OBJECTIVES

This activity provides participants with basic drawing skills and progressively improves their confidence in their abilities, all the while giving them an opportunity to study an object or pattern from their community.

NEEDS

Pencils; paper (e.g. computer paper, letter size); tracing paper; images (photos or photocopies) of objects and patterns that are significant for the community.

The activity requires a room with tables, and if possible, windows with natural light.

STEPS

1. Drawing warm-up: the trainer asks the participants to draw half a page of lines, then circles, triangles, squares, aiming for increased consistency and assurance — 10 min

2. The trainer spreads all of the inspiration images on a table; participants select one image that speaks to them — 5 min

3. Using a pencil and tracing paper, they place the image on a window (if available) and trace it in 10 minutes. When time is up, they all post their drawing on the wall and the trainer and participants comment the results — 15 min

4. Repeat Step 2, but this time the tracing is done in 5 minutes, and posted next to the previous tracing — 10 min

5. Repeat Step 2, but this time the tracing is done in 2 minutes, and posted next to the two previous tracings — 7 min

6. On white paper, the participants are asked to draw their image from memory in 10 minutes. They post their drawing next to the original image and compare — 12 min

7. The group discusses what each participant focused on in their drawing and what interested them about the image they picked — 5 min