Week Three: Patterns, Texture, Form

Rancho Cielo Sketchers are stepping it up!! On Tuesday everyone learned about patterns and texture. LOTS of progress was made in students taking their skills to the next level, including Enrique's and Chris' sketches showing accurate proportions! Scroll down to see your drawings.

Check out Wells' cool drawing in eXpReSsiOn sEsSiOn: Click Here

Okay! Ready for a challenge?...


Drawing Challenge: Get Abstract!
For those of you who have time, here's a little challenge for you to do this week: create an abstract drawing. Abstract artwork doesn't show people, places, or things. Use the whole sheet of paper--draw big! Use your imagination! Add any abstract lines, shapes, patterns, and tones (black and gray) to fill your composition.

Examples of artwork by big-time abstract artists to give you ideas: Click here

Get ready to draw contour lines on Tuesday. C ya! --Rob

Juan

Your eye for accuracy keeps improving, Juan!! EXCELLENT job of drawing the proportions of the lizard! You did a great job of including the patterns and textures. The gray tones showing different values of color are a really nice touch. Great start in drawing the contour edges of the jaguar. The angle of its body is very well drawn, making it look 3D.

Drawing Challenge: Get Abstract!
For those of you who have time, here's a little challenge for you to do this week: create an abstract drawing. Abstract artwork doesn't show people, places, or things. Use the whole sheet of paper--draw big! Use your imagination! Add any abstract lines, shapes, patterns, and tones (black and gray) to fill your composition.

Examples of artwork by big-time abstract artists to give you ideas: Click here

Bethany

Right on! Bethany! Your line work and accuracy of proportions just keep improving. Excellent work in drawing the patterns and textures on the lizard and jaguar. Your confidence really shows in your drawing of the form of the jaguar. The contour edges of its body are well drawn and the proportions are drawn accurately.

Drawing Challenge: Get Abstract!
For those of you who have time, here's a little challenge for you to do this week: create an abstract drawing. Abstract artwork doesn't show people, places, or things. Use the whole sheet of paper--draw big! Use your imagination! Add any abstract lines, shapes, patterns, and tones (black and gray) to fill your composition.

Examples of artwork by big-time abstract artists to give you ideas: Click here

Anthony

Great to have you back in class, Anthony! You picked up where you left off: lots of nice study sketches, clean lines, and accurate proportions. Nice job on showing the textures and patterns of the jaguar and lizard. You kept sketching the jaguar until you got accurate proportions; then yu finished with clean contour lines to show the edges of its form. The details of the face look really cool.

Drawing Challenge: Get Abstract!
For those of you who have time, here's a little challenge for you to do this week: create an abstract drawing. Abstract artwork doesn't show people, places, or things. Use the whole sheet of paper--draw big! Use your imagination! Add any abstract lines, shapes, patterns, and tones (black and gray) to fill your composition.

Examples of artwork by big-time abstract artists to give you ideas: Click here

Angelique

Excellent work in drawing patterns and textures!! You did a great job of including all the details of the lizard and jaguar, especially the facial features. Your line work and accuracy of proportions just keeps improving, Angelique! Great job of showing the contour edges showing the 3D form of the jaguar.

Drawing Challenge: Get Abstract!
For those of you who have time, here's a little challenge for you to do this week: create an abstract drawing. Abstract artwork doesn't show people, places, or things. Use the whole sheet of paper--draw big! Use your imagination! Add any abstract lines, shapes, patterns, and tones (black and gray) to fill your composition.

Examples of artwork by big-time abstract artists to give you ideas: Click here

Eric

The proportions of the lizard are right on, Eric!! Your line work is clean and very accurate. Great job in drawing the texture and accurately proportioned facial expressions. You are ready to move to the next level of drawing: realism. :-)

Drawing Challenge: Get Abstract!
For those of you who have time, here's a little challenge for you to do this week: create an abstract drawing. Abstract artwork doesn't show people, places, or things. Use the whole sheet of paper--draw big! Use your imagination! Add any abstract lines, shapes, patterns, and tones (black and gray) to fill your composition.

Examples of artwork by big-time abstract artists to give you ideas: Click here

Wells

This lizard looks like he's really enjoying life on that branch! GREAT job of drawing the textures of the lizard and the wood of the branch. The proportions of its body are very well drawn. I know the jaguar gave you a bit of a problem, Wells, but you kept sketching light guidelines until you got accurate proportions. Nice job f drawing the angle of its body, making it look 3D!

Drawing Challenge: Get Abstract!
For those of you who have time, here's a little challenge for you to do this week: create an abstract drawing. Abstract artwork doesn't show people, places, or things. Use the whole sheet of paper--draw big! Use your imagination! Add any abstract lines, shapes, patterns, and tones (black and gray) to fill your composition.

Examples of artwork by big-time abstract artists to give you ideas: Click here

Enrique

Yes!! Enrique!! With clean lines you nailed the accurate proportions of the lizard! Excellent work of showing the textures as well as including all the details of the face--nice expression! :-) This drawing shows a BIG improvement in control of your line work (keep practicing drawing light guidelines before darker outlines) and your eye for accuracy. These skills are very important as you get into drawing realistically in our next lesson.

Drawing Challenge: Get Abstract!
For those of you who have time, here's a little challenge for you to do this week: create an abstract drawing. Abstract artwork doesn't show people, places, or things. Use the whole sheet of paper--draw big! Use your imagination! Add any abstract lines, shapes, patterns, and tones (black and gray) to fill your composition.

Examples of artwork by big-time abstract artists to give you ideas: Click here

Chris

Yet another HUGE breakthrough in your drawing, Chris!! You did a fantastic job of drawing the patterns and textures of the lizard as well as the texture of the wood. Great work of including all the details of its body and head. Cool facial expression. You're ready for the next level, man: drawing realistically!

Drawing Challenge: Get Abstract!
For those of you who have time, here's a little challenge for you to do this week: create an abstract drawing. Abstract artwork doesn't show people, places, or things. Use the whole sheet of paper--draw big! Use your imagination! Add any abstract lines, shapes, patterns, and tones (black and gray) to fill your composition.

Examples of artwork by big-time abstract artists to give you ideas: Click here

Challenge Reference: Kandinsky and Miro

Ideas for Your Abstract Drawing
Paintings by the modern artists Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) and Joan Miro (1893-1983) show ideas for your abstract drawing using lines, shapes, and patterns. Click on pictures to enlarge.

Kandinsky was a very influential artist in Europe during the early 1900s and 20s. He believed that painting should let artists express their own inner lives in abstract, non-material ways. Just as musicians do not depend on the material world for their music, so artists should not depend on the material world for their art. His expressions with line, shapes, and color became the foundation of abstract art.



Miro's artwork was influenced by poetry in France, in the early 1920s. His goal was to to create pictorial poems using lines, shapes, colors, symbols, and words. His dream-like images were important influences on the art movement called Surrealism. Both Kandinsky and Miro were inspired by drawings by children and primitive art. As revolutionaries, both were determined to break the traditions of realism in art.

Week Two: Lines, Shapes, Overlapping, Proportion

Okay! Rancho Cielo Sketchers! On Tuesday you learned about overlapping (placing things in front of other things) to create depth of space in your drawing. All of you made awesome progress in drawing accurate proportions. Scroll down to view your work. Remember to click on your drawings to view them larger.




Above: warm-up sketches by Enrique, Bethany, and Juan

Check it out: We've got some VERY cool new drawings posted in eXpReSsiOn sEsSiOn!

Alright! Ready for a drawing challenge?...


Drawing Challenge: Aztec God Tonatiuh
For those of you who have time, here's a little challenge for you to do this week: Use lines, shapes, and tones (black and grays) to Draw the Face of the Aztec god Tonatiuh. Take time to look for the dark outlines of the shapes. Start by drawing light guidelines for the shapes, and then draw darker outlines to finish. If you have time, lightly draw the different gray tones. Draw from this reference picture: Click here

Victor

Welcome to Rancho Cielo Sketchers, Victor! You're off to a blazing start! You drew large on your paper while keeping accurate proportions. Great job of overlapping the frog's legs and the tires of the truck over the engine. You've got a lot of control of your line work. Great job drawing the details of the engine and facial features of the frog. The gray tones you added to show different values of color are a nice touch. Keep practicing holding your pencil on its side to draw light guidelines of what you're looking at.

