Learn to Draw Quickly: Tips to Help Your Child

Got a pencil and some paper? Fantastic! Use these awesome tips and tricks to learn to draw quickly with your child.

Whether your child is a budding doodler of 3 or a seasoned artist of 17, there’s something fun and easy for everyone to create. 

To make it easier to understand this post, I’ve split this list into three sections by age group. Here, you can determine what level of drawing your child is at.

Drawing is a fantastic way to spark creativity, improve fine motor skills, and have a blast!

Forget the pressure of perfect masterpieces. Practice progresses, and you’ll be amazed at what inspires your child.

These tips and this fantastic YouTube channel will help you and your child learn to draw quickly. Art for Kids Hub has over 9 million subscribers and is one of the most popular family art channels!

Check it out for excellent tutorials and learn to draw fast. 

In addition, My son has learned hundreds of drawings from this channel, and we love it!

Learn to Draw Group One: Simple Shapes, Big Fun (Ages 3-7)

1. Smiling Sun: A circle with radiating lines and a happy face.
2. Cartoon Flowers: Simple circles or ovals with a stem and leaf.
3. Wiggly Worms: A series of connected curved lines.
4. Fluffy Clouds: Irregular, rounded shapes.
5. Basic Houses: A square or rectangle with a triangle roof.
6. Stick Figure Family: Simple lines and circles to represent people.
7. Simple Cars: Rectangles with circles for wheels.

• Large Crayons:
  • They are easy to grip, encourage bold strokes, and are great for developing hand-eye coordination.
• Washable Markers:
  • Vibrant colors, easy to use, and washable for easy cleanup.
• Chunky Colored Pencils:
  • Provides more control than crayons, but still easy to grip.
• Large Sheets of Paper:
  • Allow for freedom of movement and large-scale creations.
• Finger Paints:
  • Moreover, it is a sensory experience, great for exploring color and texture.

Learn to Draw Group 2: Adding Details & Depth (Ages 8-12)

1. Cartoon Animals: Start with basic shapes and add details like eyes, ears, and tails. Think cats, dogs, or even a silly monster.
2. Simple Landscapes: A horizon line, a few hills, and trees.
3. Food Items: Draw a slice of pizza, a cupcake, or a juicy apple using basic shapes and adding details.
4. Robots: To build a quirky robot, use rectangles, squares, and circles.
5. Emoji Faces: Express your emotions with simple circles and facial features.
6. Geometric Patterns: Explore repeating shapes and lines to create cool designs.
7. Simple Manga Eyes: Learn to draw expressive eyes with a few simple strokes.
8. Doodle Art: Just let your pencil wander and create abstract shapes and lines. Fill them with patterns and colors.

Ages 8-12: Developing Control and Detail Drawing Tools

• Colored Pencils:
  • Offer finer control for adding details and shading.
• Graphite Pencils (Various Grades):
  • Introduce different pencil hardnesses for shading and line variation.
• Fine-Tip Markers:
  • For adding precise details and outlines.
• Sketchbooks:
  • Encourage practice and development of drawing skills.
• Erasers (Kneaded and Rubber):
  • Begin to learn how to correct and refine their drawings.
• Rulers and Stencils:
  • These tools help children begin to learn about geometric shapes and straight lines.

Learn to Draw Group 3: Blend accessibility with creative potential (Ages 12-17)

• Abstract art: Experiment with lines, shapes, and colors without needing to represent anything specific.
• Geometric patterns: Explore repeating shapes and designs, like tessellations or intricate geometric patterns.
• Mandalas: Create symmetrical, circular designs that can be relaxing and visually appealing.
• Zentangles: Using structured patterns to fill a space creates intricate and meditative drawings.
• Doodle art: Let your imagination run wild with spontaneous and free-flowing doodles.
• Cartoon characters: Draw favorite characters or create original ones, focusing on expressive features.
• Animals: Start with simple animal shapes and gradually add details to create realistic or stylized drawings.
• Landscapes: Capture the beauty of nature with simple landscape drawings, focusing on basic shapes and perspective.
• Portraits: Practice drawing faces and expressions, starting with simple sketches and gradually adding details.
• Still life: Moreover, arrange simple objects and practice drawing them from observation, focusing on light and shadow.

Ages 12-17: Refining Skills and Exploring Mediums Tools for Drawing

• Professional-Grade Graphite Pencils:
  • For detailed shading and rendering.
• Charcoal Pencils and Sticks:
  • For expressive drawings and creating depth.
• Fine-Liner Pens:
  • For detailed line work and ink drawings.
• Watercolor Pencils:
  • Versatile medium for combining drawing and painting.
• Sketchbooks and Drawing Pads (Various Paper Types):
  • To experiment with different textures and surfaces.
• Drawing Pens (Technical Pens, Brush Pens):
  • For exploring different ink techniques.
• Drawing Mannequins:
  • On the other hand, this works great for learning about human anatomy.

Bonus: Drawings and Art By Anthony!

Tips for Success

• Start with basic shapes: Circles, squares, triangles, and lines are the building blocks of most drawings.
• Don’t be afraid to make mistakes: Art has no rules! Embrace imperfections and turn them into creative opportunities.
• Use references: Look at pictures of the objects you want to learn to draw. This will help you understand their shapes and details.
• Add color: Bring your drawings to life with crayons, colored pencils, or markers.
• Practice regularly: The more you draw, the better you’ll become.
• Have fun! Drawing should be an enjoyable experience.

Conclusion

Drawing should be a fun experience, and your child can tell you countless stories from their drawings.

In addition, you can make drawing books with your child and write a story together.

This activity unlocks your imagination and allows you to explore your creativity while you learn together. 

Lastly, drawing cool and easy drawings isn’t just about creating a beautiful image; it’s about expressing yourself and enjoying the process.

Grab your pencil, let your imagination run wild, and start drawing and learning with your child.

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