This is an exercise Zoe did in her art class last week with Ms. Williams. I was very jealous, so this weekend we tried it together at home.
The exercise is great because:
1. It is a lot of fun
2. Children can practice their straight line skills
3. Good way to relax, it has meditative qualities
4. It always looks appealing, regardless of your drawing level
5. Will ignite anyone’s imagination
6. Can be used as a warm up exercise
7. A great way to pass the time while waiting for food in a restaurant
and on long flights.
8. You can do it almost anywhere
You’ll need:
Paper, pencil, coloring pencils or markers
What to do:
Phase one - the line drawing: This drawing is made by a long line that never ends. It starts at the top of the page and travels down about half the page, then the line can turn left or right which ever way you choose. Keep on taking turns up and down left or right. Small stretches of line as well as long ones, which ever you like. You can fill the entire page, or scribble in a small portion of it. There is no wrong or right. If you get tired – rest your pencil, and start again from where you last stopped.
Phase two – coloring the shapes: After you are done, stop and stare at the drawing. Then you may start to fill in some of the shapes that were created by the crossing of the lines.
Thoughts and Variations: When I did this with Zoe on Saturday, we were lounging on my bed with a big sketch book open, she drew on one side and I was drawing on the opposite page. After we were done with the pencil part, (which you may leave the drawing at that) we turned the sketch book around and switched drawings, so she colored mine and I colored hers. It is amazing the things one may see in those scribbles. Because of the straight lines they tend to be very architectural and map like drawings. While drawing, Zoe described her scribbles as a map of Jerusalem, with walls made of stones. Slowly she started to build a story around the drawing by adding details.
Extra: This exercise may be accompanied by the reading of “Harold and the Purple Crayon” by Crockett Johnson
Enjoy
tali
