a lesson in figure drawing

my children love to draw so much that they often wake up in the morning and before they even eat breakfast they are drawing.  some things they have both been interested in learning how to draw include humans and horses.  so.... i introduced to them, again the ever so clever and brilliant, Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was one of the greatest painters of all times, but is also known as the ultimate Renaissance man because he was perhaps the most widely talented person ever to have lived. Da Vinci is now a favorite artist of our family.  

Want to study art history?  How about Da Vinci and the Renaissance Period.   My kids and who am I kidding, myself included thinks he was a genius.  Not only was he a consummate painter and sculptor, he was a great inventor, military engineer, scientist, botanist, and mathematician.

We read "Who Was Leonardo da Vinci?" and watched...

We also discussed our visit to the HIGH Museum of Art a few years back when the Leonardo da Vinci exhibit was there.  Our children were much younger but it made quite an impression on them.  Some other ideas when studying figure drawing include purchasing books on how to draw and to get active as a family by planning a Sketch Family Night and sketch as many drawings as you can.  You could even keep this going and later have an art gallery opening, invite your friends and family and maybe even sale a few drawings and donate the funds to a favorite charity.  

After studying Leonardo da Vinci we began learning about human anatomy (more to come).

Some books we enjoy...

The Fundamentals of Drawing, A Complete Professional Course for ARtists, by Barrington Barber

Drawing with Children, A Creative Methos for Adult Beginners, Too, by Mona Brookes

I Can Draw..., by Terry Longhurst