I cannot say enough about Mark Kistler’s Draw Squad online subscription drawing lessons. It has CHANGED my children – completely. They’ve always loved books and creative play (lego, blocks, making up a play, building forts, etc) but until we found Mark Kistler there was very little in the way expressing art in the form of drawing. It always concerned me a little, as I have VERY little ability in drawing or other artsy pursuits, and I just didn’t know how to set them up for success.
Now, after just one year with the Draw Squad subscription – ALL my kids have had their artistic interests broaden significantly (even the two who consider themselves “less artsy” love it). They all carry around sketch books and feel the urge to draw … All. The. Time. They draw using the online lessons, they lay around and sketch constantly during “down time” in our day, they sketch in the car, they sketch picture narrations during our read alouds…I could go on and on. And, the best part, their drawings are REALLY good! Yes, Kistler’s style in the lessons is predominantly “3D”, but I can say with every confidence that the focus on this style is juat a starting point (and a good one, IMO). Building on the basics of what my kids learned from Kistler’s videos on 3D pencil sketching, they’ve been able to transfer their “pencil power” into many other styles. This past winter, they all took up sketching athletic poses/scenes, having received inspiration watching the Olympics (just one small example). And I was amazed that their athletes looked like real human beings (and, like athletes!).
We are coming up on one year of having this subscription and all four of my kids (ages 4.5 – 11yrs) have developed pencil sketching and other artistic skills that I could never have even imagined. Hands down, it’s the best $60 I have EVER spent. I would hold getting the kids new shoes before I would give up this item on my budget, LOL!
Hope this helps someone.
Blessings, Angie
