REAL DRAGONS

Value Scale Chart

This summer, I have had the privilege of teaching one of my youngest students yet. He is 7 years old, and has wanted to know how to draw and make things look real for a couple of years now. In particular, he wanted to learn how to draw dragons. 

I agreed to take him as a student for my normal 6 lessons' duration, but twice a week instead of once a week, in order to finish up before the school year progressed too far. I sent him photos of some things we could work on, but he chose a picture I had taken in Mexico of a "dragon" iguana. I really felt this would be a huge challenge for a 7 year old, and that it would definitely test whether my teaching methodology could work with a child so young.

After learning that all things can be defined and drawn with certain shapes, we began to learn the value scale. As you can see above, the student understood and could reproduce the varying shades of value quite well. But what thrilled me was that I could ask him what value a certain part of an object or photo was, and he would give me the correct value every time. It was something he understood intrinsically.

shading begins on the line drawing

 The creature was too difficult for the child to draw, especially within the time frame we had, so we traced a line drawing, making sure we had the main lines so that we could locate landmark features. This took quite a bit of time as this iguana is quite complex. For a 7 year old, this little guy stuck to it and was surprised when each hour and a half lesson was over! Engagement was never a problem!

Here you can see the beginning of the shading process. I ask him to tell me what value we should put in various areas, and then we do the shading according to what he was seeing as the value - which was correct each time! The reason for the piece of paper which is hiding the rest of the drawing is so that his hand and arm do not smudge the paper where he is working over it.

And here is where we ended our 5th lesson...he is  assessing value and shape, and reproducing it extremely well. It has taken quite a bit of time to get this much done on the head, but he is meticulously and takes great pride in doing well. As we work, we continue to repeat the steps that we have taken to create the light and the shadow, with the middle values in between. And he continues to understand better and better what it takes to make something look 3 dimension, like it actually has form which is coming off the page, so to speak.  I am sure we won't finish this drawing in the last lesson, but it is the process that counts right now. 

Could he draw this creature on his own from scratch? Not yet. But given another year or so of lessons, I am sure he would surprise all of us with what he could accomplish - especially as his passion and desire to draw is so strong. I love to see the spark of creativity light in each of my students! It is so exciting for me as a teacher to have the honor of helping to enable each student to achieve a part of their dreams.   :-)  My new set of lessons starts next week. I have a few spaces open, so if you or your child (in the Calgary area) are interested in taking drawing or painting lessons from me, please contact me: jogiesbrecht@gmail.com         

 

On the drawing board: head of the dragon partially completed

Textured Acrylic #12

Textured Acrylic #12

8" x 8" canvas

Each of these silver and black textured acrylics are unique, and depending on the texture, take the paint differently. They certainly have lights, darks and midtones! :-) In various lighting, they can look like metal, and it is a surprise for people to discover that they are not a piece of old tin that has been hammered to create a patterned texture.

I said I would tell you about another opportunity that has come my way since declining the ChartPak Inc. offer to teach beginner acrylic lessons in two local art supply stores.

This past spring, I taught a 10 year old painting lessons for 6 weeks. That was a good experience for both my student and me. I happened to make the comment afterward that the ideal way to teach would not be to go out of my home, but rather to have people come to my studio and take lessons here in workshops. I need to learn to be careful of what I muse aloud!

I was asked by a facilitator for one of the homeschooling boards in Calgary if I would let my name stand as a teacher for parents who choose art as an option for their children's academic year. Having been a teacher for many years, I understand the art curriculum for schools very well, and can taylor workshops to meet those requirements. As an artist, I can teach techniques and shortcuts to achieve various results which are student learner outcomes within that curriculum.

As well, I had parents who are friends of mine approach me about teaching their children private art lessons. These lessons would be either in drawing or painting, and some want a combination of both.

I thought about this idea, and finally said "yes" to teaching this fall. I have dedicated 2 full days and evenings to this endeavor, which I believe will leave me time to paint as well. It's going to be very busy though, as I am giving both private and group lessons. I have 3 groups set up, and the rest of the time is private lesson time. So far, I have 15 students. All of my private lesson spots are filled, with a waiting list started. In group lessons, I have several spaces open - on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, but I do anticipate those will fill up quickly. Only one of the facilitators for the school board has told her parents about this offer, and there are many other facilitators and many other boards that will definitely want to take advantage of my workshops once they find out about them. I know I will be putting names on a waiting list there as well.

I will try this for the fall, and then see if I will offer student lessons again in the New Year. I now have adults asking about weekend workshops - so I have to think that one through as well. It is fun though, to see that I had written "giving workshops" as one of my art career goals. It just came a bit sooner and in totally unexpected ways than I thought!

Moral of this story - "Be careful what you wish for! It might actually come true." :-)