Everyone has a different idea about drawing. Here are some of our favourites:

01 WHAT IS DRAWING? Everyone has a different idea about drawing. Here are some of our favourites: • Drawing is looking at the world around you, and...
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WHAT IS DRAWING?

Everyone has a different idea about drawing. Here are some of our favourites: • Drawing is looking at the world around you, and the world inside you. • Drawing is telling stories with pictures. • Drawing is making your mark. • Drawing is trying new things and having fun. • Drawing is about connecting your eyes, your body and your mind. • Drawing is for sharing – if you have a good idea, don’t keep it to yourself! • Drawing is for everyone. WHAT’S THE BIG DRAW? The Big Draw has one aim – to get everyone drawing! The Big Draw runs from 1st to 31st October every year. 2008 sees the ninth Big Draw. For more information, go to: www.campaignfordrawing.org

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WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR?

I SEE. I’D LIKE TO TRY SOME DRAWING, BUT… I’M NOT AN ARTIST!

This book is for You don’t need to be an artist to try out anyone who wants the ideas in this book by yourself or with your don’t need to be an to try some drawing. artistfriends.You to use these ideas with a group! You can draw by Just try your best yourself or and have fun! with friends. If you are a teacher or workshop leader you can use these ideas for drawing with a group. WHO WROTE THIS BOOK? I did! My name’s Sally and I'm an artist living in Liverpool. This book also includes ideas from other artists, students, friends and people who enjoy drawing.

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I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DRAW!

I’M NO GOOD AT PERSPECTIVE!

If you’re stuck, we have lots of ideas for you...

Perspective is just one way of drawing – there are many others. Modern (geometric) perspective is only about 600 years old. The oldest known drawing of a face is 27,000 years old.

See pages 04-05. Why not look at drawings by other artists? We have included some names for you to investigate. There is also a list of books about drawing on page 26. Or you could visit an art gallery or museum for inspiration!

I CAN’T AFFORD FANCY ART MATERIALS!

I DON’T HAVE TIME TO DRAW!

I DON’T HAVE A SKETCHBOOK!

Get into the habit of carrying a pencil and a small sketchbook with you.

You can staple or sew old envelopes together to make a sketchbook. Start saving bits of scrap paper, empty cereal packets, till receipts, leftover wallpaper – you can draw on anything!

On page 06 we have a list of very cheap but interesting materials for you to try. You probably already have some of these at home.

You can draw on the bus, in a café, sitting in the park…anywhere and everywhere! Just like music or sport, you will get better at drawing if you practice as often as you can.

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I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DRAW…

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I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DRAW… CONTINUED

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WHAT CAN I USE?

You don't need to stick with pencil and paper. Here are thirty ideas for other things that you can draw with, or draw on. These are fun to try but remember to protect skin, clothes and surfaces. Adults should help supervise activities for children. 01 02 03 04 05

Mud Shoe polish Twigs Feathers Vaseline (try it on black card, under a UV “black” light!)

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Sandpaper Ash Cotton buds Drinking straws A wall or the pavement (make sure you have permission first)

11 Condensation on a window pane 12 Snow 13 Thread (sewing machines are great to draw with!)

14 A compass 15 Old-fashioned typewriter carbon paper 16 Greaseproof or kitchen paper 17 Masking tape (great for continuous line drawing)

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A sponge or rubber roller PVA glue Food colouring Glitter The beach

23 A pipette or eye dropper 24 Lipstick 25 A bicycle, toy car or rollerskates Dip the wheels in paint! (Be sure to get permission from the owner first!)

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Coffee or tea Wire Dust Squeezy ketchup or chocolate sauce (mmm!) 30 Glass (you can buy special paints and pens for working on glass)

PENCILS AND PAPER If you want to buy paper from an art shop, choose white cartridge paper with a weight of 120gsm or more. Cartridge paper has a slight “tooth” or roughness. This makes it feel better to draw on. The best pencils for drawing are 2B or softer. HB, F and H pencils are too hard and the marks they make are not as interesting.

