Starting Draw Squad Tomorrow - Please help! :)

[Jennefer@SSA]

Okay, I am so far behind. I am completely art-phobic to begin with. My original plan was to start art about 6 weeks into school, once all other subjects were up and running. Then came Hurricane Ike setting us back. Then first trimester pregnancy exhaustion and sickness and then surgery. It is now November and I haven't even opened the book until tonight!!!! I have to start or it just won't happen.

Sometime tell me I'm not going to faint! :D ;)

I do have a few questions about Draw Squad before we begin tomorrow...

First, how do you schedule the lessons? Do you do it all one day a week? Do one drawing in each lesson a day? I know the author says you need to draw every day so I am confused.

Also, do you have your dc draw in the book like Kistler says or do they do all drawings in a separate notebook?

Any other suggestions/ideas/comments before we start in the morning? Anyone want to wish this art-phob good luck! :001_smile:

[jensway]

Well from one Jen to another good luck! No talent for art here. I'm sure things will go just fine.

[Laura Corin]

We didn't end up drawing every day - I just didn't have the energy. We did it once a week, for about half an hour a time. Calvin has little interest in the subject, so that was about the limit of our joint attention span. It would have been better to do it more often, but we still learned (I did it alongside him - we each had our own sketch pad) and it was worthwhile.

We haven't finished the book yet - things are a bit crazed at present and we stopped off to do some free-form art - but I intend to pick it up again.

Don't stress too much - it's possible to do it quite casually and still feel like there is a benefit.

Laura

[hose]

It would be good to draw for 10-15 min. per day if you can fit that into your schedule. Also, check your library for the videos. Mine has them and it makes the lessons SOOOOOO much easier! (And fun!)

[Jennefer@SSA]

Which videos did you use?

Thanks!

[hose]

Which videos did you use?

Thanks!


They are just entitled Mark Kistler's Draw Squad. It is a series of about 25 videos. Start and the beginning and work your way through. After you get through approx. ten videos, the series begins over at an intermediate level, and then again at an advanced level. We've only used the beginner level. They are a bit corny, but my kids liked them. It was a whole lot easier than merely using the book.

I hope you can find them!

[Lori D.]

We used Drawn Squad last year and the year before. We scheduled it for 10 minutes a day (20 minutes, if people got really into it), 3-4 times a week. I did it along with the boys, with each of us having one of those "newsprint" type of paper (lightweight, light beige colored paper) drawing pad. We did one "art drawing attack" a day. It was easy to do, and a lot of fun (and I'm not naturally talented in art!). So, below is a schedule for you; hope it helps! Warmly, Lori D.

week 1
- day 1 = read Lesson 1 Warm Up, and do Art Attack Drawing #1
- day 2 = do Art Attack Drawing #2
- day 3 = do Art Attack Drawing #3, and look at the Motivator
- day 4 = do Art Attack #4

week 2
- day 1 = look at the Student Gallery, and do Art Attack Drawing #5
- day 2 = do Art Attack Drawing #6
- day 3 = do The Bruce McIntyre Achievement Scale Level 1

week 3 ... continue ...

[Jennefer@SSA]

Thank you ladies. :)

[Shannon]

We haven't used this but dh happened to look over my shoulder while I was looking at the Draw Squad website and he got very excited. He said that he used to watch these shows on Saturday mornings when he was a kid and loved it. He really enjoys drawing now and said that this is how he first learned!

We might need to check into this as well! :)

[Jennefer@SSA]

We did lesson 1 yesterday! (Can you hear my huge sigh of relief? :001_smile:) It was a huge hit. I decided to do the entire lesson at once since I don't think we will be consistent enough to do it daily. I realize we would gain more benefit from it that way but this will be perfect for now. I am keeping the ideas for scheduling more consistently for when ds2 is a little older and will allow us a little more freedom! As it is now, Dh is home on Friday and can keep the little on occupied while ds4 and ds7 and I do art. I will be learning right along with my boys for sure!!! My "pre-test" was hardly distinguishable from theirs!!! :lol::lol::lol:

[Lori D.]

Woohoo! You go, girl! Sounds like you're all going to have a lot of fun with this!

[Camy]

My kids love Mark Kistler, but we have not formally done his program. However, as an artist, I would recommend that you provide the opportunity and materials so your children can draw anytime(i.e. pencils, paper, markers, whatever medium you have).

On top of the skills they can learn from Draw Squad, allow them to practice their creativity and newfound skills. It helps to keep the t.v. and computer off, so that they may be encouraged to resort to paper and pencil.

Also, don't critique their work. Give encouragement and praise, even if what they have created is a blob of "what the heck is that anyway." Allow them to color outside the lines on occasion.

Art is fun and creative, and can be enriching w/ a little structure (little is better).

Blessings.

[Jennefer@SSA]

Thanks, Camy. You are so right and your post is a great reminder. Sometimes I hesitate to leave art materials out b/c ds2 gets into everything but in this case the risk is well worth the potential benefit!!!

Thanks again!

[Camy]

Jennefer, I wanted to tell you that I do not leave art materials out, for the very reason you mentioned....toddlers like to get into these things. I keep paint (yuck..I hate paint), markers (when we have some that work..grin), and scissors put up out of reach in a covered box. However, crayons, colored pencils, and pencils are available near out table along w/ a box of computer paper. This way, even the toddler can't cause too much trouble if he gets into those things. It is amazing what kids can do w/ just a pencil and a white piece of paper. Blessings!