Hi Art Students!

This is a picture of one of my nature sketches. I found this beautiful moth on one of my morning walks this summer. What a gift! It was right in the center of the path just waiting for me. I gently picked this beauty up and gingerly brought it home. I first did some research to find out what kind of moth specimen I had. This is a female Antheraea polyphemus and it measures roughly 5 in. wide. The beautiful see-through eye spots give it its name, Polyphemus meaning cyclops from Greek mythology. Polyphemus was the son of Poseidon and Thoosa, from the famous Greek Epic The Odyssey. The coin to the left is a quarter. I used this specimen as my model for my artwork. This is part of the practicing that I do. As you can see I am only partially done in the photo. It took me a couple of days of working on it to complete. So yes, I too need to practice. I haven’t done a lot of work with colored pencil so this was a good medium for me to concentrate on and practice.

Practice is an important discipline for any artistic pursuit. Long ago, if you were an apprentice, you spent much of your time in practice and welcomed the critiques from your Master Artist. You understood it was what would make you grow as an artists. Practice is a worthwhile pursuit of your craft! Below is a fun way to practice the basic elements of drawing. All you have to do is follow directions.(You will not be making a picture this is an exerciser to practice. So it is not really to look like something.)

Drawing Practice Prompt

Get out a piece of blank white paper and pencil
Work each step in order:

1. Start at one edge of the paper and make a straight line to another edge of the paper

2. Do this again starting at a different edge of the paper and but use a line that isn't straight

3. Now add 2 shapes of your choosing but not a circle

4. Now add any size circle but it has to have a line through it

5. Then, add another circle that isn't touching anything else

6. Add 3 small shapes all the same

7. Then add to a circle 2 thick lines that come out of it but don't touch anything else

8. Lastly, add a triangle on top of another shape

9. Now erase something

10. Now choose 3 colors(markers, crayons, color pencils-you choose) and color in some but not all the spaces, choose carefully and thoughtfully.

11. Sign and give it a title

If you are really brave do one in the sketching hold and one in the writing/drawing hold. Did it feel different? Which picture do you like better? Another idea is to sit down and do this with a friend or sibling, but don’t look at what they are doing until you have finished. Then show each other. I guarantee they will not be the same. Happy Practicing Apprentice!

If you would like to do more drawing try out my Drawing & Mark Making Class. This virtual art class uses Van Gogh's work as the models we use to practice drawing from. In a letter to his brother he said: