Some Basic Drawing Guidelines for the Young Artist

Here are Some basic drawing guidelines for my students.

Take care of your tools, and your tools will take care of you. Keep your pencils, pens, brushes, and mediums clean, organized, and put away.

Keep your work area organized. Put the pencils in the same order and neatly arranged so you won't have to stop being creative and have to turn detective to find the red one or the eraser.

Start by drawing lightly with a hard pencil like a 2b. Your lines should be light as if made out of spider thread. This will make it easy to erase and easy to draw over mistakes.

Look for basic shapes and use them to develop an outline.

Draw the outline first.

Sketch your whole picture in 5 minutes; scribble if you have to. Next, spend the next hour fine-tuning it.

Draw the picture as a whole; avoid working in one area and not working on others.

The most important part is the first 10%. Take a break and stop. Come back and look it all over and check your work it is easier to fix problems now than later.

Save the fun stuff for last. In every picture, there is some feature that you really want to develop, but if you spend a lot of time on it early on, that item will look overdeveloped, and the rest of the picture will look weak.  Do everything else first, and the favorite part will fit in better.

Don't use the same pencil for the whole drawing. Soft pencils are darker, and hard pencils are lighter use them all.

No one is you; don't compare your drawing to the drawing someone else does.

Your drawing doesn't need to have a perfect start. Don't get discouraged, and it will have an excellent finish.

Look at the thing you are drawing as much as the drawing of the item.

Change the way you think about a pencil. It is now a tool like a hammer. You hold a hammer one way to pound a nail and a different way to pull a nail. You hold a pencil one way to shade an area and a different way to sketch fine details. Experiment with holding the pencil in different ways.

Sketch every day, even if it is only for a few minutes. The minutes will add up.

Sketch every kind of thing you see.

Save the erasing for the cleanup- don't even bring it out until you are almost done.

How to Paint a Picture of a Butterfly on a Flower, Watercolor Worksheet for the Beginner

How to paint a butterfly picture art lesson and worksheet.

This is a good practice project and skill builder for any young artist or beginner.
 

How to Paint a Picture of a Butterfly on a Flower
Worksheet And Art Lesson 

My printables are free, so print as many as you like. I only ask that you consider making a donation. Your gift of support will enable me to create more worksheets for you. 

Thank you for your support.

A WORD ABOUT PRINTING THE WORKSHEET

If you need help printing, CLICK HERE to visit my how-to-print page for some suggestions. There is an updated link below that may print better.

👉👉👉 CLICK HERE for a PDF file.

ART SUPPLY LIST

You can use any watercolor paint. I prefer my small Windsor Newton paint set; it has a nice selection of colors. I also use Grumbacher Paints in the tubes.  You can easily find these at any craft store like Lobby Hobby or Michaels. (Look for coupons online.) You can collect lots of paintbrushes, but it is better at the start to keep it simple with a few small, medium, and medium-large brushes and a combination of flats as well as rounded paintbrushes. For these art lessons, I use Strathmore series 300 Watercolor paper. It is economical and available at Michaels and Hobby Lobby and online. 

PRINTABLE NOTES.

BEGINNINGS
Trace the design onto 140-pound watercolor paper, this is the heavy paper that will not buckle. If the paper is too thick to trace through place it against a window with the light shining behind it and then you should be able to trace it easily.

BACKGROUND
Wet the paper all around the butterfly and the flower. Be careful to not cross over into the butterfly or the flower. Mix some watery green and "Drop" it into the background in different places. To give the background movement and interest drop into some watery yellows into the green with a clean brush drop in some watery blues into the background. For the darker areas drop in some watery lavender or purple into some places. Let the colors flow and blend and mix in interesting ways. You may need to use a tissue to blot some out or use a brush to help the colors to blend.

LET THE BACKGROUND DRY BEFORE YOU GO ON.

Use light green for the stem and leaves. You can give the leaves and stem more brilliance by going over the background around it with a wash of lavender, purple or violet.

BUTTERFLY WINGS STEP ONE
Use a watery yellow-orange color for the bottom sections of the wing. While it is still wet paint in some orange-red for the top areas. Try not to go into the places set aside for white. Let the paper be the white color there.