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WARMING UP

It's a good idea to start your drawing with some warm-up exercises using just a pencil and plain paper.

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You can use recycled paper or photocopy paper for these exercises. Don’t use a rubber for these warm-up drawings. If you think you have drawn something in the wrong place, just re-draw it. A drawing is a record of something that happened over time. If you can see how your drawings have changed, this shows you what you have learnt – not what you got wrong!

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TAKE A LINE FOR A WALK Make a drawing without taking your pen or pencil off the paper, using one continuous line. NO PEEKING! Make a drawing without looking at the paper. If you find this difficult, sit at a table and hold your sketchbook underneath.

DRAWING BY TOUCH This works best with a friend. Close your eyes and ask them to give you something to draw without you seeing what it is. Keeping your eyes closed, try to draw the shape and feel of the object…not what you think it looks like! Is it rough or smooth, soft or hard, fluffy or spiky?

WRONG-HAND DRAWING If you are right-handed, try drawing with your left hand. If you are right-handed, try drawing with your left-hand. If you don't have a “favourite” hand, then why not try drawing with a pencil held between your toes?

I’VE STARTED SO YOU’LL FINISH… Another drawing exercise to try with a friend. Both of you start drawing the same object. After ten minutes, swap drawings (or swap places – this can work well if you are sitting opposite each other). You can swap again after another ten minutes if you like!

SPEED DRAWING You'll need a timer for this one! Try drawing the same object in a minute... thirty seconds... fifteen seconds... five seconds... Try to draw the entire object, not just a part of it.

FUNNY FINGERS Try binding your thumb and forefinger together with masking tape before you start drawing! You can also try taping the pencil to the palm of your hand…why not tape a pencil to both hands?

MEMORY DRAWING Arrange a group of interesting objects in front of you. Look at them carefully for two minutes, without drawing. Then cover them up and make a drawing of what you remember. This will test your visual memory!

MAKING YOUR MARK How many different types of mark can you make with your pencil on the paper? Try pressing very hard, then making very delicate marks. Try using the side of the pencil rather than the point. Make some long wavy marks. Make some short scratchy marks…

TURNABOUT Find something to draw that is interesting from the back and sides as well as the front. Make a five-minute drawing of the front of the object. Now turn it 90 degrees (a quarter turn). Make another five-minute drawing…on top of your previous drawing! Turn it another 90 degrees and repeat. Do this one more time and you will have one drawing that shows four different sides of your object. Try using coloured pencils or pens for each drawing.

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DIGITAL DRAWING WHAT SHOULD I USE?

Many artists use computers in their work, but you don’t need the very most up-to-date computer equipment to make digital drawings. An expensive computer will not make you a better artist!

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Here’s a list of some programs and websites that you might like to try: FREEWARE/OPEN SOURCE All are free to use. You can download and use these programs for free, but they may not have as many features as commercial programs: GIMP Krita Inkscape (vector drawing) Art of Illusion (3D modelling) CHEAP/SHAREWARE These programs are cheaper to buy than commercial programs: NeoPaint (Windows only) Pixarra (Windows only) Pixelmator (Mac only) COMMERCIAL These are the programs used by professional artists and designers. They can be very expensive to buy, but are more powerful than free or shareware programs:

ONLINE These websites let you create drawings in your web browser. All are free to use. Queeky www.queeky.com Scribbler www.zefrank.com/scribbler/ Art Pad http://artpad.art.com/artpad/painter/ Odopod www.odopod.com/sketch/sketch.html DRAWING MACHINES A computer is not the only machine that can be used for drawing. William Anastasi used the movement of subway trains to create his abstract pencil drawings. Jürg Lehni has created a “graffiti output device” called Hektor. Why not try designing your own drawing machine? It could be a simple machine that you could make yourself. Perhaps you can find a way to adapt an electric toothbrush or a remote-controlled toy car? Or you can just let your imagination run wild and design a truly crazy contraption - look at the work of Heath Robinson for inspiration!

