Writing Activities: 1 | 2 | 3 | Poetry LinksAbout Drawing

Over the next few months, I’ll write down some techniques, tips and methods that make drawing and coloring so much more fun for older kids who want to learn some skills, and I’ll put them on this page.

In the meantime, a few suggestions:

• If you know someone who draws well, ask them to give you a ten-minute drawing lesson. They may very well show you something that’ll make you go “AHA!” and become much better at your own illustrating.
• Avoid markers. Don’t use markers. Grind up markers in a blender and throw them away. Unless you’re coloring big areas or making posters, don’t use markers or felts too much. They wreck the little art muscles in your hand. They stink. The colors are so saturated they block out regular colors. They drip through the paper. They’re too thick. They stink. I know I already said that, but they really do.
• Pencils, colored pencils and pencil crayons are a great way to get those little art muscles in your hand fit and ready to roll. You’d be surprised what interesting pictures you can make with plain old pencil and shading. I’ll show you some examples of shading soon.
• Get a big envelope, a box or a paper shopping bag and keep your drawings, sketches, ideas and illustrations there. You have to do this, don’t wait for your parents or your teacher to find a storage place for you. Otherwise people might accidentally throw out work you wanted to keep. Write on the outside: JOEY’S ARTWORK, PRIVATE or SARAH’S ILLUSRATIONS, PLEASE DON’T TOUCH and that way they won’t get confused with junk around the house or classroom.

All for now — I’ll be back to this page soon. Hope you take some time to draw today.

Loris