New School Year, New Classes, New Inspiration

THE JAMMY DODGER

By name and by nature.

I have seen so many of these little guys in the past few weeks, the sweet sickly smell both turns my stomach and makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.  New water soluble graphite pencils.....so worth the investment.  Such a simple and effective way to create a sense of shadow.  

I have done these with 5 to 8 year olds, but I think all age groups would love to do them.  

RECIPE   

• The class start by drawing 3 hearts, before the biscuits are even produced, this ensures that the hearts are drawn bigger than life size (and adds an air of mystery....) 
• the biscuits are opened and divided up, for observational purposes, not consumption.  I get the children to draw the splodge pattern and then the outer circle.  Starting with the nearest biscuit.   If there are issues with shapes overlapping, the further away circles will be neatly tucked underneath.  you will need to point this out, but once they see the effects, they will be delighted.

• a thickness is added, to create 3 dimensions (and a layer of jam), then a shadow.
• water can then be painted over the biscuit thickness, shadow and carefully round the splodge shape, thus creating a a wash and really simple, effective hint of realism.

the same effect can be achieved with black  Berol pens with water