The Artist's First Steps

DRAWING REFERENCE: apples or other round fruit 

YOU'LL NEED: 2-3 sheets of paper, pencil, eraser, a template for a 3 inch circle (like a jar, a cup, a can, or a roll of tape) and apples of different varieties

Hi and Welcome!

Great job practicing your hand movements in the last four lessons! Now it's time to start drawing like an artist by carefully observing real objects.

Artists learn to draw by looking closely at the world around them. Instead of drawing from memory or imagination, they study real objects and draw what they see.

In this lesson, you'll use a piece of fruit, such as an apple, as your drawing reference. You'll begin by finding its basic shape and then adjust that shape to match the fruit more accurately.

A circle template can help you get started. Think of the circle as a guide, not a part of your finished drawing. As you look carefully at the fruit, notice where the edges curve inward, bulge outward, or change direction. Then make small changes to your circle ...

DRAWING REFERENCE: Flexible Bag

YOU'LL NEED: copy or drawing paper 9x12 inches, pencil, eraser, a flexible bag of cloth, plastic, or mesh, and fruit or large objects to put into the bag 

Hi and Welcome!

Welcome to our final lesson on how to move your hand to create smooth, confident lines. The more you practice, the easier and more natural drawing will feel.

In this lesson, you'll draw a flexible bag. Unlike a rigid bag that keeps its shape, a flexible bag changes shape depending on what is inside it. This makes it a fun challenge and a great way to practice observing shapes and edges.

If you can, find a bag at home and place different objects inside it. Try drawing the bag with blocks, balls, toys, or other items. Every time you change what's inside, the bag will look different, giving you a brand-new drawing challenge!

If you'd rather not draw your own bag, you can use the photo shown in the lesson video.

What You'll Discover

1. Start with the Objects Inside

Before drawin...

DRAWING REFERENCE: the rigid bag 

YOU'LL NEED: copy or drawing paper 9x12 inches, pencil, eraser, a bag that is either circular, an oval, a rectangle, or a square

Hi and Welcome!

Welcome to Lesson 3 in our drawing series!

So far, you've been learning how artists use simple lines to create drawings. Line drawings are the starting point for almost every kind of art, from sketches and paintings to detailed illustrations.

In this lesson, you'll draw a rigid bag—a bag that keeps its shape and doesn't have lots of wrinkles or folds. This makes it a great object for practicing shapes and edges.

If you'd rather not draw your own bag, you can use the bag shown in the lesson video.

Remember Our Three Goals

1. Look for the Edges

Artists carefully observe the edges of an object and draw the lines they see.

2. Start with Big Shapes

Focus on the largest shapes first. Don't worry about small details yet.

3. Draw Large

Use big hand movements and try to make your drawing fill most of the p...

DRAWING REFERENCE: backpack or other simple bag shape 

YOU'LL NEED: drawing paper 9x12 inches or copy paper, pencil, eraser, a backpack or bag

Hi and Welcome!

Welcome to Lesson 2 in our line drawing series!

In the last lesson, you learned about moving your hand across the paper and making your first line drawing. Today, you'll practice those skills again while drawing a different type of bag.

Every artist starts by learning to see and draw simple shapes. As you work through these lessons, you'll become more confident with your pencil and learn how to draw what you see.

You may feel a little awkward at first, and that's completely normal. Every new skill takes practice. The more you draw, the easier it becomes!

Your Goals for This Lesson

1. Look for the Edges

Carefully observe your bag and notice where the outside edges are. Draw lines where you see those edges.

2. Start with Big Shapes

Don't worry about tiny details right away. Artists begin with the largest shapes first and...

DRAWING REFERENCE: gift bag 

YOU'LL NEED: drawing paper 9x12 or copy paper, pencil, eraser, paper bag and bow 

Hi and Welcome!

This lesson is the beginning of a fun drawing journey for kids, teens, and anyone who wants to learn how to draw. Every great drawing, painting, or artwork starts with simple lines. Learning how to draw those first lines is one of the most important skills an artist can have.

In this lesson, you'll learn how artists look carefully at an object and draw what they see. You'll use a real gift bag as your drawing reference and practice creating a line drawing step by step.

Don't worry about making it perfect. The goal is to observe, practice, and have fun!

What You'll Discover

1. The Edge Is Where We Start

Artists often begin by looking at the outside edge, or outline, of an object. The edge helps us understand the shape we are drawing.

2. Why Staying in One Spot Helps

When drawing from a real object, it's important to stay in the same position. If you mo...

Summer vacations offer us a look new subjects. For this picture you will select a subject and a background that is of the same hue. Choosing a scene where the background and subject are of the same hue can be simple when you look underwater! This picture was taken in an underwater display at Sea World. Zoo’s often have underwater displays such as this. You can also use photographs from an image search on the internet.

Gather materials and reference.

Step One: Line Drawing

Monochromatic colors are all the variations in value (lighter and darker) of a single hue.

A single hue ...

Summer is a wonderful time to gather photos of colorful plants and creatures like butterflies and other insects! Do you have a garden or flower bed where you can search for activity? 

Gather materials and references for your artwork.

Step One: Local Colors

Before I began to draw, I find an area that I want to focus on for my picture. Remember that a photograph is just a tool and the artist should use that tool in whatever way is best for the composition of the artwork. It is rare that an artist will copy the photograph in its entirety...

Drawing vehicles in any medium is challenging, and that makes it fun. Think about your favorite mode of transportation or try drawing something you may not have experience with, like a train or sailboat. Don’t be too critical of the outcome of your work. The many parallel lines and judgments of spacial relationships that this subject requires are great for developing your visual skills. Remember that every work of art is a step in a never ending path to improvement. I personally never want my path of improvement to end and I choose to have fun all along the way by choosing subjects that interest me. I hope you feel the same way. Making art should always be an adventure.

I took a photograph of this truck at a dealership parking lot. The first thing every artist must do is to become an editor. Editors decide what to take out and what needs to be added for the best results. I liked the truck’s reflection in the water, but decided that it was too much information for a 9 x 12 shee...

Summer parties and celebrations are wonderful opportunities to draw colorful foods and decorations. This week many of us in the United States will celebrate Independence day in some way. Set aside a few colorful items for your next drawing. 

Gather materials and references.

Materials:

Drawing pencil

Set of oil pastels*

Drawing paper – 4 sheets

*A reasonably priced oil pastel brand is Cray-Pas Junior Artist Student Quality Oil Pastels. I prefer a set of 25 or more colors.

Reference:

Select objects taken from holiday foods and decoration.

Step One: Arranging objects 

You want to draw a still-life and you want to know how to best arrange the objects that you choose to draw. Here are a few tips. Select objects that are very different in height. Place the tallest object in the back. Place the lowest objects in the front.

Avoid tangents, (points where the contour of one object just touches the contour of another object, without overlapping. Tangents seem unnatural and c...

Summer is a wonderful time to go to new places. A view like these fish could be found at a pet store, sporting goods store, a zoo, or an aquarium. When we look at a complicated subject, or a view with a lot of different objects in it, we need to find an area to focus on for the drawing. Remember that a photograph is just a tool and the artist should use that tool in whatever way is best for the composition of the artwork. It is rare that an artist will copy the photograph in its entirety. In this artwork demonstration, I focused on only two fish (shown below.) The surrounding plants and other fish will be used as background material. Now take a look at this week’s teacher example and then set up and make your own line drawing of a colorful group of fish or small creatures following the directions below. 

Gather art materials and references.