Gesture Drawing Quick sketch Loose arm movements (gestures) Great ‘warm up’ exercise for artists Can provide a start for a more finished drawing or painting ‘blocks in’ the large, basic shapes in a composition Trains the simultaneous working of the eyes, the brain, and the hand Observation… Draw what you see! (Not what you know or remember!) -based on definition Retrieved January 2011 from http://www.artlex.com/

Sample Gesture Drawings…

Collaborative Outdoor Winter Activities Artworks by Mrs. MacMillan & Mme Stefani’s Gr. 5’s @ KPES; Dec. 2010

Outdoor Winter Activities Collaborative work Landscape (outdoor scene) Self-Portrait (picture of YOU!) Collage (cut & paste only!) Paint Technique: Splattering

Using Gesture Drawings to Get Started… Start with a gesture drawing to capture the POSE you need (e.g., holding a hockey stick, building a snowman, or skiing down a hill…) Then, draw around this basic pose to get the shape of the snowsuit, boots or skates, mittens, hats, etc.

Horizon Line Horizon Line Horizon Line As a group, decide on the outdoor winter scene or activity you’d like to depict. Start with a rough, full size sketch to plan the outdoor scene. Think about the kind of horizon line you will need (e.g. flat, steep hill…) Each student adds a gesture drawing showing him or herself involved in the outdoor scene/activity. Work together to be sure there is SPACE for everyone in your group! Horizon Line Horizon Line Horizon Line

TIPS: Creating Your Self-Portrait… Use your gesture drawing as your guide Sketch the basic shapes on the BACK of the construction paper so pencil lines don’t show… This means you have to sketch IN REVERSE! Carefully cut out and glue pieces together Add detail using construction paper and collage only (e.g. hats, scarves, mittens, buttons, stripes…)

Cutting & Gluing Skills!

TIPS: Arranging Your Work First, ARRANGE all of the portraits in position on your background (sky & ground with horizon line) Include things from the setting or environment if you have space (e.g. trees, snowman, fishing shack, fence…) Once everything ‘fits’ on the page, work together to GLUE things into position.