FOR YOU LIZ FROM TEXAS

BEFORE & AFTER

BEGINNING 2-D ART

graphite on paper

I get so many great responses when I show off these Before & After Drawings,

especially from my student's faithful follower Liz Ackert from I'm Going to Texas blog fame.

I teach drawing out of Dr. Betty Edward's classic book

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain,

and take my beginners thru the first half,

 and my Intermediates thru the second half of her book.

I started teaching with her exercises after I snuck into her college class at CSULB 

as a Non Art Major  Ha!

And even though I already knew how to draw,

I really didn't know how to teach others to do it.

The big jump in my own levels was astounding to me,

and as you will see

the results here are just as remarkable as you will see from this group from last school year.

Enjoy,

and prepare to be shocked!!

It takes about 4 1/2 months to get the kids thru the drawing exercises to this finished After Portrait.

(above right)

I try to pair them up with someone they do not know (less chance of being distracted).

I ask them to draw each other in profile and do the best they can without any instruction

(drawing on the left).

I never know at what level they will come in at.

Sometimes as low as 1st & 2nd grade all the way up thru about 9th grade drawing level.

Then I don't allow the kids to see their Before

 until they are mounted next to their Afters at Open House.

It's so much fun watching them react to their improvements.

And there is always improvement!

This first one was done by senior Jessica Mones of 8th grader Brandon Delgado.

Remarkable right??

Here we have 8th grader Summer Lee

making a huge jump in skill levels drawing 8th grader Risha Cenidoza .

Lovely Summer!

And how about this one by senior David Tung capturing 8th grader Siddhant Watwani.

Dang!

Junior Esther Ahn has come in with really nice skills

and is now drawing almost photorealistically of junior Kiana Sanchez.

This is junior Ellya Gholmieh being drawn by 8th grader Madison Plotkin.

Very Rubenesque wouldn't you say of both.

Amazing work Madison!

And this is the spitting image of junior Phoebe Lao drawn by 8th grader Eric Ren.

Wow Eric,

you nailed her!

What a huge jump this is for junior Steffany Reyes.

Tremendous job woman!

And make sure to look closely at the folds in the hoodie in the After of 8th grader Tin Pham.

This last piece was drawn by junior Manishka Ranjit who also came in with some drawing skills.

But man oh man,

has her style become so much more realistic and clean.

Way to go young ones!!!