Chapter 1 | A SCRATCH OR A BIRD?
We usually scratch through a drawing very quickly out of frustration, because we are dissatisfied. A bit sad in this case for that man playing with his the dog, all scratched out…
Actually that scratch is also a kind of drawing… isn’t it?
Exercise 1: Draw a large scratch on a sheet of drawing paper in one smooth or wild motion. Beautiful or ugly, both are good! Decorate your scratch with color.
Here are two examples of pupils:
Sometimes you unexpectedly see something recognizable in a scratch or in a stain afterwards. For example, the scratch at the beginning of this chapter has suddenly acquired the head of a bird (image below). One of the nicest things about drawing could be just making something out of some accidental scribbles.
Exercise 2: Again draw a few large smooth or wild scratches on a sheet of drawing paper. See if you can discover something recognizable in one of the scratches.
A scratch or a bird?
EXTRA: Listen to (different types of) music excerpts, from house to classical or jazz. Draw small or large scribbles that match your feeling for that music. Optionally, decorate or color the resulting scribbles.
Tip: this works very well for a whole class (from the upper grades of primary school). The teacher plays the different types of music.