Adobe Photoshop Adobe Illustrator (vector drawing) Autodesk 3ds Max (3D modelling) Corel Painter You may be able to access this software at your school, college or local City Learning Centre.

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DRAWING WORKSHOPS

These activities are suitable for half-day sessions, when you have plenty of time to get warmed-up, relax and enjoy your drawing. Each workshop plan includes a list of materials, detailed instructions, hints for adapting the activity for different groups, and suggestions for closing the session. You’ll also find ideas for taking the workshop theme further, through research or other creative activities.

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SAND DRAWING

This is a fun drawing activity that you can try by yourself or with a group. It’s suitable for artists of all ages and abilities.

YOU WILL NEED • Coloured sand (you can buy this from art shops and educational suppliers in a wide range of colours and quantities. It’s non-toxic but may stain clothing if it gets wet. You can also use salt, spices, builders’ sand or silver sand). Some or all of the following: • Brushes (decorators’ brushes are good) • Bamboo cane and masking tape • Plastic tea-trays and blu-tack • Empty plastic drinks bottles (small) with holes drilled in the lids • Empty plastic salt/pepper pots with removable lids And also: • Plastic funnels • Plastic cups • Masking tape • A dustpan and brush • A1 sheet of black or white card • Large bucket to collect used sand • A camera (optional)

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SAND DRAWING CONTINUED GETTING STARTED Use the plastic cups and funnels to fill the empty plastic bottles and pots with sand. Tape the card to the floor. Use the bottles/pots to drizzle/sprinkle the sand on the paper. Experiment with the distance between the bottle/pot and the card. Make sweeping gestures or precise movements. Pick up a brush and make patterns in the sand. Place your hands or feet on the card and drizzle sand over them to create negative shapes. Now sweep it all away and start again… DRAWING IS FOR EVERYONE You can tape a decorators’ brush to the end of the bamboo cane to make a super-long brush. This is ideal if you’re a wheelchair user – or if you just want to experiment! You can create your drawings on plastic tea-trays blu-tacked to a stable surface. Use this idea if you don’t have much space, if you have limited movement, or if you don’t want to clear up lots of spilt sand.

AT THE END OF THE SESSION

Sand drawings are too fragile to keep – but you can always take a photograph! You can clean up the sand with the dustpan and brush (or a hoover). “Used” sand can be collected in a bucket and recycled. TAKING IT FURTHER Set up a camera and tripod and photograph a sand drawing at each stage of its development. You can use this sequence of images to create a flipbook or stop-motion animation (try iMovie or Photoshop). Look at Indian rangoli patterns or Tibetan sand mandalas.

Everyone enjoys the feel of sand between their toes – try moving the sand around with your bare feet! Patterns and abstract art work well with this technique. The bright colours and interesting feel of the sand make this a good drawing activity for people who are partially-sighted.

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VISIONARY CITIES

This is a group drawing activity that would work well as an ice-breaker. It’s also a good way to create drawings that can be used to start a discussion about history, technology, politics or the environment.

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YOU WILL NEED • A photocopier • A4 or A3 white paper • Glue (Pritt sticks are ideal) • Scissors • A 3-metre length of lining paper or several large sheets of paper that can be stuck or taped together • Black felt-tip pens • “Prompts” written on small pieces of paper. Ideas for prompts include: Liverpool [or other city] in 3008 / Liverpool [or other city] in 1808 / Liverpool [or other city] after an alien invasion / Liverpool [or other city] in the age of the dinosaurs / Liverpool [or other city] in medieval times / Liverpool [or other city] when you were five years old / Liverpool [or other city] after climate change / Liverpool [or other city] as it is now

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VISIONARY CITIES CONTINUED GETTING STARTED Each artist chooses a prompt at random, and draws a picture inspired by their prompt. These drawings are then photocopied several times at different sizes. Next, the artists cut out all the most interesting parts of their photocopied drawings – such as people, cars, trees, dinosaurs, buildings and aliens. They use the cut-outs to create an amazing new cityscape by sticking them onto the lining paper. If there is any space left when all the cut-outs have been stuck down, this can be filled with more drawing or decoration. DRAWING IS FOR EVERYONE Stick the prompts to the initial drawings so that they don’t get lost. Talk about the drawings with the artists. How do they compare to the artists’ own experience of the city? Can you link the drawings to films or TV programmes, or to stories on the news? Look for picture prompts in books or on the internet. AT THE END OF THE SESSION The artists each have their own original drawings (these could be coloured or developed further) as well as a new joint artwork.

