Draw Faces Your Own Way!

I'm sure you've seen lots of "how to draw" books out there, this is a little different take on drawing that is all about finding your own way to draw things - and letting your own personality come through.....

Which is just what we're doing with Drooly Dog - letting out our Creative Beasts. So join us and send some art! Check us out on Facebook or come learn more about the project by clicking here. Enjoy!

Draw Faces Your Own Way

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Ten Great Uses for a Pencil

An homage to the mighty pencil, instrument of expression, weapon in the fight for creativity and silliness. Drawing is the beginning of freedom. It is a universal language. It is a source of our voice. The pencil is indeed mighty. Respect the pencil.

Ten Great Uses for a Pencil

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Kids' Art - Katharina's Mermaid!

I told you that Katharina was prolific.

One thing that pops out at me right away when I look at this mermaid is, that the color of the water makes it look like the sun is reflecting off of it. Also, I notice you gave a lot of thought to how she is sitting on her rock and how her tail is in relation to the water.

There are some parts where I can almost see you there, drawing very fast and filling in lots and lots of color (like the sky) and other parts, like the sun and the mermaid's tail, where I can see you there being very detailed and working more slowly.

And, the crabs are very cool. With their claws up in the air like that they look like they might be excited about something the mermaid just said.

Thanks Katharina for more art! I hope your mom has enough paper for you.

News flash: The Drooly Dog Drawing Project has its own Facebook Page now, come like/hang out with/talk to us! See you there!

Some Dragon for Your Friday

It's the time of year to auction off art at the school, so here's my 2011 entry:

For the school I like to draw things that emphasize reading and fantasy together.

I kept drawing out onto the mat, since it's one of those layered ones and it has a nice sense of depth to it. Plus, it was fun.

Here's a closer look:

Here's wishing you some quality time with a good book this weekend....

How a Bit of Drawing Can Help You Reach Your Goals

When you're trying to accomplish something, it can be hard to know how you are doing or to think clearly. There are so many other things to.... hey, is that a new Tweet? Did I just get an email?

You get the idea.

You can use simple drawings to help clarify your thinking, and notice how the things in your life either get you somewhere or throw you off track.

First, you should define whatever it is you are trying to accomplish: A degree, a health goal, a clean dining room, a promotion, whatever....

Maybe it looks something like this (put your own goal in the middle):

Now, you can use simple drawings to look at how well (or not) you are getting toward your goal. You may feel like there are a lot of things that interfere with your progress... maybe your drawing looks like this:

See how the energy and effort are going all over the place? Not in the same direction? Things are turning back on themselves, getting stuck in a cul de sac, spinning into a time and energy sink, or possibly going in the opposite way? Label these things. Maybe there are other commitments you have, or people you feel are working against you, or habits you have that keep you back. You can then see pretty clearly what is keeping you from moving forward.

Now, what you want is for your energies to be working together more. Obviously everything isn't going to align in one big giant arrow, because life doesn't work that way. But maybe, your efforts could look more like this:

There will still be distractions, and barriers, but are there ways you can get rid of the cul de sacs and opposing forces, and point all your energy in the same general direction? Maybe some of it is simply removing counterproductive things... but maybe some of it is also spending your energy always in ways that move you forward - taking care of yourself, really focusing on what you're doing so you're not permanently agitated and distracted, spending a certain amount of time every day working on your goal...

Sometimes just seeing your situation more clearly - getting it in front of you on a piece of paper - can get you moving, and give you a sense of progress.

Give it a try! What would your drawing look like? How can you get all those arrows at least aiming at the same general direction?

Drawing and Meditation

The other day, I needed to calm down.

So I grabbed a slightly dried-out Sharpie and started making dots.

I think I started somewhere near the middle of the paper.

After a while, it looked like this:

There's a lot going on here... the sound of the pen on the paper, following the dots wherever they may want to go, and patience. Not trying to draw a thing. Just making marks.

Interestingly, now I find I can look at it and see all kinds of patterns and moods and things. It reminds me of the surface of a pond.

Like I often say, drawing does not have to be about making something, and it certainly doesn't have to be about judging whether a drawing is "good."

It can be a way to create some mental space for yourself. And we all need some mental space.

Do you have a type of mark you like to make, over and over? Dots, lines, spirals, shapes? Smiley faces? Give yourself some time and space to fill a sheet of paper, or a placemat, or a receipt. Let other parts of your mind take over for a while. A little drawing meditation.

Take it Outside! Drawing in Nature

There's something about drawing outside that just opens up lots of ideas.

Dragons attack castles,

Giant cows take over the city,

Other interesting creatures take shape.

