Learn to draw Monstrous Expressions!

We didn't wait until the end of the year for Halloween to arrive to keep a Monster theme...we enjoyed instead in April itself. It is just that the kids are simply intrigued by the very word MONSTER and creepy, scary and so on...hence the theme for this month was randomly selected MONSTER....its not that we have a theme every month...but this month I thought let's just do it...let the Monsters rule!

We learned to draw and sketch different types of cute monsters this month. We made monsters with one or more eyes, of varied shapes and expressions and numerous compositions...the month has ended but we still have so many ideas...maybe we'll continue with this theme again...our little students at Art Hours just don't want the Monsters' rule to end!

This post will provide the guidelines in general to sketch the eyes of the monsters. Most of us are used to making realistic eyes with detailed eyeballs, eyebrows and so on..but when you are drawing monsters it's difficult to keep away from being realistic, as your mind subconsciously tends to draw what you observe in your daily lives. Hence, the mantra I gave my students this month was: Stretch your imagination....feel free to experiment with different shapes and sizes.

Learn to draw Monstrous Expressions

Below I have posted a picture tutorial for sketching the Monster Eyes, ranging from single eyed monster to 3 eyed monsters, and vary the facial expressions at the same time. These guidelines can also be used when you are drawing cartoons.

Now, let's begin with the One-eyed monster faces. We have 4 options as shown in the Reference Guide 01 below. Start with 4 concentric circles as shown in the picture below. Keep changing the size, the location of the inner circles or the corner cuts as shown in the options to get different types of the eyes. 

Monster Eyes - Reference Guide 01

If you are bored of drawing single eyed monsters then let's learn to draw a monster with two eyes. You can make one big eye and another small one to make it look scarier. Bored with round shapes for the eyes? Then switch to different shapes as shown in option-7. The picture below shows how to make monster eyes using just two simple circles as well.

Monster Eyes - Reference Guide 02

You can experiment with different shapes, for example, try oval shapes for the eyes now. Add eyelids or make 3 oval shapes for the eyes. You can also overlap the eyes to give a scary look again. The picture below shows how you can experiment with oval shapes to make the eyes.

Monster Eyes - Reference Guide 03

Have a look at the painting below that shows the monster eyes combined with different shapes of the mouth and this will give you a better idea to learn to draw some cute monsters. The picture depicts the various eyes we learned to draw above combined with varied mouth shapes. Draw simple shapes for the mouth and add details like the teeth or the tongue and make it look weird, funny or scary. Our students had fun as they learned to draw the varied expressions.

Monster Faces Reference Guide

Here's a glimpse at some of the work from our students' gallery this month. They have learned to draw some cute monsters, draw monsters alphabets, sketch some monster mountains, painted some cute monsters and more...Below you will find monsters of different shapes and sizes, as our students learned and experimented with different monster forms!

Student's work 01

Student's work 02

Student's work 03

Student's work 04

You can visit our FB page to view more details of the activities undertaken by our students at Art Hours. Here's a link to the page: FB.me/arthours.

Hope the above guidelines and drawings helps you to learn and develop your drawing skills further.

Thank you for stopping by.

Have a good day.

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Monday Musings: The Frankenstein In Us

Man considers himself to be powerful today because of technology or the many advancements that he has made...at what cost we all know. There lives a Frankenstein in all of us. Frankenstein was not a monster...but he became one when he used his knowledge for evil. We all become like Frankenstein when we ignore the nature around us or the goodness around us and let the evil inside us flourish and take control. We become fearless and think nobody can defeat us or rather punish us...but then there is nothing above GOD and however powerful we become, eventually we will have to pay a hefty price for our wrong doings. Don't you see the nature around getting destroyed each day...why? It is us powerful humans who have caused so much rampage and destruction to the environment. We are fools to think that we are powerful. Frankenstein's story by Mary Shelley falls along the same line. 

Origami Frankenstein: The Frankenstein in us

Be fearless but being fearless doesn't mean you take the wrong path. Being fearless means to have the courage to do the right things, to fight for the right cause. Now before I sound like I am preaching too much let me end here by just saying that let us live, be happy, be fearless and stand up for the right cause. Let us live in harmony with nature.

Made an origami Frankenstein today and since I post some thoughts for the day generally on Mondays, thought this one to be perfect for today's post. Monday Musings are for all of us...to think and restart the week with fresh thoughts...

Have a good day!

Heart Insert from Chocolate Wrapper

Let's do something easy and fun today...blurted my kid while eating her chocolate bars...hmmm...I said, cross-checking my grocery list and drinking my cup of afternoon tea. I looked at the heap of chocolate wrappers strewn all over the dining table and just started playing with it when I ended up making a heart insert with one of the wrappers. I taught how to fold it to my daughter and within a couple of minutes, all the chocolate wrappers were neatly folded into heart inserts. Ofcourse, the heart insert is not my invention, I had learned to make it earlier from the internet...but not with a chocolate wrapper though. 