It’s interesting to see how different drawing styles compare and contrast within the one image, and to think about how the random elements work together. TAKING IT FURTHER Look at the fantastical cities in the drawings of Kam Tang, Gilles Trehin, Chourouk Hriech and the Surrealists. Try the Surrealists’ collaborative drawing game Exquisite Corpse (you might know this as Picture Consequences). Write stories about the city in the group drawing.

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CRAZY CARICATURES

Caricatures are drawings of people that make their most obvious features even more obvious – usually to poke fun at them. This activity works best with a partner, but you could always use a mirror if you are working by yourself.

YOU WILL NEED • A4 white paper • a pencil • a rubber • glue (Pritt stick is ideal) GETTING STARTED First of all, if you're working with a partner, shake hands with them! Caricatures can show us things about ourselves that we might not like. By shaking hands you agree that you will not be offended by each other's drawings! Don't compare your caricatures until you have both finished working. Spend ten minutes making a drawing of your partner's face. The drawing should fill a sheet of A4 paper. If you don't feel confident about drawing faces, then why not try one of the drawing techniques from the “warm-up” section? Next, take another good look at your partner's face. What is the first thing you notice about them? Do they have big eyes, a pointy nose, crazy hair? Make a list of their three most obvious features. Now go back to your drawing. Look at the first item on your list. If it says “big eyes”, then make the eyes on your drawing bigger. If it says “pointy nose”, then make the nose pointier. You get the idea! Don't use a rubber at this stage – just draw over your original drawing. Work through each item on your list.

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CRAZY CARICATURES CONTINUED

Look at your picture. Have you gone far enough? A really good caricature should be ridiculous! Go back through your list and make the eyes/nose/hair on your drawing even bigger/pointier/crazier. You can use a rubber at this stage to tidy up your drawing. Take another sheet of A4 paper. Ask your partner to stand up in front of you. Look closely at them before you start to draw. Do they stand up straight? Do they have long legs, a big tummy or short arms? How do their clothes hide or show the shape of their body? Make a careful ten-minute drawing of your partner, head-to-toe, filling the entire page.

AT THE END OF THE SESSION Look at each other's caricatures. How do you feel about them? Are they funny, rude, or just plain silly? Do they make you notice things about yourself that you hadn't really noticed before? There should be no hard feelings at the end of a caricature session...so be sure to shake hands with your partner again! TAKING IT FURTHER Why not develop your caricature as a cartoon character? Look at the work of Gerald Scarfe, David Hughes and Ralph Steadman. Caricature has been a popular artform for hundreds of years. See if you can find some examples of caricatures of the following people: Napoleon, Adolf Hitler, Tony Blair. How has the style of caricature changed over time? How do caricatures of the same person by different artists compare?

Finally, cut out the drawing of your partner's face that you made earlier. Glue it over the head on the head-to-toe drawing you have just finished. Cut out your completed caricature (if you want, stick it down on a larger sheet of coloured paper). This type of caricature is called Big head, little body. Now it's your partner's turn!

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DRAWING WITH LIGHT

This is a fun activity for two people or a small group. YOU WILL NEED • A good quality tripod • A film or digital camera (SLR-type cameras are best) • Camera film if you are using a film camera (ISO 100) • A memory card if you are using a digital camera • A torch or other hand-held light source • Spare batteries (you’d hate to miss out on an amazing shot because your batteries are dead!)