Drawing outside is one of life's great joys. Let me say though, that I highly recommend white boards for this activity. Because that way, if a breeze comes up you don't spend the whole time chasing your drawings around. And, let's face it, it saves some trees. So if you're sitting amongst the trees, I'm sure they appreciate it too.

Last week I got to hang outside with some students and just draw whatever we felt like. It wasn't too hot, the park was beautiful, and everybody just drew and drew.

So, try going outside! It really does give you - and your drawings - room to breathe. And if you don't have a white board, you can use a sketchbook - those are fairly immune to blowing away also.

(Oh, and as an added bonus, in the cow picture above - on the right side of the photo, yes that is a bit of a kid wearing his lunch bag on his head.)

A World Cup Doodle

A little something in honor of the USA victory today...

Sports are really fun to draw, because everything is moving. It's a lot like dance.

On the Importance of Doodling

I know I go on about this, but Drawing Nothing is really important.

Some days, I take a Sharpie and a piece of paper and just work out ideas, over and over.

The sheet looks something like this:

I can go on like this for a while...

Just, looking at ideas, trying out characters, thinking about hairstyles.

Every so often some of the doodles want to interact, or hang out with each other...

That's fine, too.

After a while, I will have worked through some ideas, gotten the pen moving, and given myself a break from drawing "something." And I feel I have more energy.

You can apply this principle in most any activity. Try just noodling around on the piano, or on the guitar, or just pounding some clay without making a particular shape. I think noodling and doodling are pretty similar.

Interestingly, you can open yourself up to ideas this way. Because you are letting yourself go, not making yourself go.

I make time regularly to just fill up some paper. Can you do the same thing with whatever you enjoy doing?

Kids Drawing: And then the confused squid said...

Some of the best drawings happen when you just keep adding another thing, and another thing, and another - in this case, I was giving kids cards with words on them, and they were combining the words and drawing the result. There's something really appealing about all these little drawings arranged together. And you have to love the submarine and the flying cow.

In this second one, it all came together into this huge story that started with a confused squid and went from there. Pretty soon the space shuttle and a turtle were involved. Everybody had something to say. And as I read it, the artist laughed uncontrollably.

We think we have to have a plan in mind to make art, like we have to know what we are going to draw before we draw it. We are so obsessed with results - test scores, trophies, fancy cars... But the great thing about these is, they just happened. They are so much cooler than if the kids had tried to plan it in advance. In one case, she just kept adding more drawings, and in the other, he created a story that involved everything. Both of them are wonderful to look at.

Line Mazes: A Long Long Distance on One Page

Yesterday at the afterschool center, line mazes were all the rage. Here's how they work: I draw a picture, using only one line. The kids' job is to find the beginning and the end.

They look like this:

The kids take their finger and they trace the WHOLE THING. This is a feat of focus and endurance. They get lost. They go backwards. But they are determined.

AND, while they are doing this, they are drawing. Because they're going over all the lines! It's this really cool movement that they are doing.

You don't necessarily have to draw objects like trees and cats and dogs in there, you can just make one huge squiggly line. Making the line is fun, too. Then you can give it to someone and see if they can find the ends.

This project kind of invented itself - I made a one-line drawing one day, to see if I could do it, and one girl decided she would find the ends. The next week, she wanted another one. This week she wanted yet aother one, plus now there was a line of kids requesting them. So it's catching on, based on one student's idea. What a cool thing.

New: Two Free Drawing Lessons With Printable Pages!

I've added a little something to my drawing lessons:

Printable pages at the end that encourage YOU to get out the pencil and start drawing!

To get started, I've updated Two lessons: Anatomy of a Stick Figure, and Draw Faces Your Own Way. These are the first in what will be a series of drawing lessons, all aimed at releasing your Creative Beast.

So here they are - download the PDFs, click, print, and please enjoy!

Anatomy of a Stick Figure

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Draw Faces Your Own Way

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The Creative Beast: YouTube Version!

The Creative Beast has been set to music by Rick DiBiasio of Middle Aged Crazy! All the inspiration, none of the clicking - please enjoy! And then, grab a pencil and try some drawing. Want some ideas on what to draw? Check out the free drawing lesson on "Anatomy of a Stick Figure." Free, with printable pages at the end! Yay!

What Makes Stick Figures Emotional?

I've recently worked on an animation that involves a very sad story about two stick figures.

One of the most interesting things about it is, how emotional the story turned out.

Why is that? I mean, it's just stick figures.

I suspect that it is because of the very fact that the little figures are so generic.

They could be anyone, which means they could be me. Or you. Or someone you know.

