Drawing from Photographs: Nature Finds

Drawing from Photographs: Nature Finds
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In our studio, there are trays of sticks, rocks etc. Sometimes we want to send these treasures back into the world while keeping a recorded documentation of them. This lends to the future creation of diagrams, labelling and descriptions.

you'll need Materials

Drawing from Photos: Nature Supplies with make-it-your-own.com (Creative activities for kids). This activity encourages children to get out into nature, take photos and then draw from those photos. This lends to creating diagrams, labels and descriptions, based on one's findings.

  • Notebook
  • Camera or other device with these capabilities
  • Pencil/eraser
  • Glue stick

Group/ Classroom setting

  • Ikea TOLSBY frames ** If these aren’t available to you, we show you a little trick as to how to make a paper stand! See below.*

Directions

  • With an adult, go on a nature walk, taking photos of your specimens that you find. You may want to take a photo “in the field” or take the items home, photograph them and then return them to the earth.

Drawing from Photos: Nature Supplies with make-it-your-own.com (Creative activities for kids). This activity encourages children to get out into nature, take photos and then draw from those photos. This lends to creating diagrams, labels and descriptions, based on one's findings.

  • Once you have your photographs, glue them into your sketchbook (you could also use something like self-adhesive photo corners).

Drawing from Photos: Nature Supplies with make-it-your-own.com (Creative activities for kids). This activity encourages children to get out into nature, take photos and then draw from those photos. This lends to creating diagrams, labels and descriptions, based on one's findings.

Drawing from Photos: Nature Supplies with make-it-your-own.com (Creative activities for kids). This activity encourages children to get out into nature, take photos and then draw from those photos. This lends to creating diagrams, labels and descriptions, based on one's findings.

  • If you are doing this in a group setting, pop your photos into a picture frame to put out onto a table. Here is a copy of the photos we took if you would like to use those as an example or a starting point. They are sized for the frame: nature pictures3

Drawing from Photos: Nature Supplies with make-it-your-own.com (Creative activities for kids). This activity encourages children to get out into nature, take photos and then draw from those photos. This lends to creating diagrams, labels and descriptions, based on one's findings.

  • Sketch away with these thoughts in mind- how can you show texture? How can you experiment with taking a 2-D image and making it appear 3-D? What different types of lines can you use? If you like, label your work, add colour and provide a description- where did you find the item? What surrounded it? Do you have any predictions (prior to researching it) as to what it might be?

Drawing from Photos: Nature Supplies with make-it-your-own.com (Creative activities for kids). This activity encourages children to get out into nature, take photos and then draw from those photos. This lends to creating diagrams, labels and descriptions, based on one's findings.

  • Continue this process throughout the year, noting any differences you might find during the seasonal changes.
  • If you are in a classroom setting, set up a nature table for displaying your collections and/or mount the sketches with the photographs beside them to display the work.

*** Creating a Paper Stand**

If you don’t have a frame and want to make a quick and inexpensive stand, here is a trick I learned from one of my host teachers as a University student, using cardstock, Poster/Bristol Board or thin cardboard.

Animal Building Block (LEGO) Challenge with make-it-your-own.com (Creative activities for kids!)

Animal Building Block (LEGO) Challenge with make-it-your-own.com (Creative activities for kids!)

Animal Building Block (LEGO) Challenge with make-it-your-own.com (Creative activities for kids!)

Animal Building Block (LEGO) Challenge with make-it-your-own.com (Creative activities for kids!)

Animal Building Block (LEGO) Challenge with make-it-your-own.com (Creative activities for kids!)

Purpose

  • Getting out into nature.
  • Learning how to take photos of items of interest.
  • Exploring how to draw a likeness of something.

Safety Notes

  • Have an adult accompany you on your nature walk, being sure to respect nature and people’s property.
  • Ask permission, prior to using equipment such as a camera or cell phone with the camera feature.
  • Avoid choosing items that may be dangerous (e.g., selecting mushrooms for example).
  • Small items such as erasers and glue caps should be stored out of reach of small children (o-3 years of age) or those that tend to put things in their mouths.

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