GETTING STARTED You can draw with light indoors or outdoors. If you’re drawing outside the sky has to be fully dark, otherwise your images can end up overexposed and you might lose part of your light drawing. Wait for a calm night. Wind can make the tripod shake, and will also make objects such as trees look blurry. A clear night is best, as even slow-moving clouds can leave smears and trails in your image. It's better to use a tripod than trying to hold the camera or rest it on something as it needs to be totally still. Otherwise your images will be blurry. The easiest torch to “draw” with is a small LED torch. This is easy to control and makes thin, sharp lines. But it's worth experimenting with other types of torches too, for different effects.

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DRAWING WITH LIGHT CONTINUED You can also try using lighters, sparklers, mobile phones and mirrors – anything gives out or reflects light. Take extra care when working with anything that is hot. To photograph light drawings, you will need to use your camera's Manual exposure mode. You will find this on all SLR cameras and on some compact digital cameras too. Set the aperture between f/2.8 and f/5.6 and the shutter speed to 30 seconds. ISO or film speed should be at the lowest possible setting (normally 100). Take a test shot first and then adjust your aperture accordingly to get a good exposure. If the picture is too dark, open up the aperture to let in more light. If you can’t do this, then increase the ISO sensitivity. If the scene is too light, step down the aperture. Using a self-timer or a remote to operate the camera will help to stop the camera moving. Self-timers are ideal as they give you a few seconds to get into position. You can use your camera's auto focus by shining a torch on part of your scene, auto focusing on that point then locking the focus by switching to manual focus on the lens. Make sure the scene is composed to your satisfaction, and you're ready to go! Once the shutter is open, you will have 30 seconds in which to make your drawing.

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DRAWING WITH LIGHT CONTINUED

Try to make your drawing part of the scene – you could draw a person sitting on a bench or a monster hiding behind a tree.

Usually you will want to keep the torch pointed at the camera all the way through the drawing, but turning it away from the camera to light different parts of the scene can also create interesting effects... experiment! Whilst you are drawing, try to keep moving so that you are not captured in the scene along with your drawing. Wearing black or dark clothing can also help to keep you out of the picture! If you're using a digital camera, you can try changing the white balance settings. This can help get rid of the orange shade that is caused by street lamps or other light pollution. If you're new to light drawing, try not to worry too much about taking the technically “perfect” photograph. The composition and quality of your drawing are more important.

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DRAWING WITH LIGHT CONTINUED STAR DRAWINGS

Another idea you can try is star drawings. For this you need to use the camera's B or Bulb mode. This camera mode leaves the shutter open for as long as the release button is held down. You will need to use a remote shutter control. If you are using a traditional film camera, you will need to leave the shutter open for fifteen minutes. If you are using a digital camera, you will need to take three separate photographs, each with an exposure time of five minutes. This is to stop the sensor from overheating and affecting the photo quality. Afterwards, you will need to combine the three photographs using a computer. These long exposures will capture the movement of the stars in the sky. If you include the north star in your photograph you will be able to see how the other stars move around it as the earth turns.

REMEMBER It's cold at night, so wrap up warmly. Bring some friends with you if you can. It's much more fun to work together and share ideas. It's also safer. Never go out alone at night with expensive equipment. Never trespass or go anywhere you know to be dangerous. DRAWING IS FOR EVERYONE If you don't have a camera, or you just want to keep things simple, try “drawing” with a torch on the walls and ceiling of a dark room. Light ropes can also be used to make interesting patterns on the floor. AT THE END OF THE SESSION Make a note of the settings and techniques that worked best for you. Choose the best images from your set. Why not set up a Flickr blog to share your photos with the world? www.flickr.com TAKING IT FURTHER Look at the work of Lichtfaktor, James Turrell and Olafur Eliasson. Create a story to go with your light drawings. Can you make an animation using your light drawings?

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DRAWING THEMES

These drawing activities are all linked by theme. Many of them can be completed in an hour or less – ideal for short sessions. You can also “mix’n’match” activities to create a longer workshop. They’re easy to explain and easy to do, which makes them suitable for a wide range of artists.

