by I was compensated for my time and provided with a copy of this curriculum for review purposes, but all opinions expressed are my own.
Recently my daughter expressed an interest in learning to draw. As a teen I drew a lot as well, but not particularly well, and definitely not well enough to teach anyone. Really this is fine since she prefers to learn on her own rather than listen to me, but finding a comprehensive resource for her to use would be a challenge.
There are tons of Youtube videos out there if you want to wade through them, and I'm sure many online classes that can be pricey and time restrictive. Then we found Natasha's Sketchbook from Heron Books.
What is Natasha's Sketchbook
Natasha's Sketchbook is actually a series of books that work through all the elements of art: Line, Shape, Value, Color, Texture, and Form. We are specifically looking at the Form book at the moment.
Each of the lessons in the Natasha's Sketchbook covers one aspect of the given element always building on the previous lesson. For example in the Form book the first lesson defines form, gives examples, and then shows how adding shading can turn shapes into 3D objects, this is followed by learning about single perspective, double perspective and so on.
Throughout the lesson there are beautiful images of art work demonstrating what is being taught, and at the end of each lesson there is a section for students to practice what they just learned. Following the final lesson there are also a couple artist profiles for further research as additional practice exercises.
Why Natasha's Sketchbook is a Perfect Fit
At some point all homeschool moms realize that they cannot teach everything. And while I think we can all agree that ideally a private tutor would be the best for learning any subject, but that is a bit cost and time prohibitive for the vast majority of us. Besides, having something the kids can work to master independently is great for teenagers! Aside from me not having to teach the subject, there are several reasons Natasha's Sketchbook works perfectly in our homeschool.
- Comprehensive
- Reusable
- Projects are not complicated
- Materials needed are readily accessible and minimal
- Increases confidence
I will be the first to admit that I have always worried about gaps in learning with my kids. Not only across subjects either, but within subjects. I know intrinsically that most of it will not matter once they are adults, but my perfectionist tendency takes over, and I find myself worrying about how much to introduce (usually too much if I plan on my own) and the order to do it in which is why I work with a curriculum for the majority of things. If I didn't, my poor kids would be learning 24 hours a day! Which brings us to the comprehensive nature of Natasha's Sketchbook. Using all the volumes in order provides a complete introduction to all the elements of art and how they are used. No planning. No worrying. Solid Foundation.
I also love the fact that it is in book format and therefore completely reusable. If I have another child that wants to delve into drawing more, I will already have a great curriculum ready. It is also a lot easier to take a book into random quiet spaces or outdoors to do some sketching.
The projects included are not complicated. I love crafts, and I love all the messy things, but I do not love my kids attempting messy things and then not cleaning them up or having to ask a billion questions on what the instructions mean. The projects in Natasha's Sketchbook are straightforward and practice the skills taught.
Going along with the simplicity of the projects is the simplicity of the materials. The materials list is not overly long and doesn't require a trip to a specialty art store or an entire closet to store them. What a relief!
I know I have mentioned the fact that students work on this independently multiple times (because I love that so much), but more importantly, having the student work on learning something that interests them independently builds motivation and in turn builds confidence as they see their skills emerge.
Learning to be self motivated and growing confidence in their skills are lessons that will serve all students well one they are on their own.
My Teen's Opinion on Natasha's Sketchbook
"The whole series seems like a lot of fun, and the Form book taught me more about perspective than I had previously learned."
Do you have a teen interested in art? Or maybe one who could use an elective and some independent learning. Either way, be sure to check out Natasha's Sketchbook and between now and August 31, 2022 you can save 40% with the discount code LifeWithMore40
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