WINGS STEP TWO.
Use black and the tip of a small brush to draw the body and black edging of the wings. Be careful to go around the white areas. Go over the body in the same way. After the orange has dried use black to paint in the three dots on the lower wing.

FLOWER STEP ONE
With the tip of a small brush use a light blue-green color and draw details and shadows on the white part of the flower. it should be very light.

FLOWER STEP TWO
With a medium brush use yellow to paint the center of the blossom. While it is still wet use the tip of a small brush and dab orange around the bottom edge of the center.

THE ANTENNA
DO NOT PAINT THE ANTENNA! Instead, use a fine-tipped marker and just draw them in. Mixing media is an acceptable practice and is a sign of a mature artist.

Sign your work about an inch up from the bottom that way there is room for the frame.

(c) Adron Dozat 5/17/19

Become a Patron!

How to Paint a Picture of a Ship at Sunset art Lesson and Worksheet

This is a free how-to paint a ship sailing at sunset art lesson and worksheet. 

Here is a good practice project and skill builder for any young artist or beginner.

👇👇👇 SCROLL DOWN BELOW THE IMAGE FOR YOUR PDF
 

Teachers and parents will be able to use this in class or as a do-at-home project. It can be a lesson by itself or an extra activity.

How to Paint a Picture Worksheet Painting a Ship at Sunset

My printables are free, so print as many as you like I only ask that you consider making a donation. Your gift of support will enable me to create more worksheets for you. Thank you for your support.

CLICK HERE for a PDF file. 

Remember to set your printer to color.

A WORD ABOUT PRINTING THE WORKSHEET

For help with printing, CLICK HERE to visit my how-to-print page for some suggestions.  or try one of the updated links below that should print better.

See an alternate version of this ship with two ship mermaids that you can trace onto watercolor paper in a larger size, CLICK HERE.

ART SUPPLY LIST

You can use any watercolor paint. I prefer my small Windsor Newton paint set; it has a nice selection of colors. I also use Grumbacher Paints in the tubes.  You can easily find these at any craft store like Lobby Hobby or Michaels. (Look for coupons online.) You can collect lots of paintbrushes, but it is better at the start to keep it simple with a few small, medium, and medium-large brushes and a combination of flats as well as rounded paintbrushes. For these art lessons, I use Strathmore series 300 Watercolor paper. It is economical and available at Michaels and Hobby Lobby and online. 

PRINTABLE NOTES.

BEGINNINGS
Trace the design onto 140-pound watercolor paper, this is the heavy paper that will not buckle. If the paper is too thick to trace through place it against a window with the light shining behind it and then you should be able to trace it easily.

CLICK HERE to see a larger more detailed version of this project.

SKY (NOT CLOUDS)
Wet the paper in the sky area. With a large wide flat brush lay watery violet, plumb, and lavender in the top area then blue in the middle sky, and light blue near the horizon. Use long horizontal strokes to lay it in. You may need to play with it a little to get the darker values at the top and lighter colors in the bottom. Every sunset is different so don't get too upset if it is not perfect. Use a paper towel to dry the brush and use a dry brush to help the colors go from light to dark.

AFTER THE SKY DRIES PAINT THE CLOUDS
Just like the background sky get the clouds wet with clear water. Use a small brush and drop watery colors into the clouds. Use rose, orange-yellow. Keep a paper towel near to dry the brush and use the dryer brush to move the colors around. Add a little VERY LITTLE grey dark blue in a few places to give the stormy look. If the clouds get too dark or too much color, use fresh clear water on a clean brush and get them wet then use a tissue or a paper towel to blot out the color.

AFTER THE CLOUDS DRY DO THE SEA.
Be careful to keep the whites, the splash at the front of the ship, and the highlights clean. Use small brushes for the area near the horizon and a larger brush for the sea in the foreground. The brushes should be not too wet. Stroke the colors back and forth starting at the horizon and going down. Mix blues, greens, and even black-browns into the sea. Mix the colors on the paper. When it dries you may want to touch it up. Sometimes a brush with clear water can soften the distant sea. REMEMBER to leave some white places for the sparkle of the sun on the sea.
Remember the sea is light near the horizon and darker in the foreground.

THE SPLASH AT THE FRONT OF THE BOAT AFTER THE SEA IS DRY
The splash at the front of the boat is almost white but not really white. use a very watery mix of blue-grey and a small brush and dab in some color.

