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I love doing art with my children and am always looking for something that would be a good fit for us. Although I usually avoid video-based curriculum as most are too wordy or long for my children, I wanted to see how my children would do with the Mark Kistler drawing lessons. After trying out the free sample lesson on draw3D.com, my children said they liked the lesson and wanted to try this drawing program. This article is my review of Mark Kistler Draw3D, online video-based mini marshmallow drawing lessons.
Overview of Draw3D
Draw3D is an online subscription to access video-based drawing lessons by Mark Kistler. Video lessons are categorized by 4 levels of difficulty including:
- Mini Marshmallows, for the youngest artists (4+)
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
The videos are demonstrations of drawing various subjects and are paced well for the viewer to follow along. You can always pause if you need a little more time on one section as your draw or review if you want to see a portion of the video again.
A subscription to the Draw3D website gives you unlimited access to all videos. Although we have not tried it yet, Mark Kistler does a live drawing lesson most Wednesdays.
Where to Buy Mark Kistler Draw3D
You can purchase a year subscription directly on draw3D.com for $99 or, if you go through Homeschool Buyer’s Co-op, you can buy a year subscription at a 30% discount for $69.* Homeschool Buyer’s Co-op is free to join and works with publishers and companies to provide discounts on homeschool curriculum.
*Discalimer* The information about pricing reflects amounts I found online on February 7, 2019, and may be subject to change.
Homeschool Buyer’s Co-op Deals:
Homeschool Buyer’s Co-op is free to join and always has great deals on curriculum. CLICK HERE to learn more.
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Supplies
Draw3D only requires a subscription, internet connection to access the video lessons, paper, and a pencil. I like to use a high quality art paper and pencils. There is nothing more frustrating for a child to paint or draw holes in their pictures on cheap paper. I recommend the following supplies:
- Pacon Mixed Media art paper
- Drawing pencils
- Pencil sharpener
- Eraser
- Clipboard (optional- but allows you to draw anywhere, not just at a table)
One of my children likes to add color to her drawings with colored pencils. Add in markers, pencils, crayons, water colors, or anything else to embellish the final drawing.
Benefits
Videos in the mini marshmallow section are short and to the point. My kids enjoy doing art with the draw3D video lessons. They are learning how to copy a model, basic shading techniques, and how to draw basic 3D shapes and figures. I also like how Mark Kistler encourages individualization of drawings and creativity through the process. He also encourages children to tell a story with their pictures.
As a parent, I love drawing with my children and love how easy it is to implement this curriculum. I just leave the site open on my browser and we watch and draw together.
Limitations
I usually can find some limitation with a curriculum as most have them for specific populations. These videos are short, fun, and encourage creativity. If your child responds well to the free sample lesson, this curriculum is most likely a good fit. I guess one possible downside is that you do need an internet connection to view the video lessons, but this also makes it easy to view on tablets, iPads, or any device with internet access.
Occasionally, one of my children will be frustrated as they can’t get their drawing quite how they want it and will want me to help them with the initial shapes. As we have progressed through the video lessons, this has happened less and less often. I see their drawing skills increase and they really do enjoy the lessons.
More Sample Drawings
My children (ages 3-7) and I drew these pictures based on Mark Kistler’s Mini Marshmallow lessons.
Conclusion
I highly recommend Mark Kistler Draw3D. My children love drawing time with Mark Kistler and insist on doing it daily. The curriculum is easy to implement and I can see my children’s drawing skills improve as they learn through the videos.