All you need is a rectangular sheet or a rectangular chocolate wrapper. Typically an A4 size paper also makes a big heart insert...so follow the same proportion of rectangular size when using a wrapper too.

Origami Heart Insert

Here's how we did it. Below shows a picture tutorial of the steps for making the heart insert.

Follow the steps closely and you too can fold these cute heart inserts easily. Here's the link to our youtube video tutorial that gives clear instructions on the steps to fold a heart insert. 

You can use this origami Heart as an insert or as a bookmark too.

It's an easy exercise requiring no complicated folds. So do give it a try...

You will also find a similar heart insert I made earlier using a gift wrapper and an origami winged heart with a secret message. You can click on the link here to get a tutorial for the winged heart.

Thank you for stopping by.

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Cute Monster Sketches in 5 Easy Steps

We had fun sketching these cute monsters last evening. Learn to sketch them in 5 easy steps and this is what the post is all about.

Learn to Draw Cute Monsters in 5 Easy Steps

We also had names for each one of them...alien monster, dragon monster, puffy ball monster and square monster...and don't ask me why...they were all named by my 8-yr old kid. They are super cute, easy and fun to sketch...and all you need is a paper and an HB pencil. So why wait...just have a look and give them a try. 

Cute Alien Monster Sketch

Mini Dragon Monster Sketch

Puffy Ball Monster Sketch

Square Monster Sketch

Sketching with pencil is easy and fun. You don't need expensive drawing tools to learn to sketch....just a paper and pencil is enough. So grab a paper and pencil and have fun drawing these cute monsters.

Thank you for stopping by...

Have a good day.

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Cute Monster Pencil Toppers: Easy Papercraft DIY for Kids

With Summers getting hotter, we don't have much choice for activities when it comes to children. We can't send them outdoors because of the scorching heat that drains away all their energy. Schools are boring with studies and exams and not much of fun activities either. So the onus is on us, parents to add some element of fun and interest to the hot summer afternoons. You also don't want them to spend hours in front of the TV but ask them to do something constructive and you'll hear "I'm bored or this is boring...or now what?"... and so on...It was just this typical boring summer afternoon with no school homework, and a couple of hours were already spent watching cartoons on the TV when we decided to do something crafty.

We had immense fun making these cute monster pencil toppers. My daughter had great fun drawing some cute monster shapes, coloring them and cutting them into crazy shapes. While she was occupied with drawing, coloring, and cutting, I had fun converting them into pencil toppers. Here's how we went about it.

Material required:

Paper, Scissors, Craft Glue, Pencil, Sketch pens.

Procedure:

We started out with some paper scraps left with us. We had some paper scraps of size 8.5cm x 3.5cm of different colors. We decided to make them into something useful, as always we try and make use of every paper scrap we have...remember recycling paper is something we all should do...

Paper scraps for making the pencil toppers

Draw the monster shape on these paper scraps with an HB pencil.

Draw monster shapes with a pencil

Next, cut it out with a pair of scissors.

Cut out the shapes with a scissor

This is how it would appear after cutting it with a pair of scissors. Now you can add the details to the monster such as the monster's eyes, tongues, horns, teeth or other details to make it look as scary as you wish to...

Monster shape is ready

Use sketch pens to add colors and details.

Add colors and details to the monster shape

Now turn it over to add a paper strip so that it can be used as a pencil topper. All you need to do is take a paper strip and glue both the edges with a craft glue leaving enough space in the center to slide a pencil or pen through the stripe. Cut out any excess paper from the sides.

Glue a paper strip at the back side

This is how it would look from the back side. It is ready to used as a pencil topper.

Remove any excess stripes from the sides

Just slide a pencil through the space in the center.

Slide in the pencil 

Turn it over and the cute monster pencil topper is ready.

Cute Monster Pencil Topper is ready

We made more such pencil toppers of different colors and shapes. They turned out super cute and it was indeed great fun to make them. Moreover, I was delighted to see the smile on my kid's face after we mounted these cute monster pencil toppers on the pencils. Later, I could even coax her to write one page of good handwriting using the same pencil and change the pencil toppers whenever she felt bored..an activity that kept her occupied for some more time...bonus indeed!

Cute Monster Pencil Toppers 

These cute monster pencil toppers can be used for gifting to your friends. Surprise them with these cute monster pencil toppers or have fun using them yourself.

Here's a quick snapshot of the tutorial on our youtube channel.

Hope this tutorial is helpful. Please like and share with your friends, for sharing is caring! 
Hmmm, typically this is what everyone writes nowadays....well I leave it to you...but do try making these cute monster pencil toppers...it will be fun indeed.

