Anyone that
knows us at Mairtown, will know how much we value all aspects of the creative arts. One
particular aspect that I choose to visit with children often is that of
observational drawing. So, what exactly is observational drawing? Drawing from observation (or
representational drawing) is what we refer to when we draw something, whilst
studying the actual object right in front of us. Here is the story of how we
began some amazing work on butterflies using this method of art.
Since the
beginning of term 1, way back in late January, we had one monarch butterfly repeatedly visit
the same spot on our swan plant every day, often many times a day. This led to
lots of conversations about butterflies; in order to deepen the children’s
thinking around this topic I borrowed a book from our local library ‘100
butterflies’ to share with the children. Almost immediately all the children
wanted to draw. Initially they drew butterflies from memory, yet after a while
I invited the children to engage in some observational drawings from this
wonderful book.
Many of our
children at Mairtown are so familiar with the concept that they needed little
support, yet with it being the beginning of a new term, with many new children,
for others observational drawing seemed daunting and challenging. Many children
told me ‘I can’t do it’ or ‘I don’t know how to draw’. As a teacher,
I almost love hearing these words, as they rarely mean a child actually can’t
do it! What it usually means is that they don’t know how to begin their work, and this is something
I can support and facilitate.
When it
came to working on our butterflies, I worked with many children who said
exactly these words. This was their first time of completing observational
drawing, and doing something new – for any of us - can feel very risky and at
times a bit scary.
One way I
support children in this aspect of their work is to break their drawing down
into ‘bite size’ chunks. For instance, I might say ‘What do you notice about the butterfly?’ several times to encourage the children to
think carefully and to look very closely. When they notice an aspect of the
butterfly I suggest they start by drawing this part first, all the while encouraging
them to continue to look closely at the details they see in just that one part
- ‘What do you notice?’ is a sentence
I use frequently in this type of work. When one part of the butterfly is
finished I then support the children to look at what else they notice about the
insect and soon a wonderful drawing is complete.
The results
of observational drawings, are often very stunning, almost breathtakingly so,
but this isn’t why I choose to engage in this type of art, the learning for all
children is much deeper than the finished product. I believe it fosters not
only creativity but also cognitive development and creative thinking. In accordance with Kolbe (2009), it
invites children to look very closely at things and to notice all the details.
In turn it encourages children to make more intricate drawings than they do
from memory alone, often leading to joyful discoveries. It is part of the
process of ‘learning to see’.
Of course
naturally as the children worked on their drawings of butterflies from the
book, and also ones that had been found lying on decks and porches etc. that they
had brought into kindergarten to share, discussions around not only what we
were noticing about these insects (for instance the shape and anatomy), but
also what we knew and didn’t know emerged. Some of these conversations were
quite passionate at times as children were certain of their knowledge and
wanted to make sure their friends understood their perspectives.
Here are
some of the finished observational drawing pictures, along with an extract of conversation
that I heard, highlighting the sharing of such knowledge and the deep thinking evident
as children work on this art form. As you read this, I think you can understand
the words of Kolbe who said observational drawing leads to ‘joyful discoveries’.
 |
| Monarch Butterfly |
 |
| Ruddy Daggerwing Butterfly |
Milla: I
wonder why butterflies are scared of us?
Raina: Well I follow them, do they like being
followed?
Adam: It’s
cause we’re big, our fingers are little to us but are big to ants and butterflies.
Milla: Why do butterflies have patterns on
them? … (She answers her own question) …Cause they have a pattern challenge. I
know monarch butterflies. I tried to catch one at nana and poppa’s but it was
way too quick - we tried with our hands.
Adam: You need
to use a net.
Milla: You know butterflies use their tongue
for picking up nectar! My one is a sunset one (the one she is drawing), that’s
its name, it may be called that cause of the colours.
Adam: Or
because maybe they only come out at sunset.
Milla: My favourite part of a butterfly is the
antennae.
Aurelia:
You know butterflies tickle.
Milla: But they don’t when they’re dead, as
I’ve held one
 |
| Glass Swallowtail Butterfly |
 |
| Blue Morpho (underneath of wings) |
When students draw pictures of things they see, it enhances their observation of these things (Haydock)
 |
| Painted Jezebel Butterfly |
Archie:
Butterflies have 4 wings…they fly out at night.
Adam: Is that a butterfly or a moth? No it’s a moth, butterflies are out in the
day.
Archie: Oh,
I thought it was night time…They have eyes and look these (points to antennae).
The wing has dots on and spots and my butterfly is green and yellow. I think
when butterflies are in their chrysalis they think about it and choose their
colour.
Aurelia: Yes, I think when they are in the
chrysalis they think about it and choose their colour.
Milla: Yes,
I think that’s right as I saw some colour in a chrysalis one day. You can get
white ones. The white ones eat veges, they have the same top and bottom
(referring to the patterns and colours). Not all butterflies have the same top
and bottoms.
Adam: Lots have different tops and bottoms.
Look at the wings, I can see cracks in them.
Milla: I
think that’s to keep the butterfly blood in them.
Aya: The butterfly has 2 eyes and 4 wings.
Cleo: I
know that butterflies hatch from eggs.
Aya: They hatch then they fly up in the air and
they come down and stop on a big tree and then they fly back up again.
Cleo: Hmm,
before they are butterflies they are caterpillars and then they turn into
butterflies.
Aya: Yes…the caterpillars look for food cause
they are really hungry and after that they curl themselves up into a little
house and ‘poof’ they turn into a butterfly.
Cleo: And
they eat leaves as caterpillars.
Christine: What do you notice about the
patterns on a butterfly?
Aya: There are lots of patterns and colours. My one has
white, orange and yellow only. That one (pointing to Cleo’s is different).
Cleo: Yes, the pattern has bumps; they are different and cool. Some
butterflies look the same but they have different patterns and different
colours. They have the same shape, but different patterns and colours. Like
mine is golden.
 |
| Blue Morpho Butterfly |
 |
| Monarch Butterfly |
Hei konā mai,
Christine
