Drawing from Flash Cards

I can’t say I ever used Flash Cards for their intended purpose, usually employing them as a visual word bank for students learning English while teaching in Toronto, converting them into games etc.  This is one simple way to use them as a drawing prompt.

Materials

• Book holders (these can be purchased at school supply shops, office supply shops etc.)
• Flash cards
• Pencils/erasers
• Paper (we used cardstock as it is a bit thicker and we wanted to use watercolour)

Optional

• Watercolour pencil crayons
• Water
• Paintbrushes
• Sentence strips

We always find these items helpful too:

• Smock
• Craft tray

Directions

• Set out your book holders and place the flash cards on each of them.  Providing a few options allows for choice.  Sketch out what you see in the photograph, looking at some of the shapes within the composition.  Will you add a background?  One pointer that was always helpful in teaching art was using a light line that allows for easy erasing.  This is the perfect time to point out that creating is an act of perseverance- keep trying until you achieve what you intended and are proud of.  Art takes adjustments and requires a slow and careful approach.

• Don your smock.  Colour or shade in the areas with your watercolour pencil crayons.
• Add water to create the paint.  Allow to dry overnight.

• On a sentence strip, add the label for your creation if you like and hang it up under your work when you display it.

Purpose

• Using different materials.
• Using labels (which creates an opportunity to expand one’s vocabulary) and understand the purpose of a label.

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect your clothing and surfaces.