Colleen in NS
01-29-2009, 06:52 PM
I've been sloooowwwwwllllly going through DWC with my kids, probably over 2 or 3 years. I've had to read and re-read and try things out before I'm confident enough to show my kids some of the techniques in the book without stumbling and making them frustrated. Anyway, a few weeks ago I finally tackled some of the negative space exercises in the volume drawing chapter with them. They, of course, got it pretty quickly. Then last night I tackled the second part of that chapter, the one where you actually copy the tiger lilies picture, with shading. I had to read the instructions and ideas several times before I understood what was going on. But once I did, and once I started, I finally understood and drew the main flower - and it was easy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I took one art class in high school, learned a bit of contour drawing (but I like how DWC does it better). But never learned shading. As much as it takes huge effort for me to concentrate on DWC, I love it. She really does explain things clearly. And now I have another tiny skill to pass on to my kids. I showed them my picture this morning. Ds said, "That looks really hard! I can't do that!" I told him he'd definitely be able to. We'll try to work on it next week.
Spanish....I received my So You Really Want To Learn Spanish 1 this week. I was a little overwhelmed with it at first, until I saw at the verb conjugations and vocab lists. Then my PL/LC1/LC2-trained brain kicked in and I realized, "Hey, all I need to do is make vocab cards, and make verb conjugation cards, and include it in memory work. The rest I'll figure out as we work through the book. I can do this!"
I'm so grateful for WTM and it's recommendations - by using most of them, my brain is starting to be able to figure out what programs will be systematic for learning new skills, and how I can adapt the ones that aren't quite so systematic (I need systems).
Spanish....I received my So You Really Want To Learn Spanish 1 this week. I was a little overwhelmed with it at first, until I saw at the verb conjugations and vocab lists. Then my PL/LC1/LC2-trained brain kicked in and I realized, "Hey, all I need to do is make vocab cards, and make verb conjugation cards, and include it in memory work. The rest I'll figure out as we work through the book. I can do this!"
I'm so grateful for WTM and it's recommendations - by using most of them, my brain is starting to be able to figure out what programs will be systematic for learning new skills, and how I can adapt the ones that aren't quite so systematic (I need systems).