Art with Hannah: Memory, Observation, and Imagination Drawing

Friday, July 6, 2012

Memory, Observation, and Imagination Drawing

While the summer program students created their own Coral Reefs, the regular class students were learning various fields of art.

One particular study we did was to follow these three steps: (1) use our memory to draw, (2) use our observation skill to draw, (3) and use our imagination to draw.

First, I ask the students to pick a creature from a book... and give them two intense minutes to stare at it; I tell them to look at the size, the shape, the placement of things in relation with others, patterns or motifs, and the colors very carefully. I take the book away from them. I tell them to draw what they just saw.

Second, I give the image back to the students. This time, they can look at the image. They try their best to make their drawing as realistic as possible. Even the colors and all.

Third, (this is the most popular of the three) students use their wild imagination to create a fun image of their choice!

This exercise produced amazing results. The two minutes of concentration really brought out the student's ability to remember and see things selectively. Check it out below!

Memory Drawing (11yrs)

Memory Drawing (11yrs, 7yrs)

Memory Drawing (7yrs)

Memory Drawing (11yrs, 7yrs)

Memory Drawing (11yrs)

Memory Drawing (7 yrs)

Memory Drawing (7yrs)

These Memory Drawings are done strictly from using their memory (without looking at the image!), and it's put together by me only after completing the art work to compare how closely they remembered.