View the reference picture of the monster truck. Compare the tires you drew to the size of the truck's body. Are the proportions of the tires accurate? Click here for reference

Drawing Challenge: Draw the Face of the Aztec God Tonatiuh
Take time to look for the dark outlines of the shapes. Start by drawing light guidelines for the shapes, and then draw darker outlines to finish. If you have time, lightly draw the different gray tones. Draw from this reference picture: Click here

Juan

Glad you could join Rancho Cielo Sketchers, Juan! Excellent start in drawing accurate proportions of the frog and monster truck. I really like how you started drawing light guidelines for the shapes of the truck, before drawing darker outlines. This helps you to get the proportions accurate before finishing. Keep practicing holding your pencil on its side to draw light guidelines of what you're looking at. Nice job of overlapping the frog's legs, giving depth of space to your drawing. The gray tones showing values of color are well drawn.

View the reference picture of the monster truck. Compare the tires you drew to the size of the truck's body. Are the proportions of the tires accurate? Click here for reference

Drawing Challenge: Draw the Face of the Aztec God Tonatiuh
Take time to look for the dark outlines of the shapes. Start by drawing light guidelines for the shapes, and then draw darker outlines to finish. If you have time, lightly draw the different gray tones. Draw from this reference picture: Click here

Wells

Hey, Wells! Your line work keeps improving with each drawing. Your excellent eye for accurate proportions keeps getting better too! Great job overlapping the frog's legs and tires over the engine of the truck. With overlapping you created a lot of depth of space in your drawing. You did a fantastic job of including details and gray tones showing different color values.

View the reference picture of the monster truck. Compare the tires you drew to the size of the truck's body. Are the proportions of the tires accurate? Click here for reference

Drawing Challenge: Draw the Face of the Aztec God Tonatiuh
Take time to look for the dark outlines of the shapes. Start by drawing light guidelines for the shapes, and then draw darker outlines to finish. If you have time, lightly draw the different gray tones. Draw from this reference picture: Click here

Eric

I really like the drawing style you're developing, Eric!! It's so cool how you sketched light guidelines for accurate proportions of the frog; then you sketched darker lines to show the edges of its body. Nice job of overlapping the legs to show depth of space in your drawing.

Drawing Challenge: Draw the Face of the Aztec God Tonatiuh
Take time to look for the dark outlines of the shapes. Start by drawing light guidelines for the shapes, and then draw darker outlines to finish. If you have time, lightly draw the different gray tones. Draw from this reference picture: Click here

Bethany

Your eye for accurately drawing things you're looking at just keeps on improving, Bethany! Great job of drawing accurate proportions of the frog and monster truck. Nice job of overlapping the frog's legs and truck tires over the engine. Overlapping creates depth of space in your drawing. Your line work is getting more confident each time you draw. Cool facial expressions on the frog.

View the reference picture of the monster truck. Compare the tires you drew to the size of the truck's body. Are the proportions of the tires accurate? Click here for reference

Drawing Challenge: Draw the Face of the Aztec God Tonatiuh
Take time to look for the dark outlines of the shapes. Start by drawing light guidelines for the shapes, and then draw darker outlines to finish. If you have time, lightly draw the different gray tones. Draw from this reference picture: Click here

Chris

BIG-time progress in your line work, Chris!! Your confidence in drawing keeps growing with each new sketch. Nice how you included all the details from the reference picture of the from. The proportions of the frog's body are accurately drawn. Great job overlapping its legs, giving depth of space to your drawing.

View the reference picture of the monster truck. Compare the tires you drew to the size of the truck's body. Are the proportions of the tires accurate? Click here for reference

Drawing Challenge: Draw the Face of the Aztec God Tonatiuh
Take time to look for the dark outlines of the shapes. Start by drawing light guidelines for the shapes, and then draw darker outlines to finish. If you have time, lightly draw the different gray tones. Draw from this reference picture: Click here

Angelique

Excellent progress, Angelique!! You're gaining more and more control of your line work with each drawing you make. The proportions of the frog and monster truck are very accurately drawn. And you did a great job of overlapping the frog's legs and truck tires over the engine. Really nice job of including all the details from the reference pictures!

View the reference picture of the monster truck. Compare the tires you drew to the size of the truck's body. Are the proportions of the tires accurate? Click here for reference

Drawing Challenge: Draw the Face of the Aztec God Tonatiuh
Take time to look for the dark outlines of the shapes. Start by drawing light guidelines for the shapes, and then draw darker outlines to finish. If you have time, lightly draw the different gray tones. Draw from this reference picture: Click here

Eddie

Welcome to Rancho Cielo Sketchers, Eddie! You got a great start at drawing with lines and shapes. Holding the pencil on its side was challenging for you, but you pulled off a couple of accurate drawings of the frog. The proportions (sizes of shapes compared to other shapes) are well drawn. And you did and excellent job of including details of the frog such as its facial features. Keep practicing drawing light guidelines for the shapes of things before finishing with darker outlines.

