We're coming along with our art skills. This is a sample of our duplication warm-up.


This is the first abstract warm-up that Taylor did. We started with level 2. The point to this exercise is to use the basic drawing elements described in Drawing for Children and follow directions for drawing the elements. It's very fun and interesting to see how the drawing turns out in the end. So, this gives practice with the elements and it also teaches that using the same ideas and rearranging the elements they can draw a recognizable piece of art.


Since we had so much fun with the first one, we followed directions for a level 3 abstract drawing a few days later. This was a little more complex. In the future, we'll have to make up our own directions for the abstract drawings. I'll share those here.



This is the first formal drawing: A bird on a branch.


Voila! It's complete. Taylor really enjoyed this. We'll be drawing Leo the Lion today from Lesson 2. See below for today's plan to start lesson 2.

- Relaxation Methods (which I've discovered is certainly needed with Daniel running around here!)
- Random Image Warm-Up (from lesson 1)
- Overlapping Exercise (Lesson 2, page 85)
- Leo the Lion


I've already summarized the introduction to Taylor. I plan to use the concepts that I read about in this lesson during her warm-ups and drawing. I don't believe that reading the text straight through to your child is beneficial particularly if they are not attentive to it. It'll tend to take the fun out of the drawing process. Instead, I treat it like I do the Handbook of Nature Study. The reading is for mom to read and think upon then to share with the child when applicable.