In the art room our first lessons for 1st - 3rd graders is to fill up the space of the page. Empty spaces are just an opportunity to tell me (the viewer) more. Children are required to think through the purpose for their artwork and what additional information they wish to express in visual means. The first lessons for the 4th-6th graders is to focus on filling up the space of the page, as well as to add variety in the lines they use, new ways of creating texture, and both light and dark values. That is a lot of new information to add to a simple drawing. By working from direct observation while focusing on each of those topics, they are doing some amazing work. Each child brings his own unique touch to the work. Some are heavy handed. Some use delicate lines throughout. Some focus on edges and shape, while others understand and apply values to create form. In a class situation where children can easily see the differences in the works, and yet hear me confirm and encourage each one's strengths, they pick up on the high value placed on individual expression. Instruction is offered when needed to help them reach the goal of using the topic at hand in their work. They  begin to understand that success is not one desired result, but something that is attainable to them all,even as they approach drawing from their own unique views and perceptions. In the home situation, most children enjoy the freedom of choosing their own subject and are pretty unaware that their manner of expression is unique, simply because their is no one else to compare their art with. As adults offering feedback, we should not focus on how realistic the drawing is. Focus on the topic of the lesson (a single element of art, such as line, shape, form, value, etc.) Your comments will guide your child's expectations. My comments in the classroom guide students to give new information a try no matter how confident or insecure they feel. Because we are both looking at the same real object, I can point out areas of the drawing that don't line up with what they see. I may point out the direction of a curve or the length of a line as compared to some other part of the object. If they become aware of it, they can change that part of the drawing to make it more like what they see. Drawing from a drawing, which is not an approach used in our books or in my classroom, suggests that there is one right way to draw. It suggests that we are all headed for the same goal. It suggests a winner and many loosers, like in a race. It leads to a dependence on someone else; another artist's interpretation of the world.  Because of this dependence it leads a young artist to a stuck place. Unable to move forward in skills or unable to find drawings in the subject matter he wishes to draw, he gets discouraged. When drawing from observation of the real world, including photographs, the possibilities are wide open. Children are able to approach art in their own unique ways. All are winners because all are successful at using the topic of the lesson, presented in a straightforward manner. Students learn to depend on their own insights as they choose subject matter and use methods they prefer. Realistic results may take longer to obtain when working from real observation, but the skills gained along the way will serve the young artist well for a lifetime.

 

 

 
 

FIRST HURDLE: WHERE TO START.  Start by placeing light lines  onto the paper that describe the edges you see. Rather than drawing the main subject in detail and finding that the entire subject is too big for the space of the page, draw a few simple lines that suggest all of the objects or parts. At this stage you can change lines, drawing over the first lines as you define a more accurate shape.

This fourth grader has the right idea. You can see that the center shell has been drawn, then redrawn several times in order to get the right shape and size. The tiny shell in the foreground was moved up on the space of the page. A student should feel free to make these types of changes as the drawing develops.


SECOND HURDLE: GETTING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN OBJECTS RIGHT. It is easiest to see what isn't right by looking at the space that is NOT the objects. Compare the spaces between the objects for more accuracy. The space between the objects is called the negative space. This drawing was drawn and redrawn by the fourth grade artist. You can see traces of lines throughout that were started then adjusted or changed. This artist has overlapped the objects well. True to a young artists approach, once the fruit was placed, he quickly filled in the negative spaces with wavy lines. When I suggested making areas of the cloth darker where he saw the shadows, he simply drew around the fruit using a darker line. He liked the results and so did I. Regardless of the inattention paid to the cloth, the fruit was placed well on the space of the page.


THIRD HURDLE: SEEING VALUE DIFFERENCES CLEARLY. To see the form clearly choose an object that is not too dark in value to begin with. Choose an object that has few patterns or variations in color. Place the object directly in front of a single light source, such as a window and block all light from lamps, windows, and other light sources. Sit so that you are facing the object and the window is to your right or left.  Here you can see the light is coming from the upper right corner. It is most easily seen on the banana and apple. This fourth grader also noticed the shadows and areas of light falling on the cloth.

You've seen a small sample of drawings recently completed by my fourth graders. Enjoy the variety of approaches that your children take when drawing from observation. Children will catch onto different concepts at different times. Each will continue to grow and progress as they work from real life objects.

Sincerely,