“I can’t draw! I’m not creative! I can’t even draw a straight line!” Yep, I have heard that from thousands of parents and teachers. Are you struggling with the idea that you would love to teach your children or students basic drawing skills, but you never learned how to draw yourself? No problem!
I can guide you well. I have taught thousands of homeschool, early childhood, and elementary teachers and parents how to learn alongside with their children. Today, I’m going to give you 7 secret to get you started on how to teach drawing – even if you don’t know how!
First, let me assure you that you absolutely can teach elementary-grade students how to draw. Even if you don’t know how to draw—I promise. Let me explain how you can teach drawing lessons even if you don’t know how.
Okay, let’s get started!
Children Must Be Mature in Three Areas
Although I’m a professional illustrator, painter, and computer graphic artist, the truth is that I rarely have the opportunity to showcase these skill sets to elementary students. Why? Well, it’s because they are typically too young for such intricate instruction. My talents are more commonly shared with high school and adult-level art students because children are not yet developmentally fine-motor prepared for drawing lessons. For children to draw, they must exhibit maturity in three areas, and this is where my Science Art Method™ was founded. These three areas:
- Visual Perception: Involves the eyes’ capacity to gather and interpret optical information.
- Cognitive Processing: Relates to the brain’s ability to remember and process visual and tactile input.
- Fine Motor Abilities: Encompasses the skill of controlled hand movements.
Through extensive research, I found a connection between these factors and the growth of artistic skills. As adolescents progress, these areas usually mature. As a result, grasping complex concepts like color value, perspective, and precise motor skills becomes simpler in later grades. This explains why teaching advanced art drawing techniques to children aged 6 to 12 is challenging. They must begin with the fundamentals, mastering basic art elements like lines, shapes, and textures.
Children Need Easy Line Drawing Lessons
The second important thing you need to understand on how to teach children drawing lessons. Children require simpler and more accessible art lessons. And guess what? You can teach very simple basic drawing concepts. As an adult, you possess the experience and knowledge that equips you to teach the basics of drawing.
Simple Drawing Directions
To effectively teach basic drawing, consider the following points. First, can you draw fundamental geometric shapes like squares and circles? Next, are you able to hold a pencil and sketch a simple stick figure? Do you have access to art supplies? Can you understand and follow basic instructions? Will you be present to assist your student or child? Are you capable of organizing and scheduling 30 to 40-minute art sessions? Can you monitor completed drawing tasks? Are you able to explain instructions in two to three steps? Are you open to learning alongside your student? Will you motivate them to progress and take on challenges? If you answered positively to these questions, my friend you are on the right tack to teaching drawing even if you don’t know how!
Beginning with the Fundamentals
I hold a firm belief that children below the age of 12 lack sufficient foundational art instruction to enhance their ability to create realistic drawings. It’s important to encourage them to take it slow and focus on basic exercises. After teaching a concept, allow them ample time to review and practice it three to four times before progressing to the next skill set. I frequently encounter educators and parents who overlook this essential approach. Providing thorough instruction on these fundamental techniques will establish a solid groundwork for their drawing abilities.
Learn some basic art elements:
- Steps to Draw Different Types of Lines
- Techniques for Doodling Organic and Geometric Simple Shapes
- Tips for Combining Various Lines
Lesson 6: Drawing Skills:
- Learn how to make sketch marks and erase effectively.
- Learn how to doodle using different mediums.
- Learn how to draw different types of lines accurately.
- Learn how to combine lines to create textures.
- Learn how to create patterns using lines.
- Learn how to color your line drawings using various mediums.
- Learn how to draw geometric shapes correctly.
- Learn how to draw simple organic shapes.
Use Sequential Drawing Lessons
If you wish to explore my scientific art method further, please consider purchasing my Drawing Curriculum. I have dedicated 30 years to comprehending the essential drawing lessons necessary for beginners. Once youngsters grasp these foundational skills, they can progress to applying realistic principles and enhancing their drawing abilities under your guidance!
Teaching children how to draw involves fostering their creativity and enabling them to perceive the world from an artist’s perspective.
By following these guidelines, you can initiate drawing lessons for your students, even if you lack experience or don’t identify as an artist. I assure you!
Buy Drawing Curriculum HERE!
All rights reserved © 2024, Nature of Art®
No part of this blog may be used or be reproduced in any manner whatsoever including reproducing, publishing, performing, and making any adaptions of the work – including translation into another foreign language without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Nature of Art® Publishing P.O. Box 443 Solana Beach, California 92075.
