123, Draw with Me!

My name is Dana Cline and for the past 13 years, I have had the privilege of teaching art to students in Grand Prairie, Texas. This book contains some of my draw-along lessons. I used these extensively with grades Kindergarten through 2nd when I taught elementary. I did not design these lessons to teach realism or to be used by the child alone. Rather, I developed these for young children to draw with me, building confidence as they worked. As such, you should draw with your child or student for the greatest success. Follow the step-by-step instructions. Draw each step first on your paper while your child or student watches. Then have the child repeat the step on his or her own paper. Stress individuality. For example, with the first lesson of the bear, not every bear looks alike. Some bears are not even real and maybe the colors of the rainbow. I firmly believe that early success, however simple, produces the strongest drive for perseverance in any endeavor. As my students begin to trust their own hands and ability through following me, they were more willing to take greater risks in their art without me. Enjoy your time with your young artist and celebrate every success hugely!