Paper Curl Observational Drawing

This is a super simple observational drawing lesson that has, in my opinion, very elegant, fresh and contemporary results. Plus it's very inexpensive!!!

I found the lesson HERE on the Painted Apple art blog.

I taught this to my Grade 7 - 9 drawing elective class.

I cut a bunch of strips of heavier weight white paper using my paper cutter. 

Between about 6 - 8 " in length. Have students choose a strip and then twist/bend/manipulate it into some type of curl. I was impressed by the variety of curls students came up with.

Students had already learned how to do a simple line contour drawing, so they started with that, drawing lightly with a HB pencil until they got the proportion just right. 

Then, using darker drawing pencils, blending stumps/ tortillons and kneaded erasers (my students love these), they started adding shading. They were encouraged to use the entire value scale.

I turned all the classroom lights off and just let in the natural sunlight 

which come from only one side of our room; it created a consistent shadow on all of the curls.

Most students managed to finish one curl in an 80 minute period; a few needed more time, 

especially those with more complex and/or larger curls.

I loved this 'Tower of Babel-esque' curl below!!!

my quick demo on my easel

Completed Grade7/8/9 drawings: