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to draw. I can basically draw a stick man.

What would you recommend for adults?

Marsha,

I am second in line with you, waiting for a response!

Candice

My stick people need help....this is a great question....my kids can draw better than I!!

Does anyone use an art program with their kids??

I'm so relieved to hear I'm not the only one!

I definitely need some art help, too!

Alright girls, now that I have a minute I'll give you a couple of ideas that I found helpful. First Charlotte-Mason advocated learning to draw from looking at nature. So, for the grown-up learning to draw/sketch nature "Drawing from Nature" by Jim Arnosky is very good. The book shows you how to do black and white sketches of water, land, plants, and animals. He gives you tips and suggestions about how to draw these things as well. This book is out of print but can be found at the library or used.

Then, it's fun to get your own Nature Journal. I got my kiddos each a bound "Nature Journal" by Clare Walker Leslie. It is hard cover and the Appendix is also filled with tips and examples on drawing/sketching nature. You can sit by your window and sketch or take your journal in your backyard or to a park. My kiddos love rushing in from outside to sketch something they've seen. Here's a link to the one we have. It's very durable and has lasted them each several years already. I will caution you that there are some ''nature focused" rather than God-focused quotes. So, you may wish to do a blank journal instead.

Hope that helps some! Happy sketching!

Blessings,
Carrie

I love Carries advice! (As usual!!)
I have found that I have enjoyed doing the How Great Thou Art stuff with my boys. We each have a journal and we keep up with the lessons together.

I am so glad someone asked this question!

I can't draw either, and so it's hard for me to teach my 7 y/o dgs how too. I thought about letting him take art lessons, but haven't done that yet. I really need help with art!!

I am thrilled that the subject of nature journals came up too, as I was just going to post this question today.

Carrie, what is the difference in the Claire Walker Leslie book you suggested, and the book Keeping a Nature Journal by the same author? Do I understand that one is a "how-to" book, and the other is the actual journal to make drawings in? Are both of them worth buying?

Since reading Benjamin West's story, we've both been interested in drawing, and I'd love to really encourage that interest.

Vicki,

We do also own Clare Walker Leslie's Keeping a Nature Journal. We found that one of hers to be a little overwhelming for first-time sketching (as hers are absolutely lovely) with not as many tips in the "how to sketch" area. Jim Arnosky's book takes you from the beginning of showing you how to appreciate nature, how to sketch and shade, and pointing out things to notice in how the sky looks or the shading in the water, etc. So, we prefer that one at our house!

The actual nature journal by Clare Walker Leslie that I originally linked to is mainly blank sketching pages with a very helpful Appendix on "how to sketch" basic leaf shapes, birds, twigs, etc. It works well with the Arnosky book in extending what was learned in there.

For younger kiddos the Crinkleroot books by Arnosky are very good too. My kids have used them for nature journaling by reading a two to four page spread once a week (on Fridays at our house) and then sketching something from the book in their nature journal. We have loved "Crinkleroot's Nature Almanac", "Crinkleroot's Guide to Walking in Wild Places", "Crinkleroot's Book of Animal Tracking", "Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing the Birds" and "Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing the Trees". The bummer is that these books are out-of-print, and so must be purchased used. They are in full color and do such a good job of inspiring a love of nature. A few other Arnosky books are still in print, but not done as well as the ones I listed above.


Blessings,
Carrie

Carrie,

Thanks so much for your description of the books used for journaling! I wasn't sure of the differences in the two I asked of, but now that makes it much clearer to me.

It's so funny...I found a list of Jim Arnosky's books somewhere on Amazon, and printed it off. I wanted to see how you felt about adding those into use for nature study with our Beyond program, as I have never read any of them. There are several of his books at my local library, so I can see I need to look into them.

Sorry to hijack this thread...

Carrie,

Thanks for the great ideas! This is something that we will definitely have to try at our house. Our favorite family passtime is "rough hikes". My oldest named our walks through the woods this when he was 2 and it stuck. We've never tried drawing anything from them though.

Now we just have to wait for it to warm up a little...

I'm so thankful for the ideas that I get from you ladies!
You're great!
Kathleen

I've used Crinkleroot's... by Jim Arnosky too, and they are a treasure! I love to draw but I need to learn more about technique. I bought a very overwhelming book at B & Noble and as I was sketching and shading a pineapple for several hours, I decided it was not for me. (Who has time to spend that long sketching a pineapple?). Anyway, I agree that sketching from nature is a wonderful idea, and I'm going to have to check out the nature journals. They sound really neat! Thanks for sharing!