Recommended Website:
How To Draw It
List member Mary Burns suggested today’s site when she wrote, “I was looking for instructions on how to draw a goat, and found this site. It has cute rhymes to go with the step-by-step drawing instructions.”
The rhymes are mnemonic devices to help students remember how to draw the creatures — everything from mice and frogs to a phoenix and centaurs. For example in “How To Draw A Rabbit” you are shown how to use pear-shapes to make bunnies. The rhyme in this lesson goes…
pears can be hares with pink in their ears
and long silky whiskers and cottontail rears
Not only can you access free instructions on how to draw creatures, you can read the book, “The Elements of Drawing” by John Ruskin for free at the site. It includes:
- On First Practice — Detailed exercises in shading, pencil drawing of natural items, and watercolor practice.
- Sketching From Nature — Extensive notes and practical tips on refining the art of sketching nature.
- On Color — Information about color techniques, tints, materials, and even the art of black and white drawing. Get a list of the “24 Essential Colors.”
- On Composition — Learn the artistic “Laws” of interchange, consistency, harmony, repetition, continuity, curvature, and more.
This is a wonderful site to begin to explore the art of drawing. Even if you think you can’t draw, this site will quickly convince you that anyone can. Great for parents who don’t know how to draw, but want to help their kids learn. You can do it! :)
