Bit by Bit

A new girl got placed in my class yesterday. It was her first day at the school after transferring from the regular high school. I zeroed in on her immediately and didn't leave her side for the whole class. She put up the "I can't draw" fight, but that didn't stop me from asking her to start drawing. Her main issue was focusing, so I kept tapping her shoulder and bringing her back to the page when she got distracted. She knew the other girls at the table and they were trying to engage her. I fended them off, suggesting we move to another table if concentrating was tough. She got down to business and we created an intensive work bubble around us. Through close observation and small achievable steps she drew first three butterflies and then three spiders. Together we dismantled and reconstructed them, limb by limb, wing by wing. Her observation and drawing progress was immediate.

Today she sketched the spider again and then announced she was ready to launch into the big construction-paper version. She immediately stopped looking at her reference spider and instead drew from her head, but she was unhappy with how distorted it was. I suggested she start over, and this time we took it step by step, again, discussing the ratios and measurements while looking at the spider reference engraving. I suggested first she draw the circle for the head, thinking about where it is on the page, then the body, then one leg, and then another. At each step I pointed out "use your eye." I coached her gently on each part of the spider and mentioned things to look for. She made a magnificent spider! I told her I was thrilled and asked her if she was too. She nodded and smiled. I went home after class elated, ready to dance in the streets!