Drawing
Observation drawing is about translating what students observe about a three-dimensional object into lines and shapes on a flat piece of paper. As students get older and become more competent at drawing, they move from generalized representations to more specific responses in their drawings, and they learn to incorporate surface textures and varying line qualities. By fifth grade, most students begin to explore ways to represent three-dimensional space. The challenge for students is to figure out their own strategies for representing the subject matter.
Kindergarten
Observation drawings of Block Buildings:
- What shapes do you notice?
- Is your building tall or wide?
- Which way will you hold your paper?
- What shapes are touching each other?
- What shapes are on top of each other in your building?
- What shapes are next to each other on your building?
- Where will you draw each shape on your paper?
Self-Portraits from memory, September and May:
- What are all the parts you need to draw?
- What shape will you make for each part?
First Grade
Observation Drawings of Wood Sculptures:
- What shape will you draw for each part of your sculpture?
Terrarium Drawings
- What do you notice in the terrarium?
- What shapes will you need to draw?
- What colors will you need to use?
Second Grade:
Self-Portraits from memory:
- How can you draw yourself doing something fun?
- What shapes do you need to draw for each part?
- What kind of place will you draw in the background?
- Will you be by yourself, or with other people?
Pencil Drawings of bikes and unicycle from observation:
- Where do you see big shapes?
- Where do you see small shapes?
- Where will you need to draw round shapes?
- Where will you need to draw connecting shapes?
- Where will you need to draw shapes inside of shapes?
- Where will you need to draw smooth and bumpy lines?
- What parts of the model can you see from your point of view?
- What shape do you need to draw for each part?
- Which part is longer, the legs or the torso?
- Where do you need to draw big and small parts?
- Where do you need to draw connecting shapes?
- What shapes do you need to draw for each part?
Fourth Grade
Observation Drawings of Tools:
- Where do you see big shapes?
- Where do you see small shapes?
- Where do you see connecting parts?
- Where will you draw shapes inside of shapes?
- Where will you draw thick lines and thin lines?
- Where will you make heavy and light marks?
- Where will you make soft or sharp marks?
Oil Pastel Observation Landscape Drawings:
- Which part of the landscape will you include in your drawing?
- Will you draw a close-up or far-away view?
- What shapes will touch each edge of your paper?
- What kinds of marks will you make?
- Where will you mix or layer some colors?
Fifth Grade
Still Life Drawings from Observation:
- How will you show what's in front and what's behind?
- What kinds of marks will you make to show different parts of the objects?
Figure Drawings from Observation:
- Where will you need to draw bending shapes?
- Where will you need to draw smooth and bumpy edges?
- Where will you need to show overlapping shapes?
- How big is each part compared to other parts?
Narrative Drawings:
- What's one fun thing you did last summer?