ABOUT THIS BLOG

"A Faithful Attempt" is designed to showcase a variety of K-12 art lessons, the work of my art students, as well as other art-related topics. Projects shown are my take on other art teacher's lessons, lessons found in books or else designed by myself.
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LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I acknowledge, with deep respect, that I am gathered on Treaty 7 territory. I acknowledge the many First Nations, Métis and Inuit whose footsteps have marked these lands for generations. I recognize the land as an act of reconciliation and gratitude to those whose territory we reside on or are visiting.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Southwestern Pen & Ink Landscape Drawing


This is a pen & ink lesson I recently finished up with my Grade 9's. The kids really enjoyed it and it was the perfect lesson for the end of the year.
It uses simple materials: white paper and black pens (ball point, rollerball pens, whatever you have). It also reinforces basic landscape drawing skills as well as hatching techniques. I found the initial idea from this website which has drawing assignments for art teachers.

So I gave students a handout which had ideas for their Southwestern style landscape- cactuses, pinnacles, buttes, mesas, desert plants, etc. They did a practice sketch first in their sketchbook (see below). You could of course also show the kids a slideshow of desert landscape photos from Arizona, New Mexico, etc.


For the good copy, simply start off with a Southwestern-style horizon line.


Then begin adding detail: students had to include a background, middle ground and foreground.
They did their good copy in pencil first, but you could also easily draw it straight away in pen.


In their sketchbooks they also practised hatching and cross-hatching techniques using a black pen.
You can find some good printable handouts from this website: http://www.artyfactory.com/

Image via: http://www.artyfactory.com/
Here's a detail of some pen hatching.  I explained to them that it's a way to show value through line.


Here are some of the Grade 9 results. I love all the different styles of hatching.
Ta daaa!


























5 comments:

Nancie Kay said...

Very nicely done! Here's a resource that would give your students more examples of our desert: http://www.arizonahighways.com/. Too bad you don't live closer - I know where you could get old copies by the boxful!

Miss said...

What a great resource, Nancie! I love the photos on that website. I've never been to the Southwest USA, but would love to one day.

artteacher said...

Amazing! I love the variety of results. The first one is very graphic. Great job!

Anni Litt said...

Miss -

I am a graphic designer, and I have a project for a seasoning label. I would like to use one of these drawings to present, and it may be approved for use. Would this be OK with you?

Miss said...

Hi Anni,
Sorry, I can't give out rights for my student's artwork (it's their own private work) but thanks for asking!

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