DO THE SAILS AFTER THE SKY IS DRY
Use a medium brush and a watery almost clear mix of yellow for the sails. With a small brush edge the shadow areas with orange or violet.

AFTER THE SEA IS DRY DO THE SHIP IN STEPS.
You will use brushes differently for the boat, think of it as drawing with a brush and not so much painting.

Use the tip of the brush to paint the red railing, add a little purple for the shadow near the front of the ship.

Start the hull and cabin of the ship with light brown. Let the light brown dry then work in the shadows with a dark blue-brown but be sure to leave the sunny sides light

With brown use the tip of the brush and draw in the masts and wooden parts of the sails. Use a small brush and edge some dark brown with black for the shadow on the mast. The banners are red with purple shadows. Let the red dry before you add the purple.

Sign your work about an inch from the bottom so there is room for the frame.

(c) Adron Dozat 4/19/19

Become a Patron!

How to Paint a Garden Wheelbarrow With Flowers, Art Lesson and Worksheet

I am glad to share with you my how-to-paint a Garden Wheelbarrow with Flowers art lesson and worksheet. 

This is a good practice project and skill builder for any young artist. Teachers and parents will use this ho to pant a picture art lesson in class or as a do-at-home project. It can be an art lesson by itself or an extra activity.

How to Paint a Picture Of a Garden Wheelbarrow With Flowers 

Thank you!

My how-to-paint art lesson worksheets are free; you can print as many as you like.  I only ask that you make a small contribution through my PayPal button so I can keep creating these for you. Thank you.

PDF

If the image above gives you trouble, try the PDF; it will work better. 

CLICK HERE for a PDF file. 

Remember to set your printer to color.

A WORD ABOUT PRINTING THIS WORKSHEET

If you have problems printing see the "CLICK HERE" to see my how-to-print page, where I have put some suggestions that may help.  You can try the updated PDF link below that should print better.

SUPPLIES

You can use any watercolor paint. I prefer my small Windsor Newton paint set; it has a nice selection of colors. I also use Grumbacher Paints in the tubes.  You can easily find these at any craft store like Lobby Hobby or Michaels. (Look for coupons online.) You can collect lots of paintbrushes, but it is better at the start to keep it simple with a few small, medium, and medium-large brushes and a combination of flat and round paintbrushes. For these art lessons, I use Strathmore series 300 Watercolor paper. It is economical and available at Michaels and Hobby Lobby and online. 

PRINTABLE NOTES.

BEGINNINGS
Trace the design onto 140-pound Strathmore watercolor paper; this is the heavy paper that will not buckle.  If the paper is too thick to trace through, place it against a window with the light shining behind it, and then, you should be able to trace it easily.

CLICK HERE to see a larger, more detailed version of this project.

The first layer of color should be watery and not very brilliant but pale. Use a medium brush for the first wash.
Be careful to go around the flowers. Use orange for the base color of the wheelbarrow.

AFTER THE FIRST WASH DRIES
Wash in the sky with watery blue color. Let it mix with the green in the background. Use a tissue if needed to lift out color if it gets too bright. Add dark color to the area below the wheelbarrow. Use a small brush and place red over the wheelbarrow but leave areas of orange showing through. Use purple and black for the shadows. Use brown for the wheel. Mix green with a LITTLE red or purple and draw the shadows in the leaves.

AFTER THE SECOND WASH DRIES
Mix green with a LITTLE brown for a darker green and use a small brush to add detail to the grass. With a small brush, add pale watery color to the flowers. Make some flowers yellow, lavender light blue, and pink. Do the brown centers of the sunflowers AFTER THE YELLOW DRIES. If colors blend in a way you do not want, then use clear water on a brush and a tissue to lift it out, then after it dries, try again.

I hope you create a masterpiece.

(c) Adron D. 1/23/18

Please consider becoming one of my patrons. Thank you.

Become a Patron!

How To Paint a Picture of a Lighthouse Worksheet for watercolor.

I am delighted to share my free how-to-paint a picture of a lighthouse worksheet and lesson.

