Step-by-step drawing instructions (simple)

[Staceyshoe]

My 5y.o. recently picked up a Draw Write Now book and has spent hours trying to draw the pictures. He has beautiful fine motor skills for his age, and this is the first time he's ever been interested in drawing. But the pictures in DWN are a little too challenging for him. He gets frustrated and ends up asking me to do about half the drawing because "it's too hard." Is there a book or website you could recommend? Something with very simple step-by-step line drawing instructions?

[Tanikit]

You could always try Mark Kistler's mini-marshmallow lessons - http://www.mkisdraw3d.com/public/p_mmval/ - they have some free versions you can try first and see if your child can manage. I was quite surprised when my DD tried it as what she produced was far better than what she can draw by herself and she had fun doing it.

[MeganW]

Ed Emberley books!

[ElizabethB]

My children have enjoyed Ralph Masiello's drawing books. The bug book is easy to start with, the beetle (ladybug) is very easy and fun. Some of the pictures shown are from later on in the book, the first half has simple bugs.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Ralph-Masiellos-Bug-Drawing-Book/dp/1570915261/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1371147494&sr=1-6

 

Most libraries have his books.

[pitterpatter]

You might try one of these? I've found them to be the easiest.

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Animals-Easy---Read--Draw/dp/084314548X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1371149045&sr=1-1&keywords=Easy-to-Read%21+Easy-to-Draw%21

 

There are several different themes in this series.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1560109483/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[LaCEmom]

There were a couple of Scholastic Teacher Express ebooks that we used during that phase.

 

I think it was these 3:

http://teacherexpress.scholastic.com/little-kids-draw-mkt8275

http://teacherexpress.scholastic.com/follow-the-directions-draw-it-all-by-yourself-mkt940

http://teacherexpress.scholastic.com/follow-the-directions-draw-write-activities-mkt9728

 

Not sure when they'll do another dollar days sale, but those seem to usually be included.

[craftyerin]

My just turned 5yo DD loves the Ed Emberley fingerprint drawing books. I might order her one of the ones listed above, too!

[alisoncooks]

1-2-3 Draw books are similar the ones that pitterpatter posted. I think they're simpler than DWN.

[alisoncooks]

double post

[Staceyshoe]

Thank you all! I'm so glad to see there are a lot of options! I'm off now to see which books our public library has . . . :)

[duckens]

1) Another vote for Ed Emberley.

 

2) This year for "art" dd6 wanted to learn how to draw. (She was 5 at the beginning of the year). We did a few line exercises from Drawing with Children, then moved on to Usborne'sWhat Shall I Draw?

 

The key for us was drawing together. We each have a big sketch book. We began at the beginning of the book by drawing pigs. Sometimes I would pause before we began to discuss that, "These are not eyes, they are circles. This is not a curly tail, it is a curvy line. What letter of the alphabet do these feet look like?" There is a lot of psychology of drawing in Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, which addresses disconnecting items from the lines or shapes that make the item.

 

The other requirement I had was that we draw each subject three times. This may take several days, and each incarnation is encouraged to be a little different. In this way, learning how to draw a wizard is better remembered long term, and problems in earlier drawings can be worked out and improved upon with each manifestation.

[Hunter]

I love Ed Emberley too, but for DWN, there are ways to make it easier. I teach the pictures in 3 parts.

 

First, the background, and often just one item at a time. The background alone can take up to 3 days, or even more, of individual lessons. Grass, when first taught, is an entire lesson. A tree is an entire lesson. Hills are an entire lesson.

 

Secondly, I teach the main character/item and do NOT have the student draw the background.

 

Lastly, after practicing all the individual items, we put everything together into a picture.

 

Volume 1 is easier than later volumes and should be done first.

[petepie2]

My kids always liked these books at that age:

 

I Can Draw People

I Can Draw Animals

[naturally]

Try artforkidshub.com

[matrips]

I asked a drawing question last year on this forum. We have dwn and have enjoyed it, and the kids use it for decorating cards etc but it wasn't translating to anything. Someone, or two, recommended The Drawing Textbook. Love it! It's not the varied, every picture is different type book of dwn. It actually teaches how to draw. Very simple, and straightforward, but you would have to teach it. Its not really something he could do alone. Lots of very short lessons that all build on each other. We had tried drawing with children as well, but that seemd too hard for me to put together and teach. I'm a stick figure kind of girl. http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Drawing+Textbook/002584/5a86e38e77daa76193ca2e0f?subject=16

 

It's a small thin book, but wonderful and easy to get going with. Worth the $8.75! I finally bought a sketchbook so we now do our lessons in there. I teach it on the whiteboard, a few minutes. Then redo while they imitate, and then they practice more of that same drawing. All in all we take about 20 minutes.