Young Artists, ages 8 to 12, real life, colour and artists
Nature Journal
Draw from life outdoors and at the window: slow looking, contour, labels and questions.
- Level
- Easy to intermediate
- Lessons
- 13 in 4 units
- Time
- 3.5 hours of lessons
- Pace
- About four weeks, or one page a week through a season
Already drawing with Lapis? Open the course in the app
The goal
What you’ll be able to draw
Draw from life outdoors and at the window: slow looking, contour drawing, labels and questions (I notice, I wonder, it reminds me of).
How you’ll see the progress
A leaf at the start (from memory) and at the end (from life), and your journal pages.
Skills
- Drawing from life
- Texture and pattern
- Lines
Pictures you’ll make
- My Journal Page Project
4 units, 13 lessons
The syllabus
Unit 1 is free for everyone, so you can see how it feels first.
- 6 draw from life
- 3 checkpoint
- 2 then and now
- 1 concept
- 1 project
- Free
Unit 1
How to look
Three questions for looking closer, and why little glances beat long stares.
- 01 Then: A Leaf Then and now, 10 min Then and now 10 min
- 02 Blind Contour Shell Draw from life, 15 min Draw from life 15 min
- 03 Look Little, Look Often Concept, 4 min Concept 4 min
- 04 Show What You Learned Checkpoint, 10 min Checkpoint 10 min
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Unit 2
Plants
Leaves measured life size, spirals on a pinecone, the big shape of a tree.
- 01 Leaf Detective Draw from life, 20 min Draw from life 20 min
- 02 Pinecone Spirals Draw from life, 25 min Draw from life 25 min
- 03 Show What You Learned Checkpoint, 10 min Checkpoint 10 min
-
Unit 3
Animals
Birds that move, pets that sleep and bugs drawn big.
- 01 My Pet from Life Draw from life, 20 min Draw from life 20 min
- 02 Bug Close-Up Draw from life, 20 min Draw from life 20 min
- 03 Show What You Learned Checkpoint, 10 min Checkpoint 10 min
-
Unit 4
Journal pages
Fast drawing for things that change, and a whole journal page.
- 01 Clouds in Five Minutes Draw from life, 5 min Draw from life 5 min
- 02 My Journal Page Project, 40 min Project 40 min
- 03 Now: A Leaf Then and now, 10 min Then and now 10 min
When you finish
A certificate for the fridge
Finish every lesson and Lapis makes a certificate to print or download, with the nickname, the course, the date and a drawing from it. Children get one too.
Lapis certificate
Nature Journal
finished by
your nickname
and the date you finish
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