“Children are not all ears; they take in more through the eyes than in any other way.”
Since all teachers know this is true, they should realize the usefulness of illustration on the blackboard.
A few moments now and then devoted to the practice of these strokes, and frequent application of them, will enable the teacher better to express and emphasize certain facts, details, or incidents connected with a lesson; better to hold the interest and attention of the class, and more readily to create an interest in drawing. She will thus, by example, lead the children to make the drawing a natural and spontaneous means of expression.
Frederick Whitney.
Plate 1
PLATE 1
For the first lesson I advise trying the simplest possible stroke, and its application in the sketching of very simple things. The stroke is a straight mark with the side of the chalk.
Take half or two-thirds of a stick of chalk, discard the small end, and use such a piece in nearly all the lessons given. In this case place the chalk horizontally upon the board, and drag it gradually downward, keeping an even pressure upon the chalk. Try this in various directions.
The oblique lines show what a variety of width may be obtained by changing the angle of the chalk. At 1, the full length of the chalk is required to give the broad stroke desired. At Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the line above the stroke indicates the angle at which the chalk is placed in order to give the width of the strokes below. The use of the chalk in this manner enables one to obtain any desired width of line, without constantly changing the piece of chalk. A light or dark tone is produced by varying the pressure upon the chalk.