How artistic are you?

[LarsMal]

For the past week or so DS has been wanting me to draw for him, instead of doing the coloring himself. I didn't realize how BAD I am! I'm pretty much limited to a house, tree, flowers, faces, shapes, letters, and numbers. I'm running out of things to draw, and he's getting bored and frustrated (he likes to name the pictures). I tried drawing a cow and said, "What's that?" He just looked at me like, "I have NO IDEA what that is!"

Oh well, I guess I've taught him all I can!

Oh yeah, I can draw the sun and clouds, too. Go me!

How do you do in the arts and crafts department?

[egan284]

:) :)

I am sorry to say my art skill is limited to that of a 7th yo's skill :). Well, a good thing DH is a much better artist than I am, everytime dd asks me to draw something I ask her to go to DH ;).

[megs4413]

i can't draw a straight line with a ruler. not kidding.

[tarabenet]

Lucky me, Aubrey is still happy with bunnies, mice and smiley faces! I've got to get back in practice. There are some fun "How to draw...." books about Disney characters that break things down into circles and ovals and such.

The other thing that used to help me was to try to copy a picture, but to do it all upside down. That way I was trying to copy what I actually saw, instead of my brain's override ingrained image of whatever the thing was -- you know, the lines that end up being a horse, instead of what my mind thinks is a horse. Does that make sense?

PS -- Draw an easy bunny by starting with a circle-ISH shape for the body, then add an oval head, two long oval ears, etc. For a mouse, draw half of a heart, turned on its side. The big round part becomes the back end where the tail goes. A big overlapping circle suggests ears. And eyes, nose and whiskers and you have a kid-friendly version of a mouse! Oh, and I was fascinated by learning to draw an elephant's backside in cartoon in 6th grade. Give that one a try! (Nothing like an elephant butt to make a kid laugh.) Giant upside-down U shape, stick an arch on top for the head, a Y in back to indicate legs, and some big wavy earlike things on the side. Add a couple of stick palm trees on the side and you've got a (very incorrect) jungle scene. None of this needs to be perfect -- it is all cartoons!

Just in case you'd like to add some new goofy stuff to the Mommy Repertoire!

[randomkid]

My DD does the same thing! We have a small chalkboard and she likes for us to draw pictures for her. Fortunately, she is not too picky and even when DH laughs at me and says, "What's THAT?", DD will walk up and say "pig!". I just tell him that she knows and that's all that matters - lol!

I really have no artistic talent and it bugs me. However, butterflies are pretty easy to draw. I also draw cake slices, a dog profile and some other simple things. My almost 16yo (eeeek!) stepdaughter can draw anything and draw it beautifully. I'm so jealous!

[tny915]

My drawings today still look like my old projects from elementary school. No artistic ability whatsoever.

I saw an Ed Emberley book on sale a while back and picked it up for the sole purpose of drawing better pictures for DD. All his drawings are based on simple shapes that anyone should be able to draw.

http://www.amazon.com/Emberleys-Drawing-Animals-Emberley-Books/dp/0316789798/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-3022094-3770548?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180565537&sr=8-1

[Marisa6826]

Holy cow!!

I had that book when I was little (30+ years ago)!! What a blast from the past!

-m

[shilo]

hmm, well, i can copy pretty well, but have zilch in the original talent department :). i'm not a very good freehand drawer at all, but given an eraser and enough time could probably come up with something passable i suppose. paint or pastels are a lot more forgiving for me and my limited self. my clouds always look like marshmello's on steroids - go me too! :).

as far as teaching and lessons in life for your DS, i think you're actually on a great track! i'd just keep drawing them the way you are. something kinda sweet and valuable in teaching them to use their imagination and that it doesn't have to be perfect - or even good for that matter :). maybe throw in some leading questions to help it along if you really want him to answer "cow" ("look, it has big black and white spots and udders" or some such). otherwise, maybe encourage him to make something up?

hth, lori
Sam 5/19/05 How lucky I am that you chose me.

[shilo]

>Oh, and I was fascinated by learning to draw an elephant's
>backside in cartoon in 6th grade. Give that one a try!
>(Nothing like an elephant butt to make a kid laugh.)

>Just in case you'd like to add some new goofy stuff to the
>Mommy Repertoire!

should this be moved over to butts? :). thanks for the laugh benet, here ya go, my best attempt :P. to quote fairy from the dryer ball thread... "this all sounds vaguely dirty..."

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u189/lorien_ca/elephant.jpg

lori
Sam 5/19/05 How lucky I am that you chose me.

[SnuggleBuggles]

My art skills are at about a 4th grade level.
:)
Beth

[denna]

Hah! Me neither. I really cant! Funny how that works.

My artistic skill is limited to a house and stick ppl. Maybe a son and some clouds. I hope DS doesnt want me to draw for him. I may be inclined to go online and find pictures to print and let him color those or maybe teach him how to trace :).

[crayonblue]

Both of my parents are artists. Both have Masters in Art. Both paint and draw. Me, nothing. Absolutely nothing.

[Moneypenny]

I can't even draw a proper stick person. Seriously. I inherited my mother's complete lack of artistic/craft talent. You should have seen the two of us trying to make the table centerpieces for my wedding reception - I don't think I've laughed so hard in my life!

I can, however, make up songs on request, so that's something DD likes.

Susan
mama to my cutie pie, Avery
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_sapphire_24m.gif[/img][/url]

[kijip]

I do ok. However, the real standout in this department is my husband. Toby is well aware that if he wants a picture drawn that looks *really* good, go to daddy.

[LarsMal]

Thanks for some good ideas! I'll have to try the mouse and some of the other suggestions- ooh, and I definitely have to give that elephant a shot!

Glad to know I'm not the only artistically challenged one out there!