SEEING SOUNDS Many artists like to listen to music while they draw, but have you ever tried drawing to music? Choose a type of music that you would not normally listen to. Indian sitar music, African drumming, contemporary classical and experimental electronic music are all good choices for this activity. If the music were made out of shapes, what would it look like? Draw the shapes that describe the music. If these shapes had a colour, what colour would they be? Add three different colours to your drawing. If you’re drawing with a friend, compare your finished artworks. Are any of the shapes or colours the same? You can also try this activity with everyday sounds. What do the sounds of traffic, birdsong and chatter look like? Look at the work of Paul Klee and Wassily Kandinsky.

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DRAWING THEMES CONTINUED DRAWING WITH THE BODY You can use your whole body for drawing – not just your hand and eyes! Use fingerprints, handprints and footprints to create pictures or patterns. Having a haircut? Save the clippings to make brushes. Bind the hair to a twig with an elastic band or a length of cotton. You can also use hair collected from a hairbrush, or animal hair. Make a snow angel. Dance to music with a long ribbon or streamer, drawing patterns in the air. Find a piece of paper that’s big enough to lie on. Ask a friend to draw around the outline of your body for you. Fill in the outline with drawings about your life – your friends, family, home and hobbies. You can make drawings on the body with face-paints, make-up or henna (be sure to only use natural brown henna!) Look at the work of Yves Klein and Antony Gormley.

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DRAWING THEMES CONTINUED

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

IMAGE CREDITS

Dexter, E. (2005) Vitamin D (Themes) London, Phaidon Press.

Front cover: Kate Pankhurst katepankhurst.com

Edwards, B. (2001) The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain 3rd Edition. London, Harper Collins. Kovats, T. ed (2007) The Drawing Book: A Survey of Drawing The Primary Means of Expression 2nd Edition. London, Black Dog Publishing. New, J. (2005) Drawing from Life: The Journal as Art New York, Princeton Architectural Press Perr, M. (2007) Hand Job: A Catalog of Type New York, Princeton Architectural Press

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

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12 Liverpool’s Biggest Big Draw was commissioned for The Big Draw 2008 by LARC (Liverpool Arts & Regeneration Campaign).

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19 Written by Sally Olding and edited by Kate Johnson and Sally Olding. The National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies (NADFAS) is an arts-based charity with members pursuing a mutual interest in the arts through monthly lectures. NADFAS has a large network of volunteers and an outstanding reputation for working with young people to enhance appreciation and understanding of art and our artistic heritage. NADFAS celebrated its fortieth anniversary earlier this year and are very pleased to support Liverpool's Biggest Big Draw. For further information please visit nadfas.org.uk

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Crayon heroine Stu Madden boneface.deviantart.com Pen-and-ink knight Stu Madden boneface.deviantart.com Doodles Steve Wilkin stevewilkin.com Thirty ideas to get you started Steve Douras mental-designs.blogspot.com Pencil cowboy Stu Madden boneface.deviantart.com Pixel drawing Freehand at FACT/Sally Olding Paintbrush pirate Stu Madden boneface.deviantart.com Sand drawing Alder Hey Children's Hospital/ Bluecoat/Sally Olding Visionary cities Blue Room at Bluecoat/Sally Olding Caricatures Animate/Cheshire County Council/ Sally Olding Drawing with light Andy Thomson sector-4.co.uk Doodles Steve Wilkin stevewilkin.com Henna hand Sally Olding grenadillo.com Writing is drawing/drawing and letterforms Jenny Buckley jenya-buckle-my-shoe.blogspot.com

CONTRIBUTORS Drawing with light activity contributed by Andy Thomson Miscellaneous drawing activities contributed by Annie Mclean and Steve Wilkin

Supported by The National Association of Decorative and Fine Art Societies Design smilingwolf.co.uk

All weblinks were correct as of 7th October 2008, LARC and NAFDAS cannot be held responsible for third-party content.