1-2-3 Draw

1-2-3 Draw

By Peel Productions

As school districts begin to implement iPads within individual classrooms or even an entire building, Applicable2U has begun to explore how the use of mobile learning devices can be applied to the integrated arts. In my school, integrated arts refers to physical education/wellness, general music, and art. For now, our exploration will focus on the arts with educational app 1-2-3 Draw which provides a step by step guide on how to create cartoons and illustrations. This isn’t just any drawing application, with guidance from well known cartoonist, Steve Barr and illustrator, Freddie Levin, an art class can have a whole new twist.

How Does It Work: 1-2-3 Draws offers two styles of learning to become an artist: cartoons, illustrations and a bonus area – free zone. Initially the application is preloaded with lessons. However, additional lessons can be purchased and added. All artists carry around their master pieces in a notebook. The artist hiding inside of you can now carry just your iPad. The notebook is laid out very clearly.  The right hand side is the creation page, while the left hand side hosts the step by step directions with a coordinating illustration and written directions.  If directions are missed, users have the option to flip back and forth as needed.  If at any time you run into a problem, the “question mark” button works as a handout tutorial. Amazingly, this educational app incorporates many of the necessary art tools. Such tools include a background grid, two types of writing utensils with ability to alter its color, thickness, and opacity. With budgets tight these days, think of the money that will be saved when certain supplies will no longer need to be purchased. On one iPad, a parent or teachers can set the ability for 1-2-3 Draw to host multiple artist accounts. As chosen lessons or free zone drawings are completed, work is saved and can be shared with others via email. To further extend this application into an educational setting, it would be great if work could be saved as a PDF file where multiple users work could be linked and shared via a classroom webpage. Another option which would add educational benefit would be the ability to save drawings as a jpeg file which could be inserted into a iWork file on your iPad device.  Over the years as old and new projects have been developed, the art curriculum has found its way into various educational areas outside of the art room.  For those schools that already have iPads, 1-2-3 Draw has a great deal of potential for both personal and educational reasons.

1-2-3 Draw Integration Ideas:

Science, Writing and 1-2-3 Draw: Currently, while working with various educators, students will research a particular plant native to the New England area and create an accompanying poem, typically an acrostic or free verse, which is then word processed. Is this true technology integration? No! This project could incorporate technology more effectively from start to finish with the use of an iPad, web browser, 1-2-3 Draw app, and iWorks Pages app. With the librarian and instructional technology specialists support, curriculum links would be preset for our late elementary students on our schools web page.  After research is complete, students would begin brainstorming ideas for their poem with the help of Pages.  As the research and writing pieces are finished, Applicable2U can now see the implementation of 1-2-3 Draw.  Incorporate with this science/writing project an authentic student illustration of their plant. Students should recall those art standards/skills that have been met over the year as they transition them from paper/pencil to interactive drawing via mobile learning. Simply enter the free draw zone and let your fingers do the work! Finished artwork can be saved, emailed to the classroom teacher and then printed.  If however, the developers are to implement into a future update the alternative sharing options, authentic illustrations could then be inserted directly into the Pages app.

Writing and 1-2-3 Draw: Throughout the year, students are introduced to a variety of writing styles, one of them being “How To” paragraphs.  Artistically, students are shown this style in a very low key, yet academically appropriate way.  Have students choose to be either an illustrator or a cartoonist.  Provide them opportunities to complete two lessons and then expand on those artistic skills that they just gained and apply them to the free zone area.  Ask students to draw a crazy monster, space object or animal of their own.  If multiple people are using the iPad, make sure artist accounts are locked so preferences can not be changed.  Once their individual creations are finished, share them via email to the classroom teacher. He/She can print and store them.  Students should then return to their iPad device and begin typing a “How to Draw” paragraph.  This paragraph would then be printed and shared with a classroom partner.  As the partner, they are expected to read the paragraph and then open 1-2-3 Draw app and follow the directions within the paragraph.  The objective is to have two illustrations that look alike, assuming directions were written clearly and understood properly by their partner.

Overall, Applicable2U was impressed with the capabilities that 1-2-3 Draw has to offer a classroom environment.  How often do students get to show their creative side?  For some, this application will open a child up academically in a whole new way.  Just keep in mind that drawing with pencils, crayons, and markers is very different on a computer and takes time, the same holds true with an iPad.  Those integration projects mentioned above are just some of the possibilities that this educational app has to offer.  Are you a teacher looking to use technology across the curriculum, then 1-2-3 Draw would be an excellent addition to your iPad device.  Be sure to visit Peel Productions website here.  As of today, April 18th, 1-2-3 Draw is free, so begin your download here!