An Art Lesson

Welcome!

(And, a special welcome to our newest Follower!  You are appreciated!)

You might remember that in an earlier blog post (Please see the April 15, 2,012 blog post.) I discussed the importance of developing the right side of the brain.  Today, I decided to share some art techniques that not only develop the right side of the brain, but they could help one become a better artist, and they are fun to do, as well! 

Here are some simple exercises that may seem child-like, but, heck, nobody's looking; you won't be judged or graded; just give them a try, and, you might even enjoy yourself!

Also, it would be great to do these with any children that might be in your life (or with anyone, really!)

I've successfully used the following exercises with my students when I taught art classes to both children and adults.  For most of these, you only need plain computer-type paper and a pencil.

In the following exercises, you are to use your imagination:

Get out a piece of  paper and a pencil and divide your paper into eight sections. (Use a ruler, if you'd like, to draw your sections.) You will have eight minutes to draw whatever you think of in these blocks.  In other words, you have around one minute to draw something in each block, using your imagination.  (Use a clock to time yourself.)  Good luck, but remember to have fun!

In this exercise, draw a scene from your imagination.  (No timing on this one!)  Select one, or even all, if you like, of the following:
-Draw your favorite place to vacation
-Draw your favorite hobby
-Draw your pet
-Draw your best friend  (Remember, your don't have to show it to him or her, unless you want to!)
-Your own idea

Draw the best animal in the world.  This is no ordinary animal, for this animal is made up of the parts of several different animals, for example, the trunk of an elephant, the wings of a bird, etc.

This time, you will look at a picture and copy it.  A simple coloring book picture will do just fine.  The important thing is to draw it upside down.  You will be amazed at how much better it turns out than drawing it the regular way!

I learned to draw by drawing pictures of movie stars that I'd found in magazines.  I'd show my drawing to my family members and ask them to guess who I'd drawn.  If they guessed it correctly, I knew I'd been successful, if not, back to the drawing board!

Hope you've enjoyed this little adventure into the world of art, and that you'll join me sometime in a future blog post when I'll share with you some of my art notes about color and design. 

In the meantime, happy drawing!

A special message to a special person (as well as a talented artist!) who's always been an important part of my life. 
Happy Mother's Day, Mama.  We love you!

                                                       Flowers for Our Mothers

Positive thought:  Happy Mother's Day to all mothers everywhere on your special day!
Thanks for visiting!  Until next time on a Sunday, Becky