Can anyone help with DD's art homework?

[CoodleMoodle]

DD is in Y7. She's done very well so far with her homework, completing it independently etc.

However, she's been given a piece of art homework which has driven her to tears. DD is a perfectionist and is terrified of doing it wrong/getting into trouble. I've tried to reassure her but it's not helping and at this point we just need to get it finished. It's not even due for a week but she wants to get it done, which I'm proud of her for (I was very much a "night before" kid!).

They've given her half of a drawing of a bug, which is quite intricate and detailed. She has to fill in the other half. First she tried to do it by eye, but that didn't work. I scanned it in and flipped the image so she could try and copy the side she's meant to be drawing, that didn't help. Out of desperation I suggested she traced it and DH suggested she use her light box, but that didn't make it any easier. She's quite arty and normally enjoys drawing but this has sent her into such a spin.

We looked online for a higher quality version of the image but I imagine it won't be any clearer if we print that off for her.

Does anyone have any other ideas? Not doing it is NOT an option for DD. She absolutely could not cope with that. When she was in Y1 she had to recreate the painting Starry Night, it took her about two weeks and caused so much drama even after her teacher told her not to worry about doing it!

I'll attach the image (might not show up straight away), they've given her the left side and she has to fill in the right side.

Print the bug at the same scale as the half she has been given to draw. Use a light box in a dark room to trace the bug onto the page. Then fill it in. H pencils are much denser and create better precision lines and shading than B pencils.

There is also a YouTuber called Kirsty Partridge Art who makes some great free art tutorials.

Ugh, the more l look at that homework the more l dislike it.

Draw ‘outline’

We always told ours never to use outlines. Only colouring books have outlines.

5 weeks in ours were just get to grips with directional shading, tone and basic form.

How can they know enough about tone, texture and mark making in 5 weeks, to apply it to their work. Learning nothing from that homework.

That homework is far too difficult for y7, and probably impossible for anyone not artistically inclined. My dd y7 art homework is much simpler, and seems about the right level for that age.

Agree.

This is something I'd approach the teacher about, tbf.

That's bollocks. I would be asking the teacher to model how to do this in front of the class.

I'd set a timer for 60 minutes and tell her to do what she can in that time. Then it's done. It sounds like this is taking over your weekend and homework shouldn't do that (appreciate it's easy for me to say mind).

This is her finished piece. She said, "I don't like it but I can't do anymore!"

Thanks everyone for your advice. Glad it wasn't just me who thought it was a really difficult homework for Y7. DD has been so good about getting everything done, but this absolutely flummoxed her...

Wow that's amazing!

I couldn't do that

Finished piece is absolutely incredible, well done her. LOLing at the poster who said ‘do it yourself’ - mine would certainly not look anything like as good as the one the OPs child has managed!! I could spend hours and would not produce anything good, it would just be too hard for me, and I suspect most y7s.

I’m ok at art and that seems difficult to me!! I also think half of the drawing done well is more important than completing the whole thing if she runs out of time

Older students would struggle to replicate that especially to the standard your DD has (she's done brilliant I couldn't do that at 30 years old).

I’m glad two Art teachers have been on here and made it clear that this isn’t what they’d expect to be set anyway. You mention that your DD has been experiencing anxiety fur a few years ? Is she getting support for this ? Are you aware of how best to support?
In year 7 she’s got a few more years ahead and will need to have better coping strategies and approaches as time moves on - year 7 should just be building up learning for her not sending her into hyperventilating over homework. I’d be quite worried - as I can see you are. Now is the time to try to get support for her - school can be high pressure and she will need to have support and strategies in place.

that’s really good. But even better is her response that she doesn’t like it but is done with it. I’d encourage her to celebrate her ability to cope with not being happy with it.

I am a perfectionist myself so didn’t manage my daughter’s perfectionism well enough at young age and it caused her a lot of problems later in school.