I’ve had the privilege of visiting countless pre-kindergarten through grade twelve art classrooms across Maine and beyond, and the magic that unfolds within them transcends demographics and backgrounds. The ways in which teachers incorporate sketching and sketchbooks vary greatly, often influenced by factors like schedule, budget, grade level, and institutional support. Through conversations with art educators, I’ve seen their dedication and passion firsthand, reaffirming the invaluable role they play in providing quality art education for all students, regardless of circumstance.
Recently, I invited art teachers to share how they use sketching and/or sketchbooks in their classrooms. Within an hour of my email invitation, responses filled my inbox. Since this part of the school year is busy, I only asked for a couple of sentences. However, several responses were lengthy. I’ve combined and grouped their ideas to provide an overview of the depth of teaching and learning in Maine art classrooms from pre-kindergarten through grade twelve.
SKETCHING
- Brainstorm concepts for projects, planning
- Generate new ideas
- Portray, catch, and jot down ideas
- Practice techniques
- Notes for inspiration
- “Lead in” for future projects
- A place for “no bad ideas”
- Another tool, like a paintbrush or a mouse
- Warm up activity responding to a daily and/or weekly prompt
- Process feelings
Artwork by student of Christine Del Rossi, Mt. Ararat High School.
Artwork by student of Christine Del Rossi, Mt. Ararat High School.
Artwork by student of Christine Del Rossi, Mt. Ararat High School.
Visual journaling serves as a playground for the imagination, allowing students to experiment with different techniques, styles, and concepts without the pressure of a finished piece.
—Charlie Johnson
SKETCHBOOKS
- A space to doodle
- Helps continue independent learning
- Weekly prompts
- Mind mapping ideas for art making
- Not just for sketching—can include photographs, keepsakes, mixed media drawings, etc.
- Encourages creative thinking
- Eliminates “down time”
- A space to encourage private thinking and to take risks
Lee Pangburn, freshman (grade nine), Boothbay Region High School teacher, Manon Lewis.
Lee Pangburn, freshman (grade nine), Boothbay Region High School teacher, Manon Lewis.
Lee Pangburn, freshman (grade nine), Boothbay Region High School teacher, Manon Lewis.
The hope with sketchbooks is to establish a practice where visual journaling becomes second nature and then could be transferred to other areas of learning beyond the art classroom.
—Iva Damon
Most of my classes use computers (and often iPads) to generate sketches and conceptual ideations. These are a couple of pieces of evidence (commonly created in Google Drawings) by a student (Morgan Matthews, sophomore) that show the evolution of a concept through draft sketches. Charlie Johnson, MDI High School teacher.
ASSESSMENT
- Students reflect on their learning by “looking back” at their sketchbooks
- Track progress and growth, students and/or teachers
Sometimes sketchbooks are silent supports with such strong voices calling out.
—Lynda Leonas
Most of my classes use computers (and often iPads) to generate sketches and conceptual ideations. These are a couple of pieces of evidence (commonly created in Google Drawings) by a student (Morgan Matthews, sophomore) that show the evolution of a concept through draft sketches. Charlie Johnson, MDI High School teacher.
The thoughtful responses provide a glimpse of how art teachers use sketching and sketchbooks in and out of the art classroom. Thank you to the following art educators who shared their ideas and practices and for the essential work they do each day providing an excellent art education: Philippa Adam, Mount Desert Island High School; Lynn Bustard, Lawrence High School, Fairfield; Iva Damon, Leavitt Area High School, Turner; Hope Lord, Maranacook Middle School, Readfield; Christine Del Rossi, Mt. Ararat High School, Topsham; Kal Elmore, retired; Brooke Holland, Medomak Valley High School, Waldoboro; Charlie Johnson, Mount Desert Island High School; Lynda Leonas, Washburn and Walton Elementary Schools, Auburn; Manon Lewis, Boothbay Region High School; Anthony Lufkin, Medomak Valley High School, Waldoboro; Elise Pelletier, Scarborough High School; Joani Share, retired.
Argy Nestor taught visual arts education to middle schoolers for thirty-two years, served at the Maine Department of Education and the Maine Arts Commission for thirteen years. She keeps an education blog, Argy’s Point of View. Argy can be reached at meartsed@gmail.com.
Image at top: Vesper O’Connor and Matilda Thomas, Mt. Ararat High School students, sketching at Haystack.