Teaching Gesture Drawing

Gesture drawing can be fun experience for kids who enjoy working quickly and loosely, and a frustrating experience for kids who, like me, are very precise and neat in their method of creation.  Knowing that some students are going to be hesitant, or even resistant, to this method of drawing will help me in teaching it.  I would begin by giving all of my students a piece of paper and a regular pencil and tell them to draw me in 30 seconds.  Then, I would have them discuss what they were able to do during that time period with the utensil they had.  From here, I would ask what the students think the word "gesture" means, and then, based on that definition, what a gesture drawing may entail.  From here, I would introduce the 7 "L's" of gesture drawing, as provided by Gina Taylor:

Draw Loosely

Draw Lightly

Draw Lines of Action (like something tight or being tugged)

Draw Lines of Rhythm (like folds in cloth and leg movement)

Draw Long

Draw Large

Draw Lively

I would then show examples of student and my own drawings, such as these:

Then, I would hand out graphite crayons, or another larger drawing utensil, and ask the students to draw me again in 30 seconds, this time keeping in mind the 7 "L's". I would then have them discuss the differences between their drawing attempts. I would then have students take turns modeling for the class, lengthening the time allowed as we go. For example, I would have them do 5-10 more 30 second drawings to get in the hang of the motion and depending on class size, then 5 45 second drawings, and 1-5 1 minute drawings, depending on class size. From here, I would move into an extended gesture with colorful chalk pastels, using a projection of a model so that all of the students can participate. Again, I would show student and my own examples to encourage students of their own abilities.