Category: EDCI 336 (Page 1 of 3)

For this inquiry post, I decided to challenge myself to try blind drawing with two objects, my teddy bear and water bottle.

The goal was to draw each object without looking at my paper, focusing only on the object itself. At first, it felt really unnatural to not glance down and check my work but I stuck with it, allowing my hand to go where it wanted.

Surprisingly, my teddy bear drawing turned out better than I expected. It was definitely still not perfect but I could recognize its shape and features.

That gave me a bit more confidence until I moved on to drawing my water bottle, than things fell apart. The lines didn’t connect properly and the shapes were way off. There also needed to be writing for this drawing, so that was very wonky as well. Since I wasn’t happy with it, I decided to give myself a second try. Somehow it turned out even worse!

This activity really showed me how much I rely on my sight when drawing. I never realized how often I check my work and make small corrections as I go. Without being able to look, I felt a bit lost and disconnected from my work. However it was a great awareness exercise! It forced me to slow down and really focus on observing details rather than fixating on any mistakes I make. This could be a great activity for students in a classroom needing to take a bit of a brain break. This activity could improve their hand-eye coordination and let go of their perfectionism. I definitely want to look into more activities like this that can be done in my future classrooms. 

I’ve explored a lot of online resources such as YouTube and apps but I wanted to look into more easily accessible options. Specifically, I wanted to look at books that help teach young students how to draw. The books I found aren’t just step-by-step instructions, but also encourage students to embrace their mistakes and express themselves creatively. I have found five great recommendations thats I believe will work well in the classroom

(I’ve included the YouTube link to all the book readings on YouTube as well, but they are all available for purchase in stores and online)

The first book is “Ish” by Peter H. Reynolds. This book focuses on celebrating expressive and imaginative artworks, instead of focusing on making things “perfect”. It’s a great book that helps students overcome their fear of mistakes and just enjoy drawing. It’s a very great book to read to encourage students to embrace their creativity and imperfections. 

The next book I found was “Ed Emberley’s Drawing Book of Animals” by Ed Emberley. This is a great book that shows students the step-by-step methods for simple drawings. It teaches students to build complex drawings using simple shapes, making it perfect for young learners who are just starting to draw. It encourages kids creativity, well also helping with learning their shapes and improving their fine motor skills.

Another book I found is “The Dot” by Peter H Reynolds. This is a great story to inspire any reluctant students. It encourages kids to start with just one mark and build on it. Pairing this story with an art activity where we students build on a simple dot could inspire students to continue art in the future. 

“Let’s Draw!” by Sachiko Umoto is another good book for students to follow along with. It teaches students how to draw people, animals and plants in a fun and cartoonish way. It breaks down complex images into easy to follow steps that the students are engaged with. 

The final book I found is “How to Draw 101 Animals” by Dan Green. It’s a simple book that provides step-by-step instructions on drawing animals. It’s a great book to have in the classroom if any students want to explore with their drawing skills more. 

I feel like the step-by-step books are great resources to have lying around the classroom for any students who would like to explore drawing all on their own. Introducing books like “Ish” and “The Dot” as a classroom activity could encourage students to try new art and drawing techniques, which they may have been scared to do before. These are just some of the books out there that I found and there’s so many more to explore! They are definitely great resources to have in your future classrooms and I recommend looking at what else is out there. 

For this inquiry post, I wanted to explore three different apps designed to help people learn how to draw: SimplyDraw, Drawing Desk and ArtCanvas.

Each app had it’s own strengths and flaws, and although I didn’t try the paid versions, I can definitely see how unlocking more features would make the apps even more helpful. I went through one lesson in each app and found that SimplyDraw was my favourite. One of the main reasons I liked it so much was the flexibility it offered. You are able to choose either drawing on paper or on your iPad. I chose the paper option. The app breaks down the drawing into very manageable steps as well. It doesn’t rush you into anything, offering little lessons like learning how to shade first. I also really liked how the app lets you take photos of your sketches and provides immediate feedback. This made the learning process feel more interactive and helpful. 

ArtCanvas was another solid app that I tested out. Unlike SimplyDraw, this one is strictly for digital drawing but I enjoyed how the app broke down the process into smaller, more manageable steps. However, one drawback is that you can’t use an eraser, you can only undo your last step. This made it a little frustrating when i just wanted to clean up a small line rather than completely undo my last action. Still, the structured approach was great for beginners and I can see this being a great tool for learning how to draw.

