| What would you think if I told you that children as | | | | the students to draw the subject exactly the way |
| young as age 9 years old can be taught how to draw | | | | they see it without stopping. The students were given |
| realistic portraits of people? Impossible? You may think | | | | a cartoon character to draw in five minutes such as |
| because of their age they haven't fully graduated from | | | | Mickey Mouse or any cartoon character. I would tell |
| drawing animation characters, and using color markers, | | | | them not to rush because five minutes is a long time. |
| and construction paper. Yes, your child can learn how | | | | Some students finished sketching the character in less |
| to draw realistic people portraits using the (five tones | | | | than three minutes. If they finished before the five |
| of shading, a high quality black and white photo, 8" x | | | | minutes were up they could go back for the two |
| 10" plastic acetate sheet grid, gridded 8" x 10" drawing | | | | additional minutes to correct their mistakes and erase |
| paper, and a 1/2" cardboard square viewfinder). By | | | | out unnecessary lines. The students would do this |
| using these basic drawing techniques and drawing | | | | exercise for one hour alternating between (five to |
| materials your child will be able to draw a realistic | | | | fifteen minutes time drills) sketching as many as six |
| portrait within two hours without taking any previous | | | | drawings or more. |
| drawing lessons from an instructor, or ever picking up | | | | Another great exercise is the upside down reverse |
| a sketching pencil and drawing paper. | | | | drawing. The students were given a 8"x 10" black and |
| Are you still puzzled? I was, and I am still puzzled | | | | white photo, a plastic acetate gridded sheet, and 8" x |
| today. I was an independent Art Teacher teaching at | | | | 10" gridded paper. The students were instructed to turn |
| Michael's Art and Crafts, located in Waldorf, MD on | | | | the photo upside down, place the plastic acetate |
| Saturday's. I noticed in my area a lack of art classes | | | | gridded sheet on top of the photo. What they are now |
| available for children ages (5-12). Most of the art | | | | seeing is the photo divided into (8) squares |
| instructors taught art to individuals ages 13 to adults. | | | | (horizontally), and (10) squares (vertically). The number |
| But know one wanted to teach the younger children, | | | | of squares on the acetate gridded sheet, should be |
| or it was hard to find an art teacher close by who | | | | the same number of squares on the gridded paper. |
| would have the patience to teach younger kids, | | | | Instead of focusing on the photo the students are now |
| because of their short attention span. | | | | focusing on the shapes, and tones of the subject in |
| I thought to myself. If a child can learn how to draw | | | | each square. The purpose of this exercise is for the |
| animals, landscapes, and animation characters using | | | | students to draw and shade in the shapes exactly |
| basic shapes such as a (circle, straight line, angle, | | | | how they see it in each square. In other words, its like |
| curve, and square). They can apply these shapes to | | | | playing connect the lines, or connect the dots. Once |
| draw a realistic portrait of a person. I started reading | | | | the exercise is completed they now have a portrait of |
| articles on the Internet and other reference materials | | | | a person with the right placement of the eyes, ears, |
| on how children learn how to read, write, and draw. I | | | | nose, mouth without spending time making corrections. |
| then incorporated my research into a six-week portrait | | | | All of the corrections of the portraits can now be |
| drawing workshop for children ages (9-12). | | | | finalized by turning the paper right side up and erasing |
| I learned when a child learns how to read, write, and | | | | unnecessary lines and heavy shading. |
| draw, everything is upside down, or right to left. In other | | | | You may think that you need years of drawing |
| words, they read from right to left instead of left to | | | | experience to draw a realistic portrait. However, I |
| right. Instead of drawing right side up like adults do. A | | | | found that to be false. I have taught students with no |
| child will turn their photo upside down to draw, like they | | | | drawing experience, and some with a few years of |
| are looking in a mirror were everything is in reverse. So | | | | drawing experience. Anyone with the desire to want |
| I came up with a fun and creative portrait drawing | | | | to learn how to draw can do it. The three key points |
| workshop by combining children's games, 5, 10, 15 | | | | to remember is: |
| minute drawing time drills, grid line drawing, light and | | | | 1) Patience - Go at your own pace. Do not compare |
| shadowing or toning, upside down reverse drawing, etc | | | | yourself to other artists, or you will get frustrated and |
| . I had to think like a child, and reverse the way I was | | | | want to quit. |
| taught how to draw into the way a child learns how to | | | | 2) Technique and Style - Everyone has their own |
| draw. | | | | unique style. Choose a drawing or painting medium that |
| For example, by the fourth week of classes the | | | | you feel comfortable using. For instance, if you enjoy |
| students were ready for time drills. You say time drills | | | | using oil painting, but feel uneasy about exploring with |
| that sounds like they are in military school. Not quite, | | | | watercolors. Stick to the oil painting. |
| time drills helps the student to focus on the shapes, | | | | 3) Practice - I always say this to my students. Practice |
| expression, and movement of the subject without | | | | makes perfect. Then practice again and again. |
| using shading. The basics of this technique is to remind | | | | |