fun to see actual results from young artists! I love seeing creative self-expression in action. Thanks
Posted February 27, 2009
HarmonyArtMom wrote...
You know how much I love using this book with my family. I wish more people would really give it a serious try and follow the steps! Sprite is doing a great job on her drawing.
Great lens,
Barb-Harmony Art Mom
Posted January 13, 2009
JudyDunn wrote...
Very cool. Some great exercises. I will be teaching drawing to teens starting after the first of the year. I might have to check out the book recommended by Lilliputstation. Another great drawing exercise, is to take half a picture, from a magazine, or what ever...and then fill in the other half. It gives you a place to start, but you have to fill in much of it with your imagination.
Posted December 12, 2008
lakeerieartists wrote...
Loved this lens. Of course, being an artist, I am somewhat biased.
Posted December 12, 2008
LilliputStation wrote...
I ordered Drawing With children many years ago and my mother-in-law has been using it to teach the children. She starts when they are four and they are all doing really good. My two youngest are actually having their first lesson this afternoon. I don't know what we'll do after we move. I guess I will have to come back here for ideas so I can teach them myself.
In case you didn't know, this book actually has a sequel called "Drawing With Teens and Adults."
Posted November 13, 2008
debnet wrote...
I'm sure Sprite is a budding artist! I use 'Drawing on your emotions' with some of the children I work with and drawing gives children ways to express themselves when words often fail them. 5* for you and one of my special gold stars for Sprite!
Posted November 11, 2008
Jewelsofawe wrote...
What cool drawings! My girls draw. I did a lens of their artwork. I love this lens and am going to lensroll it to theirs- Creative Artists
Posted November 11, 2008
by Jimmie
Hello! I am a homeschooling mom who loves to teach and learn. I love the flexibility of Squidoo lenses for showing off our homeschool projects. Bloggi...
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