Torch & Trowel Field Notes https://www.torchandtrowel.com/field-notes Articles and teaching notes about screen-free drawing, scaffolded art instruction, and helping students build real drawing skill. en-us Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:30:00 -0400 Lines in Control: Why the First Lesson Starts with Lines https://www.torchandtrowel.com/screen-free-homeschool-art-curriculum https://www.torchandtrowel.com/screen-free-homeschool-art-curriculum Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:30:00 -0400 Pencil control, line variety, and the reason Drawing Field Kit Vol. 1 begins with simple marks. Seeing Empty Space: Look Before You Draw https://www.torchandtrowel.com/middle-school-homeschool-drawing-lessons https://www.torchandtrowel.com/middle-school-homeschool-drawing-lessons Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:20:00 -0400 Negative space gives students something concrete to observe when objects feel complicated. Building Simple Shapes: When the Drawing Feels Too Big https://www.torchandtrowel.com/when-a-student-says-i-cant-draw https://www.torchandtrowel.com/when-a-student-says-i-cant-draw Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:10:00 -0400 Simple shapes and construction lines turn a complicated subject into visible next steps. Why Blank Pages Freeze Beginning Artists https://www.torchandtrowel.com/why-guided-drawing-helps-beginners https://www.torchandtrowel.com/why-guided-drawing-helps-beginners Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:00:00 -0400 A blank page looks simple to an experienced artist. To a beginner, it can feel like being asked to solve every drawing problem at once.