This is a picture inspired by a lighthouse we visited on vacation. This brief lesson serves as a valuable practice and skill builder for any artist. Teachers and parents will be able to use this in class or as a do-at-home project. It can serve as a lesson in itself or an additional activity.

You do not need to make a donation to download this worksheet. However, if you would like to support my efforts, the donation button is located below the image. 

How to Paint a Picture of a Lighthouse in Watercolor

Thank You

You might also like the How to Paint a Sailboat on the Bay worksheet, CLICK HERE.

Here is a File that may work better on some printers or different programs.

CLICK HERE for a file in a PDF. 

Remember to set your printer to color.

A WORD ABOUT PRINTING THE WORKSHEET

For help with printing, CLICK HERE to go to my how-to print page.

ART SUPPLY LIST

You can use any watercolor paint. I prefer my small Windsor Newton paint set; it has a nice selection of colors. I also use Grumbacher Paints in the tubes.  You can easily find these at any craft store like Lobby Hobby or Michaels. (Look for coupons online.) You can collect lots of paintbrushes, but it is better at the start to keep it simple with a few small, medium, and medium-large brushes and a combination of flats as well as rounded paintbrushes. For these art lessons, I use Strathmore series 300 Watercolor paper. It is economical and available at Michaels and Hobby Lobby and online. 

PRINTABLE NOTES.

Trace the design on watercolor paper. If it is too hard to trace try to hold it against a window with the light coming through to see it better.

FIRST, put clear water in the sky area, be careful to put it around the lighthouse. Then drop in dark and light blue in random patterns. Dark blue above and light blue below they can mix in the middle. Leave random areas white for the clouds. Let this dry

Use light and dark green for the grass the dark green is on the lower part of the picture and the light green is up high nearest the lighthouse. If the lights are not light enough then use some tissue and blot some out. Let this dry.

 CLOUDS
After the background blues of the sky is dry wet the white areas where the clouds will be then swish in some yellows and oranges. Next, on the tops of the upper clouds swish in lavender and purples and blues. Let the colors blend naturally, but you can use a clean damp brush to move the colors around.

SEA
Use dark blue for the ocean in the background. Remember, keep the color light at the top and dark in the lower area.

LIGHTHOUSE
The lighthouse is round so it is lighter on one side and gradually becomes darker on the other side. Use a brush with watery blue-gray and wash the lighthouse with an even coat of water paint but leave one edge white. Pick up the picture and hold it sideways slightly so the color runs to the darker side of the lighthouse, it should have a gradual effect. If it doesn't look like it is round let it dry a little and add some darker color to the dark side. If the light side is not looking lighter use tissue and blot out some of the colors.
DO NOT DO THE BLACK STRIPES YET. LET THIS STEP DRY while you work on other areas.

While the shadow around the lighthouse is drying paint the top of the lighthouse black. Paint in the row of trees on the horizon with dark green and black. This should be much darker than the lawn in front of it. Use blue-gray for the shadow side of the workhouse.
Add details to the foreground lawn by mixing a darker green and draw a few lines back and forth for texture.
Paint the base of the lighthouse gray/black.
Paint in the path with mustard yellow or light brown.

LAST DETAILS
Use black paint and add the stripes on the lighthouse. Give the workhouse black shadows for the windows and the roof. Use more black on the base of the lighthouse if it looks like the sea is blending into it. If the sea is too dark use a brush with clear water and a tissue to lift some color out.

(c)Adron D. 8/24/16 

Printable How to Paint A Picture of a Cardinal Bird Worksheet

Here is a free printable worksheet for painting a picture of the red cardinal bird. 

The red cardinal is a classic picture and a fun project that any young artist would like to try. The artist will feel accomplished and confident when it is done.

Scroll down for the link to download the free PDF of this worksheet. 

Remember to set your printer to color.

A WORD ABOUT PRINTING THE WORKSHEET

If you have trouble getting it to print, CLICK HERE to visit my how-to-print page for some suggestions, or try one of the updated links below that should print better.

Printable How To Paint A Cardinal Bird Worksheet

My printables are free, so print as many as you like I only ask that you consider making a donation. Your gift of support will enable me to create more worksheets for you. 

Thank you for your support.

If the file above doesn't work the PDF below will be better.

CLICK HERE for a file in a portable format.

