Texture Squares: Split your paper in to six or eight sections and look at every day objects up close with a view finder. Create a full range of value using a 6 B drawing pencil. From here,you can do an enlarged painting or foam print.

Metamorphosis: Create six or seven cells. Gradually change a letter of the alphabet (does not have to be the English alphabet!) in to an object that begins with the letter. Challenge yourself by having the negative space around the letter become the positive space or the object. Great inro to animation.

Gesture Sketches: A great warm up to train your hand to follow your eye! Two minute quick sketches of figures or objects. Giacometti scribble drawings are a wonderful partner visual for this project. My favourite ones have been of classmates, pears, and shoes!

Overlapping Contour Studies: Look at objects around you and do contour drawings of them. Overlap as you go. Then add colour or collage in negative and positive space. Contour drawing is when you look at the object more than your paper, only draw the outline, don't lift your pen, and draw slowly!

Zendalas: Start with any shape and fill with design, pattern, and repeated groovy marks! Zendalas relax the mind and feed the soul. Turn on some groove or lounge music and just wait to see what students will create with beautiful fine tip sharpies or illustrator pens.

Diptych From Personal Photos: Students create a ten photo portfolio and choose their favourite two. They then create a grid enlargement of these two photos. Please see assignment sheet below.