Drawing Desk was also a good app, though it does have a few more limitations. The biggest downside is that you can only see one free lesson per day, which makes it hard to use consistently unless you’re able to pay. That said, it does an amazing job of breaking down sketches and even includes voice guidance, which makes it feel more like having a teacher walk you through the process. I liked that this app includes an eraser, unlike ArtCanvas, but I did run into an issue where I erased too much. You unfortunately aren’t able to go back and change the colours (or I at least haven’t figured out how too yet!), so you just have to leave the missing patch of colour. This is why my donut drawing ended up with a weird missing patch. 

Overall, each app had features I liked but SimplyDraw stood out the most for its combination of flexibility and feedback. I also found it interesting how different apps approach teaching in different ways. Some focus more on digital techniques, while others focus more on traditional sketching.  If I were to continue using an app, it would probably be SimplyDraw, though I am curious to explore and see what other apps have to offer and maybe even try out some free trials.

For this post, I decided to take my drawing outside and sketch in nature. I went to a nearby park on a sunny day, bringing a blanket and some snacks so the experience is as enjoyable as possible.

Instead of putting pressure on myself to create something perfect, I didn’t have any expectations and simply sketched the landscape around me. I focused more on the shapes and texture rather than trying to draw every little detail. Even though my drawing isn’t an exact replica of what I saw, I’m really happy with how it turned out. 

What I enjoyed about this experience wasn’t just the drawing, but being able to slow down, be present and really take in my surroundings. I noticed things I probably would have overlooked if I had just gone for a walk through the park. There was something really peaceful about sitting outside and creating without any distractions. 

One thing I found interesting was how being in nature actually influenced how I felt when drawing. I didn’t feel rushed or frustrated if a line wasn’t perfect because I was more focused on the experience rather than the outcome. I also felt more connected to what I was drawing. I felt like I was part of the environment, which I don’t feel when using a basic reference photo. I could hear the birds and feel the warmth of the sun, which you can’t get well sitting inside at a desk. 

This activity really reinforced that art doesn’t always have to be about producing something “perfect”. It can be about the process of creating and how it makes you feel. I’d love to try this again but maybe at a new location like the beach next time. 

For this inquiry post, I focused on doodling as a way to take a mental break. I put on a show in the background, one I’ve seen before so I wouldn’t be too invested and let myself draw freely. One of the things I love about doodling is that there’s no pressure to get things perfect. Unlike when I’m following a specific tutorial or sketching an object, doodling feels completely open-ended. There’s no way to mess up, which makes it such a relaxing way to express myself. I often get frustrated when a drawing doesn’t work out the way I want it to, so having an outlet where mistakes don’t really exist makes the process much more enjoyable.

I also realized that I usually scroll on my phone when I’m in front of the tv, which is not my best habit. I found doodling gave me something more creative and mindful to do instead. In fact, I was so focused on my drawings I barely even paid attention to the show. This experiment showed me that doodling can be a great way to unwind without distraction and I definitely want to start incorporating it into my downtime.

I also wanted to compare this experience to using my iPad since I sometimes go on a colouring app for fun watching tv. This time, instead of colouring, I opened a blank canvas and doodled just like I did on paper.

While it was still enjoyable, I don’t think it’s my preferred method. There’s something about using actual paper that feels more relaxing. With the iPad I was way more tempted to erase and redo my work, trying to make everything look perfect since it’s easier to do that digitally. On paper, I don’t have that option so I just enjoyed the process without overthinking every line. It reminded me that sometimes the imperfections in art are what make it fun and having a physical page to flip through afterward made the experience feel more rewarding. 

For this inquiry post, I wanted to explore how time constraints can influence my drawing process. So to do this, I chose two simple objects: an ice cream cone and a turtle. I then drew each one twice, once with a one minute time limit and again with a five minute time limit.

 Right away, I noticed a huge difference between the two experiences. When I only had one minute, I felt rushed and pressured to get something on the page as fast as possible. The first lines I put down were what I had to stick with since I didn’t have time to go back and fix anything, which made the drawings feel messy. Instead of being able to fully focus on the drawing process, I was constantly aware of the timer counting down. 

In contrast, the five minute drawings felt much more intentional. I had time to adjust lines, add small details and actually enjoy the process instead of just trying to finish it as fast as possible. Having more time made a huge difference in how confident I felt while drawing and I found the final results were noticeably better. However, I can see how quick sketches could be good for practicing spontaneity and getting ideas down without overthinking. 

