WHAT??A Treasure Hunt can Help my Drawing Skills?

Treasure Hunts are so much FUN!!!

This time of year my grandkids and I have indoor Hunts.  Treasures are hid in the basement and we take our flashlights and head out on the hunt.  

3 SNOW FRIENDS - Ink & Watercolour - 7 x 10 inches

Sometimes we search for Max's favourite Teddy Bear.  He loves to help us as he really isn't that happy seeing us play with HIS Teddy Bear.  Other times I make up a Treasure Box with cookies or other treats. Of course the spoils of the hunt are shared around.  Max loves to help with those hunts too.  

 

Treasure Hunts are more than just Fun. . .

Treasure Hunts make you really look at your surrounds and study them.  You begin to notice the differences in colours and shapes.  What belongs and what is out of place.  Important training for creating Art.  

SNOWMEN IN THE PARK - Ink & Watercolour

Grab your camera and take the Treasure Hunter's Challenge

1.  Head out for a walk. It can be inside or out. Your favourite park, around the neighbourhood or around the house. Pick something that catches your eye - a bird, a house, light on a faded leaf, frost on branches, people  . . .  Take at least 5 pictures of your subject from different angles.  

2.  Head for your studio and grab your sketchbook. 

3.  Start drawing

Play with your images and experiment with composition. Zoom in or Zoom out. Reverse the image by flipping the photo.  Fill your pages with drawings of your subject.  Challenge yourself to try something you would not normally do.  ie.  work bigger or smaller, extend off the page, change the perspective, . . .

My First Snowman - Part of Snowmen in the Park 

You can view more on My Treasure Hunt on Youtube "Build Drawing Skills with a Treasure Hunt"

My Treasure HUNT

I felt since it was January I needed to do something snowy for my first Treasure Hunt.  However, the weather here did not cooperate.  We have had days of rain!!  

Some of our family Snowmen - Get Started with this Free Download of 5 Interesting Snowmen

I headed to my family photos and found pictures of snowmen the kids and I have build over the last few years.  (You might not often take pictures of your snowmen but we do.  We do not get snow here every winter and when we do, it is only a few inches and often not great for snowmen.  So when we build a snowman, we always take pictures.)

My hunt was fun. 

I saw several different masterpieces.  Had a little trip down memory lane.  Found some very interesting characters to draw.  I am sure if you have snowy weather and can take snowman pictures you will get some great shots.  

My first two pages were probably what I would call my traditional approach. (See Snowmen in the Park above) But then I tried something out of my box.  I zoomed in, really close to my snowman.  I ran him off the page.  

Snowman No. 1 from "3 SNOW FRIENDS"

I decided he needed company.  

Snowman No. 1 & 2 from "3 SNOW FRIENDS"

I brought another friend into the picture.  

3 SNOW FRIENDS - Ink & Watercolour

I must admit I love my "3 Snow Friends".  It is something totally different that I would never normally do.  Yet, it is neat.  I opened my eyes to new things.  

I played around with colour palettes.  For my first snowmen I used purple for my snow shadows.  I really liked that effect.  But again, this was my usual approach.  

For my second group, I used a different palette - Cobalt blue and yellows to create the snowy sunshine look.  It worked really well.  

I started asking myself "What if . . ."  questions.  I started studying snow paintings to see how others handled the reflections of light on snow.  I googled snowmen.  I wondered about trying a few portraits of people.  I pulled out a few art books and reviewed shadow treatments.  I was on a roll.  THIS  is what builds your drawing skills.  Getting excited about your work, trying new approaches but most of all getting in that drawing practice in a joyful way.  

I started to think about my NEXT Treasure HUNT.  What about you? Ready to try?

I have prepared a video as well on this drawing activity: "Build Drawing Skills with a Treasure Hunt"  

To get you started I have a FREE DOWNLOAD PDF Snowman Activity Sheet that features our family snowmen.  You can find it HERE.  

A Full list of all my videos and links to their supporting PDF's is on my Website - Workshops - Videos by Wendy Mould.  

Happy Drawing!

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Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy