Do You See What I See?
To draw nature is to interpret what you see. How do you view your surroundings? Are they a simple blur as you drive past? Do you take a moment to “smell the roses”? Nature has inspired many famous artists over the centuries. If you were a wildlife artist what animals would inspire you?
Drawing on Nature, a Project WILD activity, explores how drawing can assist learning in nature. So pick up a pen and a pad, meander through a trail or field, and find some inspiration in nature.
Book List
Grades PreK-2
Carreiro, C. 1997. Hand-Print Animal Art. Ideals Publications.
Davies, J. 2004. Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Lakin, P. 2002. Harold and the Purple Crayon: The Giant Garden. HarperFestival.
LeRoux-Hugon, H. 2001. I Can Draw Wild Animals. Gareth Stevens Publishing.
Ruurs, M. 2007. In My Backyard. Tundra.
Grades 3-5
Arnosky, J. 2002. Field Trips: Bug Hunting, Animal Tracking, Bird-watching, Shore Walking. HarperCollins Publishers.
Arnosky, J. 1987. Sketching Outdoors in Spring. HarperCollins Publishers.
Arnosky, J. 1988. Sketching Outdoors in Summer. HarperCollins Publishers.
Bateman, R. 2005. Bateman's Guide to Backyard Birds. Barron's Educational Series, Incorporated.
Court, R. 2005. How to Draw Things In Nature. The Child’s World, Inc.
Hammond, L. 2000. Lee Hammonds Big Book of Drawing. North Light Books.
Harpster, S. 2006. Pencil, Paper, Draw!: Animals. Sterling Publishing.
Harpster, S. 2008. Pencil, Paper, Draw!: Flowers. Sterling Publishing.
Hultgren, K. 1993. The Art of Animal Drawing: Construction, Action, Analysis, Caricature. Dover Publications.
Kranz, L. 2002. My Nature Book: A Journal and Activity Book for Kids. T&N Children's Publishing.
Lasky, K. 1992. Think Like an Eagle: At Work with a Wildlife Photographer. Little, Brown & Company.
Levin, F. 2001. 1-2-3 Draw Wild Animals: A Step-by-Step Guide. Peel Productions, Inc.
Mason, M.E. 2005. John Audubon: Young Naturalist. Patria Press, Inc.
Raham, R.G. 1996. Explorations in Backyard Biology: Drawing on Nature in the Classroom. Libraries Unlimited.
Rines, F. 2006. Landscape Drawing in Pencil. Dover Publications.
Rines, F. 2007. How to Draw Trees. Dover Publications.
Ross, M.E. 1997. Wildlife Watching with Charles Eastman. Lerner Publishing Group.
Walsh, P. 2006. Wild Animals. Heinemann Raintree.
Grades 6-8
Anderson, P. 1995. John James Audubon: Wildlife Artist. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Court, R. 2005. How to Draw Things In Nature. The Child’s World, Inc.
Hammond, L. 2004. Lee Hammonds Big Book of Drawing. North Light Books.
Harding, J. 2005. On Drawing Trees and Nature: A Classic Victorian Manual with Lessons and Examples. Dover Publications.
Hultgren, K. 1993. The Art of Animal Drawing: Construction, Action, Analysis, Caricature. Dover Publications.
Huntley, M. 2008. Draw Nature. A&C Black Publishers, LTD.
Monroe, C. 2006. The Wonders of Nature Sketchbook: Learn about Nature and How to Draw It. Storytime Press, Inc.
Montgomery, R.G. 2001. The Living Wilderness. Caxton Press.
Rines, F. 2007. How to Draw Trees. Dover Publications.
Temple, K. 2005. Drawing: The Only Drawing Book You’ll Ever Need to Be the Artist You’ve Always Wanted to Be. Sterling Publishing.
Grades 9-12
Hammond, L.2004. Lee Hammonds Big Book of Drawing. North Light Books.
Hultgren, K. 1993. The Art of Animal Drawing: Construction, Action, Analysis, Caricature. Dover Publications.
La Tourrette, J. 1997. Watching Wildlife: The National Wildlife Federation Guide to Observing Animals in the Wild. Henry Holt & Company, Incorporated.
Rines, F. (2007). How to Draw Trees. Dover Publications.
