YAP V – Drawing Lab II

For the second and third months of Drawing Lab we focused on dots and lines. In March the tables were covered with paper again and the easels were set up in the open space. Then we randomly added some colored sticky dots. We also gave some dots to each guest and suggested they add them to the paper and then create a drawing by connecting the dots or using the dots as a starting point.

A tri-fold board I made with artist quotes about dots and lines in their art can be seen in the forefront of this picture. It poses a question derived from my favorite quotes – from Wassily Kadinsky, “Everything starts from a dot” and from Paul Klee “A drawing is simply a line going for a walk.” – Can you start with a dot and take a line for a walk?

I may have overstepped my boundary as a volunteer when I brought in this board but after some anguish created when Liz suggested as much I realized that part of why I have enjoyed volunteering in the Young Artist Program is because I have been able to contribute and felt that my contributions were valued. So while I may not be quite as bold in the future I will continue to bring my suggestions and resources.

More inspiration from Liz can be glimpsed beneath the board – pictures of Yayoi Kusama’s dot rooms and part of an “extreme connect the dots” printable (google the phrase – they have thousands of dots). After one of the art educators subbed for Liz and mentioned that the pictures children were creating reminded them of constellations Liz added a few constellation pictures and included them in her introduction to school groups.

After this child connected the dots on all the tables I suggested she begin filling in some of the shapes she created.

Other resources that I contributed include the books The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds and Harold and the Purple Crrayon by Crockett Johnson. I had looked in vain for other books about dots and lines but have since found some great ones for next year. Lines that Wiggle by Candace Whitman, The Line by Paula Bossio, and A Line Can Be by Laura Ljungkvist.

When Liz designed the Drawing Lab curriculum she intended the third month to focus on “drawing machines” which were to be contraptions like markers attached to cars. These were never created but the preparators did come through with some wooden holders that held many markers at once and enhanced May’s open ended marker drawing.

Liz also set up lots of boxes and paper in the open area and encouraged children to draw continous lines a la Harold and the Purple Crayon.