Feeling with your Eyes
Drawing textures
If someone in the class has a docile, calm, and friendly pet which would be happy to stay fairly still and quiet in the classroom, this would be an ideal subject for drawing: a hen, a rabbit or cat, a guinea-pig or dog, for example.
If none of these are available, then the same project can be done using inanimate textured objects, like a feather duster, pieces of tree bark or the head of an old mop.
You will need:
Pencils (ideally a range of both soft and hard pencils – from H, to 6B or 8B)
Sharpeners (to share)
Erasers or rubbers
Sheets of white drawing paper (at least A3 size)
A pet (see above), or textured objects – preferably a number of these
The important thing is not to draw the WHOLE object or pet! Rather focus on a small part of the textured surface, and observe very accurately and in great detail its exact appearance – the precise way in which its surface is structured, how its texture is formed by the details. Imagine you are looking through a magnifying glass, if you like. This accuracy is not achieved by generalised scribbling nor by loose or freely gestural lines but by careful and close attention to what you are seeing.
Animals will move sometimes – so work around that, starting a new section of drawing if necessary when the animal changes position