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Learning How To Draw

Preamble
Lesson preamble: Pencil control exercise for the start of each lesson.
Aim: To teach the importance of hand-eye coordination and pencil control.
Materials:
  • 30x45cms or 12"x18" standard cartridge paper (thick, white, plain) sketchpad.
  • HB pencil
  • Ruler
Pencil Control: The pupil will be asked to rule a light horizontal line 1cm or 1/2 inch from the top of the page. The word lightly must be stressed and the student's task will be to draw the line so it is visible at half a meter but invisible at a meter.

Have the student hold these up and the teacher will discover that only one or two students will be able to achieve this result. Praise those two and demonstrate to the whole class the correct method of holding a pencil for a long light line is to drag the pencil across the page lightly holding it between thumb and index finger. The trick is to move your ARM and shoulder and not your hand!


Have the class draw a light line across the bottom of the page using this technique and get their next-door neighbour to check it.

If this proves satisfactory have the student complete the verticals in the same manner.

Hold these up for inspection and then ask the students to firm in the margin with their pencil leaving the corners so they can discern the difference between their light and heavy lines.

Construct a little box 2cmx6cm (1" x2') in the bottom right hand corner for a title, then firm it in as shown below.


This exercise is to be done at the beginning of every drawing class for every page as it slots the students mind into line control (allow 5 min. maximum).

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