Tina Lai: Blind Contour Drawing Practice

Blind Contour Drawing Practice

 

Tina Lai (She/Her)

      Nancy's work in From the Sea is primarily concerned with the ocean itself. Her work is seems heavily influenced by shells and the water they come from. Through her "sea" works, we can see light patterns creating the sensation of the flowing water. This  creates interesting lines and colours. Through her brush strokes, she reveals the magnificence and mystery of the ocean to the viewer. Consequently, when viewing her works, viewers can also be transported to memories or experiences of the beauty and majesty of the ocean. 

      I am fascinated by the shell elements she uses in her practice. I therefore created a kid-friendly drawing activity based on the concepts of water and shells.  This activity is a blind contour drawing practice and it is accessible for young children. The children are given an opportunity to work by themselves at home. Here, I will lay out some very simple instructions for assisting kids in completing the activity. Let’s enjoy the time for art!

 

Practical Guidelines

Let's Draw Water:

  • Prepare a large bowl of water in a glass container and put it in the sunlight. 
  • Make sure there are some wind movement in your working space, as we would like the water flowing while doing the drawing.  
  • Grab some coloured pencils and paper and start drawing. 
  • With the colour you have chosen, begin drawing. 
  • Draw without looking at the paper; instead focus on the glass of water. 
  • Make sure to pay attention to the waves and water flow. 
  • Try to capture the movement of the waves and the light. 
  • Keep changing colours while drawing. 
  • On your paper, the lines can overlap and move in a fresh way.

*TIP: I would advise placing your water close to a window so you can get some light and wind.*

Let's Draw Shells:

  • Prepare a variety of shells of any desired size or shape. 
  • Draw on some paper with some coloured pencils. 
  • With the colour you have chosen, begin drawing. 
  • Close your eyes while drawing. 
  • Feel the texture of the shells by touching them. 
  • Consider how the texture of each shell contrasts with the other shells. 
  • Learn from the texture by closing your eyes and using your hands to feel the shell all around you. 
*TIP: Relax and pay attention to the feeling without worrying about the obvious results. *

Benefits of doing this drawing activity:

Doing blind contour drawing requires high observational skills since it forces you to just look at the object while getting the drawing finished. Secondly, drawing with eyes closed by examining objects with your hands can help enhance the development of a child's sense of touch. Moreover, the final result is always somewhat abstract, which connect the young artist to Nancy’s work. 


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