AccessArt is pleased to present a 6 week mini-drawing curriculum designed to kick start drawing in your school or community context.
The resources below are designed to introduce participants to some key drawing skills in 6 one hour sessions.
The resources are suitable for all ages (children and adults) so that you can run the programme with the whole school, from Year 1 upwards. This is a great way to audit skills and abilities in your school.
The curriculum includes an introduction to graphite, charcoal, handwriting pen and ink, and explores both drawing from observation and expressive mark making. It also includes looking at the work of selected artists.
Pls share any images of work created as a result of the mini-curriculum or tag us on social media (see end of page).
See all AccessArt drawing resources in the AccessArt Drawing Journey.
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Week One
What is A Drawing Tool?
Visit the “What is A Drawing Tool” resource and watch the video with your pupils to open minds as to what a drawing tool can be.
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Continuous Line Drawing Exercise
Visit the “Continuous Line Drawing” resource and try the exercise first using a soft B pencil.
Cupped Hands Follow with the “Drawing Hands” resource, this time making your drawing using a handwriting pen.
If you have time, change subject matter and make a continuous line drawing using another drawing material at a different scale.
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Week Two
Backwards Forwards Drawing Exercise
Use the “Backwards Forwards” drawing exercise using soft B pencils. Choose an enticing subject matter – for example soft toys brought from home. Work at a scale where the children can really be aware of moving their wrist – for example A3
Repeat with a new subject matter and consider changing drawing medium.
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Week Three
Finding Marks Made by Artists
Use the “Finding Marks Made by Artists” resource to help children look at the kinds of marks artists use in their work. Choose one of the images in the resource and invite the children to discover and explore a variety of marks, to help develop their mark making vocabulary.
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Make a Drawing using Thoughtful Mark Making
Move on to the “Thoughtful Mark Making” resource and put the mark making skills developed in the exercise above into practice by drawing an object from observation. Use a handwriting pen.
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Week Four
Exploring Charcoal
Use the “Exploring Charcoal” pathway, (missing out step 2). Work on larger sheets of sugar paper to allow children to really get to grips with the medium.
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Week Five
See Three Shapes
Use the “See 3 Shapes” drawing exercise to introduce children to ink, help them look closely and commit to simple shapes.
Repeat a couple of times using different fruit and vegetables as subject matter.
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Graphic Inky Still Life
Consolidate skills by trying an observational drawing of food packaging using the “Graphic Inky Still Life” resource.
If time is limited try working on paper to produce 2d drawings rather than make 3d forms (and of course avoid using the knife for younger children).
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Week Six
Share and Reflect
Finish the 6 week Drawing Curriculum by presenting work in a clear space. Give pupils the opportunity to reflect, share and discuss. Use the “Crits in the Classroom” resource here.
