My example I delibrately did wrong to point out to my students how in some areas the lines, bricks and roof tops are done incorrectly.

Step 1- laying out your design. ( using the techniques they just learned from drawing the Still Life.

Here is one of my high school lessons where my students learned the history about Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque Art and architecture.  Prior to my introduction I  set up on a table in the middle of the room different size paper cylinders and cones that resembled a castle as a still-life this made the students curious as they walked in the room.

After my intro I did a demo showing students how to draw the still life.  I showed them how to draw one cylinder in front and one behind another.  Then I showed them how to shadow them in using charcoal.  I explained how they should look at which way the light is hitting the cylinders, and how they should squint their eyes to start at the darkest areas and work their way to lighter shades and value.  I had them do this as a practice for one day and told them to brainstorm ideas and to think about their castle, I expressed it can be fantasy or realistic.  I gave them examples like the Harry Potter castle, Lord of the Rings castle.  I told them their castle can be in water or on land; it was totally up to them.

The following day I showed the students how to draw details like bricks, balconies, doorways, etc.  I used the same example from the demo the day prior.  I demonstrated how to draw their lines according to their horizon line (see attached).

Once they began working on their layouts several of my students had questions.  For example: they wanted me to show them how to draw bridges, roof tops, spiral stair cases, or how to shade in mountains and clouds. I demonstrated on a one to one basis.  This is a great way to monitor your student’s artistic growth.

Overall I was very impressed with their ideas and creativity.  They really used their imagination to create their castles, Take a look at some of their castles and enjoy.