Here are the reference photos I used to give you a better understanding of what I was drawing.

This was a really fun way to challenge myself and it made me think about how time affects creativity. While I definitely prefer having more time to perfect my work, it would be interesting to see how giving an even shorter time limit may affect the outcome.

For this inquiry post, I decided to combine drawing with music to see how it influences my creativity and style. I went on Youtube and created a playlist filled with calm and instrumental songs, which I have added below. The goal was to let the music guide me as I doodled, allowing my lines and shapes to reflect how I was feeling while listening. 

Once I had my playlist ready, I went outside, where there are less distractions, with my sketchbook and started drawing. I didn’t have a plan or specific objective in mind, just to let the music guide me. I found that as I listened, I naturally created smoother and softer lines. The softer melodies and gentle rhythms seemed to influence my drawing, making it more relaxed. I wasn’t as focused on being perfect either but rather on the movement of my lines, which made the process feel more free. 

It was really interesting to see how the music influenced the fluidity of my lines. The calming tone of the songs made me gravitate towards drawing more curved and wiggly lines, avoiding super sharp or jagged does. The mood of the music also seemed to shape my drawing style. The lighter, more upbeat moments of the songs resulted in me drawing more delicate and playful shapes, well the sadder parts I drew slightly messier and looser doodles. I also drew an ocean scene at one point, as the song reminded me of being underwater and just surrounded by peace. I think listening to music when drawing really helped me feel more present and relaxed. This really improved my focus by blocking out distractions and allowed me to stay engaged with the whole drawing process. 

Drawing while listening to calming music was a really soothing and inspiring experience. It made me realize how much music can influence the creative process, not just emotionally but also visually. The flowing, gentle lines I created felt like a reflection of the softer sounds I was hearing. I think this a great strategy for not only adults but something to incorporate into my future classrooms as well. It’s a helpful way to give the students a brain break and relax but still express their creativity. 

For this free inquiry post, I decided to combine what we learned in class with my drawing practice. I screen recorded my iPad as I sketched a simple turtle, which helps people see all the steps I took. I don’t draw on my iPad very often, so this definitely wasn’t my best sketch, but it was a great way to practice both drawing and using new technology skills. 

One thing I noticed right away is how different it feels to draw on a screen versus paper. The smooth texture made it tricky to keep my lines straight. It was very easy to accidentally create wiggly or uneven lines. Despite that, I really enjoyed the flexibility of drawing on my iPad. Being able to quickly erase or hit undo made experimenting with different shapes and lines way easier. Unlike using a pencil, where erasing can leave marks or tears, digital drawing lets you fix mistakes without any mess. Another feature I loved was the ability to zoom in and out. When I needed to add smaller details, I just pinched to zoom in, which made it way easier to draw precisely. I also discovered that I could switch my eraser to a partial setting, which made it super easy to zoom in and clean up any stray or messy lines. 

Overall this was a really fun and useful learning experience. Being able to use the screen recording with my inquiry assignment gave me a chance to reflect on my process and see how my drawing evolved step by step. This activity was very enjoyable, so I will definitely keep practicing and expanding on these skills in the future. 

For the next part of my inquiry assignment, I decided to focus on learning 3D shapes and how to make them look realistic. This has always been challenging for me, I could never get my shapes to look 3D instead of flat and 2D. I actually got the inspiration to focus on this at work. I was drawing with one of the kids and he started showing me all these cool 3D shapes he could make. It was impressive how realistic he could make them look, something I’ve always struggled with. I started practicing with him, but my shapes didn’t always turn out as I wanted (and usually never as good as his). 

I was determined to improve and show the boy the progress I made. So I went home and watched several YouTube videos. The one I found most beneficial was How to Draw 3D Shapes – Exercises for Beginners by Liron Yancosky.

The video was super helpful because it broke down all the different ways to draw 3D shapes, like using a bird’s-eye view or choosing which side of the box to see. I found it fascinating how super small changes can completely change the perspective of the shape. Watching this video helped me understand the concepts a lot better and I can already see the differences in my drawings. Although I’m still not perfect, I’m excited to keep practicing and improving.

If anyone else is struggling with drawing 3D shapes, I definitely recommend checking out the video I linked. It’s super-beginner friendly and very helpful. I’m looking forward to seeing how this new skill will influence my drawings from now on.