

Once you have something drawn, see if you want to try your hand at shading it in. Bateman shares that your eye is 90 per cent on the subject and 10 per cent on drawing. Contour DrawingĬontour drawing is quite different to gesture sketching as the drawing motions are much slower. So, in these instances, keep on looking and refining, looking and correcting. It can help children learn to not be so hard on themselves as Bateman advises to assume that what you have done is close but won’t be 100 per cent correct as the subject “will have changed by the time you go to draw it”.

This type of sketching is not meant to be exact. It uses a few simple strokes to capture the movement and general form of the animal. Gesture Sketchingįor moving subjects, like animals, Bateman encourages gesture sketching. To use the viewfinder, hold it up or over what you want to draw and move it closer and farther away to help decide what to include in the picture. You can make one by cutting out a square or rectangle from a piece of stiff paper. It can help focus your eye on what you are drawing rather than get distracted by all that surrounds it. In addition to bringing along the basics - a sketchbook and pen or pencil - Bateman suggests using a viewfinder for subject matter that stays still, like plants. Robert Bateman, one of Canada’s most accomplished artists, has created Nature Sketch Club video tutorials where he shares some tips that are perfect for kids. Whether or not you are artistically inclined, here are some tips to support the children in your care and help them succeed. Like most things in life, some of us will have a natural ability where the rest of us need to learn the basics more slowly and take time to improve.

In fact, keep this up your sleeve for instances when kids get discouraged, thinking that they can’t do it or aren’t good enough. Of course, doing it regularly can also enhance drawing skills, leading to a sense of accomplishment and opening the door to all sorts of possibilities! Artists who draw from the imagination or from memory also practice observation drawing to continue to refine their skills. It can be calming as well as improve focus and observation skills as this form of drawing (observation drawing) causes you to slow down and see more fully what you are looking at. Drawing what you see in a garden, park or on the trail is a wonderful way to spend time in nature.
