My artist friend Susan Benarcik and I were invited to be visiting artists at ACRA summer camp for kids here in Arden, DE. We brought in a lot of nature specimens for the kids to draw. At one point there were about 8 kids all heads down drawing and you could have heard a pin drop. This is something I have experienced in the past. If you ask a child to really look at something to draw it, it’s amazing what happens. They slow done and become quietly absorbed in the task.
I used to do this a lot in Montessori classrooms. You can see their minds at work as they really concentrate to record what they see.
Some kids finished one draw then when on to other activities, others drew for hours. Here is examples of their beautiful work. The only instruction they were given was to look, really look.
I gave them the choice of white or colored paper. I stuck to nature colors and let them use white and black colored pencils on the colored paper. Some kids finished one draw then when on to other activities, others drew for hours. Here is examples of their beautiful work. The only instruction they were given was to look, really look.
