Term 3 session 3

The usual warm up, drawing upside down and drawing on the window picture plane.

In response to children not knowing how to use a grid to transfer images I had photocopied a variety of grid drawings. I showed the children how to number the lines before looking carefully at where the lines of the image passed through the grid lines. This activity had mixed results, but most children did very well.
Next time we drew hands the children were more confidence in drawing the image from the picture plane to paper.

Drawing from negative shapes
Our next step in learning about drawing proved to be a little more difficult - drawing negative shapes in an object. Using the picture plane we tried drawing the negative shapes in and around a chair. This activity did not go so well because it was very hard to hold the view finder and plastic (picture plane) and draw on it too.
Next time I will get the children to draw the air around on object straight onto paper.

The objective of drawing the negative shapes is once again making the left brain be quite (because it is not the object being drawn) and let the right hand brain work. It is amazing (when the activity is done properly) how the actual object is far more accurate when it appeared from the drawn negative shapes and spaces. Reason: it is the lines the artist is concentrating on not the object.

A number of the children in this group are finding it hard to copy or trace lines on the picture plane or even copying lines from a line drawing. I need to question the expectation I have of them and whether the program is suitable for their development level. Back to the drawing board so to speak.

Term 3 session 2

Started with a warm-up exercise of drawing upside down. These drawing are getting more accurate as the students feel more comfortable about looking at lines.

I introduced the picture plane concept. We taped a view finder on the classroom window for each of the children and with a whiteboard marker drew the scene outside. To do this the child must hold their head as still as possible and shut one eye, then they trace the images on the window. They did find this quite hard to draw the lines in the environment. They enjoyed this activity, however, the problem is how do we transfer the image from the picture plane to paper.
To expand the picture plane concept the children held a view finder with a clear plastic sheet attached (overhead projector transparency) on their hand. This was used as the picture plane to trace the lines of their hand. The children were amazed at how their hand drawing looked real. We photocopied the clear plastic to get a good image. The children repeated the hand drawing on the picture plane the then using a simple + grid transferred the image onto paper. Unfortunately I overestimated their ability to do this and they found it to hard. I will need to teach the children how to use a grid to transfer images before trying that activity again.

Term 3 session 1

Before starting any teaching I had the children draw three picture: a self portrait (using a mirror), a picture of their favourite person (it was amazing how this image resembled the self portrait) and a drawing of their hand. These drawing will be our benchmark later in the term. The drawings also gave an indication on the ability and confidence of the children.

I introduced the students to copying line drawing upside down (that is the line drawing was upside down not the students).
My whole objective is to get the students looking at, and copying the lines. The skills used in this exercise develop spatial awareness. Estimating how long the lines are, how big the are lines, the angle they go, how wide apart they are and where they join each other. The students are then looking very carefully and seeing detail they have never noticed before. To carry on the theme of observation the next activity turned out very abstract.

The children taped white paper to the desk (to prevent moving), with one hand (holding pencil) on the paper they turned away and looked carefully at their other hand. Without looking at the paper they drew the lines on their hand. It did not matter if they were not connected or lost their way, they just started again. The whole objective was to follow the lines with their eyes and transfer that information to their hand. We photocopied the image enlarging in the process. The children then colours the shapes and spaces formed by the lines. This way fun and reduced the stress of drawing realistically.