Pet Portraits

One class of 6-8th graders volunteered to draw pet portraits 

For the local animal shelter. 

This is how we started. 

Drawing Pet Portraits

We practiced with grade drawings on a contour line dog. 

Student pick their dog to draw when done. 

We use a black and white copies of their dog and draw a grid on top of the copy.

LINE DRAWING ONLY

Draw a grid on the black and white photo and 

label numerically and alphabetically along edges

(we used 1/2 inch measurements)

Trace over main lines of pet and details of pet with a pencil to define the edges and lines. 

(I keep a clean copy of the pet to use later and a copy I draw grid on)

Draw a larger grid onto white paper. Make sure to do lines lightly

 because they will be erased after completed. Transfer the main lines you drew onto the pet photo to the plain white paper. Focus on one square at a time. 

Here are some examples of 4 dogs before I added the pen details. 

Start Adding Pen... 

There are many techniques to value and detail with pen. 

These have been practiced previously by students on the above worksheet. 

Hatching, Cross Hatching, Stippling and Scribbling. 

I use a combination of these depending on the darkness and texture of the area. 

Example Here of pen detail...

 Add Details, Darkness and Texture with a think sharpie.

THE PROCESS

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Student Drawings from 5th period art

Overlap Cat

Ins"purrr"action by artist Dani Hasse

I like this picture because of it's simplicity, repetition, overlapping, and humor.

I will take this example and

Use it as a launch to teach kids about overlapping in order to show illusion of depth.

I will give simple examples of how to draw cat torso and faces. 

What you see below is just what I have prepared on my own as a teacher.

When I do this with my students (k-5th grade),

 I will then post those example of the children's artwork.

Pencil drawing

Outlining...

Show them

That by marker outline, you can emphasize the design and make it stand out. 

Coloring...

Show kids how variety of patterns and colors can make the cats more interesting and unique. They can use colors that are unusual and unnatural.