Welcome to my Children's University Activity Page

Here you will be able to discover your inner Picasso, Da Vinci or Foot (that's me)!

My firm belief is that everyone can draw, it's just the style that varies and everyone's drawing will be unique - that's the fun part!

Through the drawing activities listed below, I will show you how to create a character starting with the foundations. Everything begins with basic shapes, then it's simply a matter of filling in the details.

Click on the picture you want to learn to draw below, download and print the pdf activity sheet, then follow the step by step process to draw your character. Copying is a fantastic way to learn.

Draw your character on a separate A4 piece of paper and add some features that make it your own ie. a red hat, a blue scarf.

Whenever I draw/create a character I'm always asking myself, what is this character's 'back story'? For example, where does he come from? What does he like to do? What can I draw on him to help tell his story? If we look at the picture of Joey from my book 'Joey and Riley', we can tell he lives on a farm because he has a cowboy hat on and a sheepdog for a friend. Old Pa Roo from 'Captain Kangaroo Saves the Day', has a pilot's hat and jacket on. He's a bit scrawny and scruffy with whiskers and glasses, so we know he's old and he likes to fly.

Colour your drawing in and take it to your School Coordinator to receive a stamp for 30mins in your Passport. Remember to sign your artwork – after all, you are an artist.

To gain an extra 30mins complete the short character writing exercise.

Write a imaginative description of your character's back story to accompany your drawing. ie. This is Percy. He has long dreamed of visiting the North Pole. However he eats too much fish (he might have a bill full of fish) and he has very short wings, so he can't fly that far. One day he will make it. And this is how stories start!

Happy drawing!

Would you like Mandy to visit your school for an Author/Illustrator talk?

Roger Rhino - Curious Creatures, Wild Minds

Click on the Roger Rhino image left, to download the activity sheet. There are 3 pages to this pdf. For the little ones, simply use the line drawing page already done to decorate Roger with different patterns and dress him up. What is he missing? For more of a challenge, use the page with the basic shapes outline and draw over the top to fill in the details and create a finished drawing. Page 3 shows how this is done. Then dress him up. Give him the tail of a cheetah, the spots from a giraffe, the spine from a spinosaurus and even a top hat. Get creative!

Watch the YouTube video above to see the step by step creation of the Muddy Pigs activity based on characters from my children's book, 'The Hip Hop Barn'. Download and print out the activity sheet with the piggy outlines and get creative! Instructions for exactly what you will need are on the activity sheet.