Drawing with Graded Graphite Pencils- A Review – The Delight Directed Homeschooler

Disclaimer: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

Homeschool Art can be a very overwhelming thing for us mamas. The one subject that my children are all enthusiastic about is drawing. They like all things art, but drawing is the number 1 hit around here. Even though I am an artsy person, teaching my children was still overwhelming at times. When they were younger, I was drowning in papers filled with their latest masterpieces. I offended them greatly when I would throw away their life’s work. I discovered sketch books and decided that was a worthy investment. As long as the drawings were contained, everyone was happy. There are probably 200 or more sketch books in my home dating back to 2015.

ARTistic Pursuits is a company we have reviewed in the past. Their materials are top notch and super homeschool friendly. You can find materials for kindergarten through twelfth grade. Drawing with Graded Graphite Pencils is part of the Intermediate Level Art Core 3. The book we received came a DVD and Blue Ray with Instruction for 36 projects! This could serve as your entire year of art curriculum if you did one project per week…. or one unit per month. This course is designed for middle schoolers, ages 12 and up.

Students learn to use graded pencils beginning with line drawing and moving into full tonal drawing. They learn to cast shadows, reflect light, and add realism to their work.

One of my favorite aspects of ARTistic Pursuits is the connection to real life artists in history. For example, in Art Appreciation Lesson 3, we learn about Tao-Chi’s The Jingting Mountains and Waterfall in Autumn. This work of art was created in China in 1671. Students learn about the culture, the artist, and the country.

We also like the student gallery that is incorporated into each lesson. It is hard to only see the masterpieces. I think students are encouraged to keep going when they see work done by students their own age.

The main concepts covered in Drawing with Graded Graphite Pencils are:

Lines and edges
Arranging objects
Constructing shapes
Space and texture
5-value scale
Planes show form
Landscape forms
The figure
Still life forms

Each Unit has four lessons:

Art Materials: Video Instruction– Students learn about using their materials, how to apply what they’ve learned, and how to draw from observation.
Creativity: Building a Visual Vocabulary
Art Appreciation And History
Master Lesson: Assimilating Knowledge and Skills– Students put the techniques they’ve learned into practice.

We have enjoyed every course we have done through ARTistic Pursuits. Drawing with Graded Graphite Pencils is no different. The course is solid and so easy to follow. This is a great addition to your homeschool rhythm.