I just finished reading the first 100 pages of this book so I could be well-prepared before we get started with art skills. I've enjoyed the reading. It's given me a different perspective on how I see things around me. I can look at an object and see the basic drawing elements... a dot, a line, a curve, an angle... The wall beside me is just a fat line. The light bulb in the fan is a dot. I'm eager to get started, but first we need just a few supplies. I'll post how we're doing so you can follow along with us if you like.

The book we are using is:

I think it is necessary for mom to read through the end of Lesson 1 before getting started. This will help you to understand where this book is headed and will give you the confidence you need to start drawing with your children.

I have divided the preliminaries and lesson 1 into days. We'll be working on it daily only because Taylor is very excited and will want to do it daily. Later, we may work on it only once or twice a week. If activities for that day take a lot of time or if they get into a certain aspect of the activity, we'll choose whether or not to complete the additional ones listed or save them for the following day. This should be relaxed and easy-going.

I've learned to never limit our time or rush through something that is of interest to my kids in order to "get it all done". Our lesson plan is usually completed during the summer but is continually changing according to activities and interests

I'm going to attempt to start this with Daniel, too. I think it'll help with his motor skills and support his request for learning to draw. Maybe we can get into writing the alphabet soon after he learns some drawing elements. :-)

So, here's our plan so far:
Supplies:
- fine-tipped markers - dark shades
- broad-tipped markers - lighter colors, as many shades as possible
- scratch paper - copy paper
- drawing paper - sketch pad format, paper thick as possible, matte finish
- large envelopes
- file folders

Day 1: Let's draw p5-6. Discuss attitudes. Look through book at pictures, collect things to draw and add to files.

Day 2: Discuss area for artwork - quiet and uncluttered. Discuss relaxation methods described in lesson 1 to use when beginning or stressed. Experiment w/ Supplies p58. Level Exercises p44 (copy on separate pages). Determine level

Day 3: Copy page 60, study 62-64, observe elements around you. p64 visual game

Day 4: p65 random warm-up. Practice coloring.

Day 5: break

Over weekend: prepare duplication warm-up sheets by creating a 4x4 box chart like the one on page 66, fig 1.4. Make several copies and store in file. Prep sheets for duplication and matching exercises for this week (p66-67). Prep a sheet for mirror imaging exercise. Copy Wow! I Can Draw! exercise, p 76. Read lesson 2

Day 6: Get familiar with warm-ups: Duplication Warm-up, Matching Warm-up, Mirror Imaging Warm-up, Abstract Design Warm-up according to level p66-75

Day 7: Visual Warm-up (p64). Identify drawing elements for the following exercise before starting. Wow! I Can Draw! exercise p76.

Day 8: Duplication warm-up. Draw bird according to directions on p 77-78

Day 9: Abstract Design Warm-up.

Day 10: break... if completed all tasks early in the week... add activities from lesson 2

Here's a complete lesson plan for the school year: http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/dwclp.htm

I'll probably refer to this lesson plan, but I didn't feel that the preliminaries were covered well enough, so I made my own plan for that.

Please comment on this post if you are using this book and have advice or if you are following along. Also, please send an pictures of work that you've done or prepared exercise sheets. I'll post those ideas and completed artwork

We're off to chop down a Christmas tree!