The Draw Write Now series includes step-by-step drawing instruction and short sentences for writing practice. In addition, each book is a complete unit study for exploring history, geography, natural science, and social studies. The lessons are flexible and easy enough for children to use independently or as a fun family activity. The series has received numerous awards for its value in the home as well as in the classroom.
After Drawing the Swan . . .
Draw the Background
Allow approximately 15 minutes for the children to draw a background. The children should be encouraged to use their own ideas, but most will appreciate ideas that you can share with them.
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To get started, suggest that the children think about where the horizon line will be drawn. They may choose not to include one.
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Help the children understand that part of the swan's body will be under the water. Give them an idea of where the water line should fall on the swan's body. (They will need to erase the body line that is below the water line.)
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Ponds and lakes often have grasses, reeds, leafy plants and/or trees. If there is a lake or pond in your location, have the children think of the plants growing there. Are there tall reeds? Are there soft grasses? Is the shore lined with bushes?
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Encourage the children to keep their backgrounds fairly simple. Too many additional animals or insects may detract from the subject. The star of show is the swan!
Write or Talk
After drawing the swan, write or talk about the drawing.
Color the Drawing
After Writing about the swan, color the picture!
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Swan
Drawing Lesson
Draw Write Now,
Book 1
by Marie Hablitzel and Kim Stitzer
Each lesson in Draw Write Now is presented on two pages; one page shows the drawing and the other gives step-by-step instructions. The books are clear and easy enough for a child to use by themselves. General written instructions are included in the beginning of each book, but we go into more detail with these samples.
Draw the Swan
Have the child look at the color drawing of the swan.
Drawing practice builds an understanding of scale and proportion. Use the following tips while going through the step-by-step drawing instructions:
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Pay close attention to the placement of the first line (Step 1). This is the basic form of the head, neck, and back of the bird. Is the swan's head on the left side of the paper? Is the head up high enough on the paper so that there is enough room for the body?
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The head oval is smaller than the body oval.
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The front of the neck can be a tricky line to draw. Start the line near the bottom of the head oval, draw the curved line parallel to the back of the neck, then finish the line so that it blends smoothly into the body oval. The eye oval is in the center of the head oval.
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Look at the top line of the tail feathers. In relation to the neck, it is half as tall as the neck.
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Look at the top of the wing in relation to the head. The tip of the wing is at about the same level as the bottom of the swan's head.
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Look at the zigzag feather line. The zigzags are to the left of the wing tip.
Drawing instruction develops strong reasoning skills. The more a child draws, the better their understanding of scale and proportion.
Children's Swan Drawings
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