Drawing Exercises
DRAWING SPIRALS
Get participants to start making marks on the paper without mental blocks whilst engaging their whole body with this exercise.
backwards forwards drawing
This exercise will encourage participants to think about the speed of drawing through careful observation.
continuous line drawing
Continuous line drawings provide an excellent way to help children develop hand eye coordination.
Making Stronger drawings
Encourage children to use the whole range of values a pencil can make – from the palest to the darkest lines.
see three shapes
This resource shares a simple exercise to help children & adults appreciate how seeing simple shapes can help improve drawing skills.
drawing small
Relax into this drawing exercise and don’t put pressure on yourself to make an amazing drawing.
drawing large
Following on from “drawing small“, this exercise gives you the chance to make much freer, larger drawings.
thoughtful mark making
Start with a mark making exercise to help children understand the importance of looking and thinking when drawing.
Mark Making & sound: part one
Explore how we can use sound as a stimulus to develop the kinds of marks we can make.
mark making & sound: part two
In Part Two of Mark Making and Sound we explore how we might capture the spirit of a piece of music through abstract mark making.
mark making & sound: part three
In Part Three of Mark Making and Sound we explore how we can use the rhythm of music to give our observational drawings flow and playfulness.
what is a drawing tool
In this video we share how you can explore a variety of drawing tools, and push they kinds of marks each drawing tool can make.
DrawAble
the secret power of sketchbooks
Sketchbooks are powerful tools. Enjoy these three videos in which Jo Blaker shares why sketchbooks have secret powers.
exploring through watercolour
Emma demonstrates a range of watercolour techniques that encourage experimental painting.
the three panel drawing challenge
Comics artist Rozi Hathaway inspires us to create sequential art inspired by the everyday objects around us.
making a folded sketchbook
The exercise encourages children and teenagers to shape their drawings by drawing subject matter and the surface you are draw on.
making layered portraits
In this resource, Mike Barrett shows young learners how to create a layered autobiographical portrait.
making a puzzle purse
In this resource, Eilis demonstrates a method for creating an origami puzzle purse.
making illustrated letters
As part of DrawAble, Isobel Grant inspires children to create their own pictorial letters.
creating a book world
Illustrator Rose Feather shares her passion for using images to tell and share stories.
straight line drawings
This resource by Lorna Rose inspires children and teenagers to create drawings of indoor or outdoor environments, using straight lines.
my tiger sketchbook
Illustrator Inbal Leitner shares her passion for illustrating poems and stories using sketchbooks.
making gifs
Inspire children and teenagers to make their own gifs – including a paper version for those who don’t have access to digital.
global paintings
Explore the properties of watercolour or ink to create these abstract globe-like images with Stephanie Cubbin.
Let me inspire you: tonka uzu
Artist Tonka Uzu shares what inspires her illustrations.