The most emotional art creates the feelings in the viewer, not in the art itself.

This is a great thing to remember, when you are telling a story or making a drawing. When you write or draw about feelings that people relate to, they will connect through their own experiences and memories. You don't have to do that work for them.

This is why stick figures can tell such sad stories.

Kids Art Gallery: Kanoni the Hamster!

My friend Jose lives in Oslo, Norway. Jose and I went to college together, more years ago than I am going to count here. Don't even ask.

Jose's son Roald drew these fabulous pictures of his hamster, Kanoni. Don't you just want to pick him up and pet him?

I love the little hands and feet. They really make me think of my pet hamsters I had as a kid. And apparently, Kanoni accompanies Roald when he is at the computer.

I hope these brighten your day!

Draw Faces Your Own Way!

Faces might seem like something hard to draw, that you have to draw "right" in order for them to look "good..."

But faces really do reflect your own personality, in the way you shape them, where you put the features, what expressions you choose to put on them.

They can be such a fun way to show your own feelings, or to illustrate an idea, or just to sit and create different characters and creatures. All you need is a few simple bits to start with, and then have at it!

Please enjoy!

Draw Faces Your Own Way

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Anatomy of a Stick Figure

Stick figures are wonderful little things for telling stories and showing examples.

They can be a little tricky, though. Often I see people struggle with getting the parts to end up in the right places - if they want their figure sitting on a chair, for example, where do you put the head? If they are doing something with their hands, how do you make sure their arms are the right length?

Well, what you need is to think about your own anatomy and go from there. Here's a quick primer on the basics of drawing really great stick figures - so your next drawing, or cartoon, or doodle can be that much more fabulous!

Enjoy!

Anatomy ofa stick_figure

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Art Project: Folding World!

I got hold of some heavier paper yesterday - so we folded ourselves a little world.

In this one, we popped out two chairs, and then cut out a door. Also note the standup person and cat.

This one has a bed. And the little girl figure comes off too, so she can walk around.

This one has a sofa! And, apparently the decor celebrates April Fool's Day. Love the mat on the floor.

Finally we were messing around and turned this one sideways, and it looked to us like a face. So we added some features:

Drawing doesn't have to be flat! So try folding yourself a little world. If we'd had more time I would have tried to make a staircase or a two-story house. Maybe next time...

Make a Great Mistake at The Affluent Artist!

Rick DiBiasio at The Affluent Artist has been kind enough to premiere another one of my animated stories, this one called "Make a Great Mistake!"

It's all about how there's a difference between a Mistake, which can be painful, and something Unexpected, which can be joyful.

Take a look and check out the Affluent Artist while you're at it!

1 Box, 5 steps, Tons of Inspiration

Make a box of art inspiration in a few minutes, and enjoy it forever!

1. Gather together: 1 small card file or other box, some index cards (in various colors if possible), colored pens

2. Take a batch of cards in one color (or put a color along the edge so they'll be easy to sort later) and write one noun on each one (creatures or humans). Like: ballerina, dolphin, fire fighter, astronaut, snake, butterfly

3. Take another batch of cards in another color and write one adjective on each one. Use colorful words like: spiky, spotted, angry, smelly, hairy, gigantic, nervous

4. Take another batch of cards in another color and write one place on each one. Like: the moon, the beach, the ocean, the grocery store, the dentist

5. Stick all the cards, in categories into the box. Voila!

EXTRA CREDIT: Decorate the box. Mine says "Betsy's Art Box" on it and has glitter and stickers.

Have at it!! Here are several games you can play:

Adjective-Adjective-Noun:

Draw two adjective cards and a noun card, and draw the resulting character.

Noun goes to Place:

Draw a noun card and a place card, then draw a scene or a comic about the result.

Noun-Noun:

Draw two noun cards, and draw a character that combines the two.

Adjective-Noun goes to Place:

Draw an adjective card, noun card and place card. Draw the resulting character and the story of what happens in drawing or comic form.

Extra Goodness:

- For kids, I let them sift through the cards until they find something appealing. No harm in that.

- It's great to freshen up your word cards, or add new ones, every so often. That's a big part of the fun.

- This is a terrific vocabulary builder for young readers/writers, both using the cards and making up the words to put on them.

- It's also great for English language learners. I've never tried making a bilingual box, but that could be really cool. If you do, tell me!

- If you have a visual dictionary around, might be good to keep it handy. So when someone draws a card that says, "wombat" or something, they can look up what the thing actually looks like.

- This can also be really nice on car trips, though I must say that no matter where you use it, total card spillage is pretty much inevitable - hence the color coding.

Enjoy!!