We “Art” Ability: Three Kids’ Drawing Exercises for the Non-Dominant Hand

As it’s our Summer of Ability, the kids are exploring seeming physical “limitations” and the masterpieces that may be made because of them. Today, the kids got out their blank books and some basic art supplies, and they got to work on three exercises for the non-dominant hand.  Here are the prompts I designed for them and snaps of the results.

Ambidextrous Stuffy Sketches

Supplies
Blank Paper
Charcoal, coloured, or #2 pencil, or ink pen
Stuffed animal

Method
Place your blank paper on the table directly in front of you.
Pose a stuffed animal in the centre of the table in front of your blank page so that the stuffy is facing you.
Pick up your pencil or pen in your dominant hand.
Look up at the stuffy and imagine a line dividing the stuffy down the centre of its body from top to bottom.
While gazing up at the stuffy, and only lifting up your pencil/pen when absolutely necessary, draw the same side of the stuffy as your dominant hand.
Try not to look down at your paper very often!
When you have finished the first half of your sketch, pass the pencil/pen to your non-dominant hand.
While gazing up at the stuffy, and only lifting up your pencil/pen when absolutely necessary, draw the same side of the stuffy as your non-dominant hand.
Try not to look down at your paper very often!

Still-Life with the Non-dominant Hand

Supplies
A bowl of fruit, a vase of flowers, a pile of vegetables, or any group of everyday objects
Blank paper or a sheet of water-colour paper
Colored pencils, pens or oil pastels, or a thin black permanent marker and a set of markers or water-colours

Method
Have fun arranging your fruits, flowers, veggies, or everyday objects in a bowl, vase, or pile in the center of the table.
With your non-dominant hand, using colored pencils, pens, oil pastels or a permanent marker, sketch the still life.
If you used permanent marker, with your non-dominant hand, use coloured pencils, oil pastels, markers or watercolors to complete your design.

“Counterfeit Picasso” with the Non-dominant Hand

Supplies
Blank paper
Colored pens, pencils, or oil pastels
A picture of a favourite famous work of art

Method
Using your non-dominant hand, try to reproduce your favorite work of art!