By Spramani Elaun
“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 I have worked with in the past.
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 their children. Today, I’m going to give you 7 secret lessons 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!
Lesson 1:
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 of development intertwine and evolve gradually over time:
- Visual Perception: This involves the eyes’ capacity to collect and interpret optical information.
- Cognitive Processing: This pertains to the brain’s ability to remember and process visual as well as tactile input.
- Fine Motor Abilities: This encompasses the skill to have controlled hand movements.
After a long period of research, I discovered that these aspects are linked to the development of artistic proficiency. By the time adolescents reach this stage, typically, these areas are well-developed. Consequently, comprehending and mastering concepts like color value, three-dimensional perspective, and refined motor skills becomes significantly easier in the upper grades. This is why I can’t teach children from ages 6 – 12 years advanced art drawing skills. They need to start from the very basics, learning basic art elements such as different lines, shapes, and textures.
Lesson 2:
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.
Lesson 3:
Here’s what you need to know to teach basic drawing lessons. Let me ask you this: can you draw basic geometric shapes like squares and circles? Can you hold a pencil and doodle a stick figure? Can you purchase art supplies and materials? Can you follow and read basic directions? Can you make yourself available to guide your student or child? Can you manage and schedule art lessons, maybe 30 to 40-minute sessions? Can you keep track of completed drawing exercises? Can you explain two to three step instructions? Do you have the willingness to explore and learn alongside your student? Can you encourage your students to take the next step and even challenge them?
Well, my friend, so far, you are in good shape. Let’s keep going!
Lesson 4:
I genuinely believe that children under the age of 12 are not receiving adequate foundational art education to support their progression toward drawing realistic images. They need to slow down! And do basic practice. If you’ve taught something, make sure to give them time to review and practice three to four times before moving on to the next set of skills. I often come across teachers and parents who haven’t given their students this fundamental guidance. Taking the time to teach these basic techniques will set a strong foundation for their drawing skills.
Lesson 5: Learn some basic art elements:
- How to draw different types of lines
- How to doodle organic and geometric simple shapes
- How to combine 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.
Lesson 7:
Should you desire to delve deeper into my scientific art method, please check out and buy my Drawing Curriculum. I have spent 30 years understanding the basic drawing lessons that you need to practice to start learning to draw. Once children master these foundational skill sets, they can start applying realistic principles and learn to draw well by you!
Teaching drawing to children is all about nurturing their creativity and helping them see the world through an artist’s eyes.
With these tips, you can start teaching your students how to draw – even if you don’t know how and you don’t consider yourself an artist. I promise!
Buy Drawing Curriculum HERE!
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