Thanks for stopping by...Have a good day!

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Easter Basket with Cute Monster Eggs: Clay Modeling Tutorial

This evening we had immense fun making this miniature clay basket with cute monster eggs; an activity we did after a long time...clay modeling with plasticine clay. My 8-yr old kid had great fun making the miniature eggs and the cute monster bunny while I added details to the clay basket. The final size of the clay model is about 4cm in diameter. 

This post includes a step by step picture tutorial to make the clay basket with the cute monster eggs. We used plasticine clay or kiddy clay as you may call it. We were done with the activity within 45 minutes, and here's how we did it.

Step 01: Make clay twine for lining around a clay cylinder shaped center

Step 02: Start wrapping the coils/twine around starting from the bottom

Step 03: Add one twine for the basket handle

Step 04: Mould the clay eggs and add monster faces' details with a toothpick

Step 05: Cover up the basket top with the monster eggs

Step 06: Add a bow on the sides of the basket's handle

Step 07: Make tiny flowers and leaves to decorate the basket

Step 08: Add the flowers & leaves to the sides of the basket

Step 09: Add a tiny bow at the top of the basket too

Step 10: Add monster bunnies if you wish to...and done

Here's a quick snapshot of the clay modeling tutorial for making this miniature Easter Basket with cute monster eggs from our youtube channel.

Hope this tutorial is helpful. If you try making this basket, please share the pictures with us. We would love to see your ideas too.

Thank you for stopping by....

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Learn to Draw Monster Alphabets

You probably landed up on this page, because you love to draw monsters or write monster stuff. Well, if you really love everything about monsters and beasts, and if you love drawing them, then you have rightly landed to this page and I hope the guidelines you find here won't disappoint you.

Learn to Draw Monster Alphabets

This week, at Art Hours, we had fun learning to write Monster Alphabets. We searched out some monster-related words and had a gala time learning to draw and render them. I gently instructed my students to let their creativity run wild and not be inhibited by anything, feel free to develop your own alphabets and add the details to make them look as ghastly as they wish to.

Here's how we wrote every word. Make simple outlines of the alphabets and then add eyes, horns or scales, mouth, teeth or/and tongue. Feel free to make them look as ghastly or scary as you wish. Once the pencil drawing is done, outline the word with a black marker. Thereafter, fill up every alphabet with simple pencil textures. Below are pictures showing different pencil textures added to every word.

Here's how to write the word 'BRUTE'. Firstly draw the simple alphabets. Then to the outlines of the alphabets add spikes at the back. Add spiky toes or fingers, add eyes and make it look as brutal as you wish to. Once the outline of the word is ready, add textures with the color pencil. For this word, we added scumbling marks using a brown color pencil.

Step 01: Word Outline 'Brute' 

Step 02: Adding Pencil texture to the word 'Brute'

For the next word 'FURY', we added eyes, mouth, fingers and toes to the word. Once the outline was ready we added a furry texture using a green color pencil.

Step 01: Word Outline 'Fury'

Step 02: Adding texture to the word 'Fury'

For the word 'HULK', we added horns, mouth with some teeth or tongue showing in and eyes at the top of every alphabet. Thereafter, we added curvy pencil texture using a brown color pencil. We also added some red color to the mouth to make it look scarier.

Step 01: Word Outline 'Hulk'

Step 02: Adding texture to the word 'Hulk'

For the word 'SAVAGE', we added some fingers at the ends of the alphabet, added the eyes, and gave a serpent skin to a few alphabets. For the texture we used an HB pencil, making long lines along the curves of the alphabets, we gave a texture to the word. 

Step 01: Word Outline 'Savage'

Step 02: Adding pencil texture to the word 'Savage'

For the word 'Troll', we added some horns, eyes and some spiky toes. Thereafter, we simply rendered the alphabets with HB pencil with one even layer of pencil shade. Then we added some C marks using the black marker. We also colored the eyes or mouth with red color pencil. Feel free to add textures or patterns to make these words look more ghastly.

Step 01: Word Outline 'Troll'

Step 02: Adding texture to the word 'Troll'

Here's the reference sheet of the Monster related words you can use and learn to draw these monster alphabets. It is a fun activity for the kids, while they learn about pencil textures and shading basics.

Reference Sheet for Monster related Words 

Hope this tutorial is useful. Please do share it with your friends if you like it.

Here are some words from my musing pen.

We are all monsters.
We are beasts and savages roaming on this earth,
We all have horns and spikes,
We all have tails and claws,
Look at yourself in the mirror.
We are all monsters living inside the dungeons,
We are all beasts trolling on this earth.
We don't acknowledge it openly,
We know it from within.
We are all monsters...

Thank you for stopping by. Have a good day.

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