Drawing Challenge: Draw the Face of the Aztec God Tonatiuh
Take time to look for the dark outlines of the shapes. Start by drawing light guidelines for the shapes, and then draw darker outlines to finish. If you have time, lightly draw the different gray tones. Draw from this reference picture: Click here

Enrique

Great! Progress! Enrique! You did an excellent job of drawing accurate proportions of the frog and monster truck. Your skill for looking at things and then drawing them is improving with each new drawing. I really like how you're drawing large and keeping accurate proportions. Excellent facial expression. :)

View the reference picture of the monster truck. Compare the tires you drew to the size of the truck's body. Are the proportions of the tires accurate? Click here for reference

Drawing Challenge: Draw the Face of the Aztec God Tonatiuh
Take time to look for the dark outlines of the shapes. Start by drawing light guidelines for the shapes, and then draw darker outlines to finish. If you have time, lightly draw the different gray tones. Draw from this reference picture: Click here

Week One: Lines, Shapes, Proportions

I really enjoyed meeting all of you Tuesday! We've got a great group! Everybody dove in and got busy with lots of cool drawings!

Drawing while holding your pencil on its side (overhand grip) was a big challenge, but everyone got the hang of it. Moving your whole arm and shoulder while drawing also became easier as you drew more. Keep practicing! Scroll down to view my comments on your drawings (or click your name in the column to the right).

We started off with reconnecting with the fun of drawing as a kid. Shown below, pencil warm-ups by Enrique, Chris, Bethany, Eric, and Angelique :





If you find yourself doodling on a piece of paper this week-- hopefully between class assignments :-) -- do some warm-up sketches of angled, curved, and vertical lines, just like last Friday. See what kind of patterns you make--maybe you'll create a cool abstract design! Keep practicing the overhand grip; it will get easier and will help make drawing easier in future lessons. Also practice moving your whole arm and shoulder when drawing. This will help you to draw larger, longer, smoother lines.

If you have other drawings you've made in school, I'll add them to the eXpReSsiOn sEsSiOn.

Everyone got an excellent start in sketching light lines (guidelines) then drawing darker outlines to finish. You got into comparing the size (proportions) of shapes you drew to the reference picture you were looking at. On Tuesday we'll be exploring how to overlap, creating depth in your drawing.

Your lessons are shown below. Be sure to click on your drawing to view it larger. --Rob

Wells

Fantastic start, Wells!!! It took awhile for you to get into holding your pencil on its side, but with each new sketch you gained more control of your lines and shapes. Overall, you did an excellent job of drawing the proportions (sizes of shapes compared to other shapes) of the crab and puffer fish, compared to the reference pictures you were looking at. I really like how you practiced lots of basic shapes of the body of the fish. You put it all together in your cool drawing of the toucan! Your lettering is a nice touch.

Anthony

Lots of excellent drawing going on here, Anthony!! It's great how you practiced a lot of shapes for the crab and puffer fish while holding your pencil on its side. Compared to the reference pictures you were looking at, your accuracy in drawing proportions (sizes of shapes compared to other shapes) improved with each sketch. Your accuracy improved BIG-time with your sketch of the toucan! The gray tones on the puffer fish and toucan are a nice touch. Cool facial expressions. :-)

Brian

Wow!! Brian!! You met the challenge of holding your pencil on its side by cranking out lots of cool sketches. The accuracy of the proportions (sizes of shapes compared to other shapes) of the crab improved as you kept drawing. You really got into accurate proportions with your drawing of the puffer fish. Excellent job of drawing light guidelines for the body; then finishing with darker outlines. And your toucan sketch is awesome! You drew accurate proportions (compared to the reference picture), included all the details, and added gray tones.

Adriana

Alright, Adriana!! After you got used to drawing with the pencil on its side, you became a drawing machine! You've got lots of control over your line work. The proportions (sizes of shapes compared to other shapes) of the crab and puffer fish became more accurate with each new sketch. The gray tones on the puffer fish are a nice touch. Keep on sketching!