My portrait drawing class

According to my boys, Thursday is Girl Invasion Day.  This fall I started teaching a homeschooled girl's portrait drawing class here at our house.  I have taught it for a couple of years at a homeschool cooperative but since we weren't returning this year to co-op, I was asked if I would consider teaching in my home.  So for a few hours, nine girls gather around my dining table and kitchen island, chat, drink lemonade, eat cookies, and get eraser crumbs all over the place.  It is wonderful and one of the highlights of my week!


We had a shading lesson today.  If you can draw a ball, you can draw a face.

There are a couple of things I really enjoy about my class:
  • One of the moms is teaching my boys writing composition while I teach her girls drawing.  It is such a good trade. I hate teaching writing! 
  • I get to have a house full of sweet, giggly, teenage girls for a few hours which is a nice change from having 3 boys in the house 24/7.  I'm not dogging my boys, mind you, they are the best!  (They secretly love having the girls here too.)
  • It has pushed me back into doing something that I truly enjoy.
  • I get to pass on my love for realistic drawing which is wonderful too!
This book, Draw Real People by Lee Hammond, is the one that I teach out of.  It breaks down the face into pieces and uses a grid system for accuracy.  Lee's books are great!  If you have any drawing ability, give it a try!

I studied art in college but took a long break from drawing while the kids were little.  I enjoy all kinds of arts and crafts and have tried just about everything but I truly love drawing and sewing.  The last couple of years I haven't been able to draw as much as I like since we were building the house.  So this portrait has been incomplete for a long time.  This week I finished it.  Two years and it is finally done!

Cowboy Jared

It is of my youngest all dressed up in his hat and vest.  It is one of my all time favorite photos.  I see flaws in my own work but overall I am happy with the way it turned out.  Most of all, I'm glad it's finished!  Now, I have 2 more boys to do.  Then I am going to draw my horse.

Comments

  1. Wow! That is amazing Kim! You definitely have a gift! What fun the class looks like too.

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  2. I love love the portrait! What a wonderful gift to be able to capture those you love with a pencil. So sweet.

    And eraser crumbs? Those little guys get everywhere--and are signs of a good time had :)

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  3. Holly, I have seen your work. I wish I could do color like you.

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  4. Kim,
    This is just fantastic!!! Your well of talent is very deep and your are using it all wonderfully!! You have always amazed me and you just keep on doing so!! Love,
    Aunt Freddy

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  5. Kim, the portrait is beautiful -- just beautiful.

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  6. Kim- so nice! I may have to look up this book for my daughter for a fun Christmas gift. When your college major is Biology, drawing can be VERY important!! But seriously, she enjoyed all of her art classes in high school! and I miss her this year being gone and only having boys in the house. It's just different...

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  7. What a great portrait of your son. I wish we were in your area and my girls could take your class! I bet you enjoy having the girls around. I know how much I enjoy my girls. I would also enjoy having boys around. My hubby has had guys work here on the farm and it's a nice change. I love to cook for them! I love to cook anyway. 24/7

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