ART SUPPLY LIST

You can use any watercolor paint. I prefer my small Windsor Newton paint set; it has a nice selection of colors. I also use Grumbacher Paints in the tubes.  You can easily find these at any craft store like Lobby Hobby or Michaels. (Look for coupons online.) You can collect lots of paintbrushes, but it is better at the start to keep it simple with a few small, medium, and medium-large brushes and a combination of flats as well as rounded paintbrushes. For these art lessons, I use Strathmore series 300 Watercolor paper. It is economical and available at Michaels and Hobby Lobby and online. 

PRINTABLE PROJECT NOTES

TRACING
Start by tracing the design onto 140 lb watercolor paper. If the paper is too heavy to see through just hold it against a window with the light shining through and you should be able to trace it.

If you want a bigger picture try putting the worksheet through a copier and enlarging the design then trace over the enlargement.

FIRST WASH- BACKGROUND
Start with the background. Use yellow on the leaves. Wet the areas around the bird, branch, and leaves and drop in watery blue, and watery green, then let the colors flow and blend but not completely to give the background movement and interest.
NOW LET THIS STEP DRY

SECOND WASH
Use watery red on the bird followed with a little violet for the shadows and lines of the feathers.

AFTER IT IS DRY use the tip of a small brush and use an almost dry mixture to DRAW the lines of the feathers, mask, eye, beak, and claws.

Use blue in the shadow of the branch, while the blue is wet put a line of black on the edge, let the two colors flow together. Use light brown for the top of the branch.

(c)Adron Dozat 2/23/17

Become a Patron!

Free Art Lesson Worksheet How to Paint A Picture of A Palm Tree At The Sea

This is a free how-to-paint a picture of a palm tree lesson and worksheet.

I made this worksheet for the art class I was giving to some homeschoolers. It is simplified for the young artist or the beginner and focuses on basic skills and concepts.

A WORD ABOUT PRINTING THE WORKSHEET

If you have problems printing CLICK HERE to visit my how-to-print page for some suggestions or try the updated link below that should print better.

Printable How To Paint A Palm Tree Worksheet

My printables are free, so print as many as you like I only ask that you consider making a donation. Your gift of support will enable me to create more worksheets for you. 

Thank you for your support.

If the photo file above is not cooperating with your printer the PDF below will work better.

CLICK HERE for a file in a universal portable format. 

ART SUPPLY LIST

You can use any watercolor paint. I prefer my small Windsor Newton paint set; it has a nice selection of colors. I also use Grumbacher Paints in the tubes.  You can easily find these at any craft store like Lobby Hobby or Michaels. (Look for coupons online.) You can collect lots of paintbrushes, but it is better at the start to keep it simple with a few small, medium, and medium-large brushes and a combination of flats as well as rounded paintbrushes. For these art lessons, I use Strathmore series 300 Watercolor paper. It is economical and available at Michaels and Hobby Lobby and online. 

PRINTABLE NOTES

TRACE
Trace the picture onto heavy watercolor paper, if it is too dark to trace through try holding it against a window with the light shining through. If you use a copier you can enlarge the picture and then trace a larger one.

SKY
Do not paint the sky a flat blue. Use darker lavenders at the top and sunset oranges and yellows at the bottom.
Put some of the sunset colors in the sea and beach then let it dry.

LET IT DRY

DISTANT LAND
Mix watery brown and fill in the distant island. While it is still wet drop in darker browns and blues to give a silhouette with highlights look.

WATER
With back and forth strokes put light blue in the water but only about half of it. leave a lot of parts white and yellow. LET THIS STEP DRY then give a second layer of darker blues so you have light blue highlights and deep blue waves. Leave some of the yellow showing through.

THE TREE
Use a small brush and draw the palm leaves with yellow first then go back and add green in the bottom half of each leaf. Some are brown and hang down. Paint the trunk brown then while it is wet add some blue for darker areas and details.

BEACH
Use watery yellow and tan colors for the beach. Keep it smooth by the waves. In the Near ground use a small brush to give the sand texture.

Parents and teachers will be able to use this in school and at home.
It can be used in school as an extra assignment,
an easy lesson,
or a take-home project. It is simplified for the young artist or the beginner and focuses on basic skills and concepts.

(c) Adron  1/8/17

Become a Patron!