Tag: Exercise/Drill

The Ultimate Observational Drawing Idea List for Kids

The biggest complaint we hear from students is that observational drawing is boring. So, to beat the boredom, I’ve put together the ultimate observational drawing idea list for kids.

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The Purpose of Observational Drawing

Observational drawing is an incredibly valuable practice for young artists. It trains our eye and our hands to work together.

Keep in mind, the purpose of observational drawing is the process of drawing. PERIOD. The goal is not to create a winning composition. It’s not to create a beautiful piece of artwork to hang on the wall. Or to draw perfectly. It’s not even necessary to FINISH the drawing.

How do you know if you did it right? Well, if you looked at something and then put a pencil (or pen) to paper to try to replicate it, then you did it right. It’s that simple.

Observational Drawing Tips

Beyond simply doing your best to replicate something on paper, here are my best tips from years of experience in the studio:

  • Manage your expectations – it’s not always going to be pretty, and that’s okay.
  • Short 5-10 minute drawing is plenty of time – you don’t have to finish it
  • Draw something you find interesting to look at
  • Spend more time looking at the object than you do at your paper/drawing
  • Draw without an eraser – seriously, try it.
  • For younger artists, attention to details is the first goal. Don’t worry about scale or perspective yet.
  • Breath and enjoy the act of drawing

Contemporary Subjects for Observational Drawing

Hobbies and Activities

  • musical instrument that you play
  • baseball / glove
  • basketball / shoes / netting
  • football / mouth guard/cleats
  • soccer ball / shin guards/cleats
  • collection of art supplies
  • chess board
  • deck of cards
  • tap / ballet shoes
  • camera
  • bicycle
  • skateboard
  • drums
  • fishing poles
  • fishing lures

Technology

  • cell phone / charger
  • video game controller / console
  • drone
  • laptop
  • earbuds or headphones
  • computer keyboard
  • mother board

Entertainment and Media

  • magazine cover
  • book cover
  • stack of your favorite books
  • board game in progress
  • video game cover

Clothing

  • baseball cap
  • athletic shoes
  • cowbow boots
  • sunglasses
  • favorite hoodie

Food and Drink

  • after school snacks
  • fast food meal
  • favorite donut
  • coffee shop drink & pastry
  • favorite movie candy
  • inside of citrus fruit
  • sushi rolls
  • pizza slices
  • favorite kind of donut
  • soda can / bottle
  • popcorn
  • banana peel
  • chocolate bar and wrapper
  • birthday cake / cupcake
  • pack of gum
  • chocolate chip cookies
  • fortune cookie
  • jelly beans
  • ice cubes
  • s’mores
  • watermelon
  • waffles

Living Things

Everyday Objects

  • coins and bills
  • jewelry
  • keys
  • cosmetics
  • crumpled up paper
  • nuts and bolts
  • origami folded paper
  • legos or other blocks
  • favorite teddy bear or stuffed animal
  • marbles
  • ticket stub
  • scented candle
  • paper airplane
  • pet bowls, toys, or accessories
  • car/vehicle dashboard
  • school backpack
  • balloon animals
  • piggy bank

Natural Objects

Self

  • non-dominant hand
  • dominant hand
  • close-up of one eye
  • self portrait
  • your shadow
  • lost tooth

Holidays

  • jack-o-lantern
  • halloween candy haul
  • presents / gifts
  • favorite ornament
  • Christmas tree
  • tree topper
  • nutcracker
  • candy cane
  • elf on the shelf
  • gingerbread cookies
  • nativity figurines
  • noise makers
  • conversation heart candies
  • box of chocolates
  • shamrocks / clovers
  • Easter eggs
  • baby chicks
  • Easter lilies
  • chocolate bunny
  • peeps (candy)
  • fireworks

Make It Interesting: Perspective and Viewpoint

Encourage your artists to change their view point to make their drawings more interesting.

Birds Eye View

A top shop like this one is a really common perspective that we see in contemporary still life photos on social media, especially Instagram.

birds eye view of cupcakes

Low Angle Observations

Getting your eyes low on your subject (1) magnifies the smaller object to look lifesize, and (2) changes the background of your composition.

low-angle view of a chess board

Close-up and close cropped drawings

Draw your object so that it fills the entire page and leaves very little background.

close-up drawing of sushi rolls

Use a Viewfinder to help you draw

A viewfinder is a tool used by artists to help narrow in on a subject. It creates a frame for the artist to see a two-dimensional composition in a three-dimensional world. It’s the same term we use to describe the window on a camera.

In my next post, I’ll show you my favorite viewfinder the best way to use this tool!

Well, what do you think? What am I missing from my “ultimate” observational drawing idea list for kids these days? Let me know in the comments and I’ll get it added!

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Observational Drawing Idea List for Kids

Color Exercise with Grid Paper and Prismacolors

Today I’m sharing an exercise to practice color pencils techniques such as blending and burnishing. I find completing these forms to be so relaxing! It’s the type of practice that you can work on just alittle bit each day whenever you need a brain break!

I’m using Prismacolor brand pencils for this color grid.

Colored pencil techniques and exercises. This exercise is a great way to practice your blending in a relaxing way and end up with a handy color-mixing reference sheet!
The finished product makes a great reference tool for colors!

In addition to a quality set of pencils, you’ll also need some grid paper (download free printable here).

Tutorial

Begin by figuring out the order of your pencils. You can do them in rainbow order, a random assortment, or whatever organization method makes sense to you. For my example, I used my pencils in the order that they came in the box!

Whatever order you choose is, make a note of it so you remember! It doesn’t matter how many colors you have because you’ll start back over at pencil #1 when you reach your last one.

Adult coloring pages! Colored pencil techniques and exercises. This exercise is a great way to practice your blending in a relaxing way and end up with a handy color-mixing reference sheet!
In progress. This is my adult coloring class that we held at the neighborhood brewery!

Starting with pencil #1, lightly color the entire first column from top to bottom.

The key here is to color LIGHTLY. We’re going to be building layers of color and if you start off too heavy, you can’t get the blended effect of the multiple layers.

Once you’ve got one light colored layer done with pencil #1 in column #1, then you’ll move onto to pencil #2 and column #2. Repeat this step until all the columns are filled. (If you have more columns than pencils, simple circle back around to pencil#1)

After all your columns are filled in lightly, you’ll begin the same process with the rows. Lightly color row #1 with pencil #1. Row #2 with pencil #2. And so on.

When you’ve finished your rows, go back to the columns again.

This is an exercise in patience as well! I think, each of my boxes have 10 layers of color!

After enough layers, you’ll see your boxes begin to look glossy (burnished) and that’s when you know you’re do

Colored pencil techniques and exercises. This exercise is a great way to practice your blending in a relaxing way and end up with a handy color-mixing reference sheet!

Not only is it a relaxing coloring exercise, it produces a pretty cool effect, AND it’s a great reference tool for future color mixing!

Have you ever done a color wheel or color reference exercise that you love? I would live to hear about!

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Love adult coloring pages? Check out this colored pencil technique. This exercise is a great way to practice your blending in a relaxing way and end up with a handy color-mixing reference sheet!