SHOE PRINT ART

Robbins’ drawing primer for children suggests “putting your best foot forward.”

The highlights of this collection of 55 step-by-step drawing exercises—each using the outline of a child’s shoe—are the featured illustrations on each page showing images that real children have drawn, with all their idiosyncratic personalities and verve. Tommy, age 9, has made his foot into a jubilant shark, and Trevor, age 12, has crafted a remarkable, sedate red frog with black spots. Also inspiring are the images of child artists at work at the book’s close; this set of exercises has really been put into practice. For anyone not inclined to use a potentially dirty actual shoe, a standard, simple shoe-print shape is provided as a traceable outline at the start of the book. Suggested art projects, illustrated economically by Marts, are arranged in order of easiest to most difficult; instructions for follow-up transformations of one’s art into stick puppets, magnets, and greeting cards are included at the end of the book. Children’s caregivers in a variety of settings—particularly those asked to think of craft ideas on short notice—will find useful challenges, tie-in projects, and easy group activities. Robbins, who played Miss Karen on television’s Romper Room and is the author of I Think I Can (2019) and America’s Flag Story (2020), has taught this method of drawing for over 20 years. Based on this experience, she asserts in a concise note for educators and parents that drawing “increases hand/eye coordination” and also, along with other benefits, “provides a relaxing, pleasurable activity.” The enthusiasm evinced for giving young artists an unthreatening scaffold they can use to practice and elaborate endlessly upon (and therefore actually enjoy) is infectious.

A practical guide to easy drawing exercises using a flexible shortcut that can be adapted ad infinitum.