[Blindtlk] drawing ideas

[Jewel S.]

A really simple way to do tactile drawings is to draw it with pencil
or pen, then trace it with Elmer's glue or puffy paint. Let it dry and
it's tactile!

I found that creating pictures using brads is a lot of fun and very
interesting. Brads are those little things with two pieces behind that
are usually used to hold paper together (often you see a brad glued on
a manilla folder). Brads come in circles, squares, stars, hearts, and
many other shapes (they are used a lot for scrapbooking and can be
found in that section). They come in a multidue of colours, but they
all feel the same except for shape...but if arranged on fabric with
tactile appearance in mind, it makes a very lovely picture. I did one
that was a leaf-bare tree (spiraled gold, silver, and brass brads)
with a night sky (silver star brads and silver circle studs in the
shape of a crescent moon). I called it Aline in the Dark. I did it
very soon after I lost much of my vision, and it really represents how
I felt in that first depressing time before I got used to my
blindness. They are very time-consuming, though. Each brad has to be
placed then closed on the other side (and sewed down if you want to
assure it stays). My small artpiece, six by six inches, took over 300
brads. Then, if you don't want the ugly back side, you need to sew on
a backing or glue it to a board.

Sighted people can also make some really awesome Braille drawings.
We've been talking about Braille drawings on the crafter's corner
listserv. Sighted artists can get an overall look at a Braille drawing
that a blind person may not understand, to creat an awesome drawing
that everyone can enjoy. A friend of mine used a CCTV early in her
years as a TVI to design a Braille drawing of a helicopter. I simply
can't imagine how that would be done, but with sight, she pulled it
off pretty well, she says.

Hope those ideas help...you might join the NFB Crafters' Corner
list...we've been talking about tactile drawings a lot lately!

On 8/27/10, Julie J <julielj at windstream.net> wrote:
> Hello!
>
> I'm wondering if anyone has inexpensive ideas on how to do tactile drawings?
>  The drawings will be free form pictures for recreational purposes.  I
> mentor a young lady in junior high school who is sighted.  She enjoys
> drawing and I'd like to figure out some way that we could draw together.
>
> I'm fairly good with sewing and craft things and would be willing to put
> something together.  I'm also willing to spend up to $20 on materials. Bonus
> points if there is some way to incorporate various tactile surfaces to
> represent color. I'd like to purchase supplies locally instead of ordering
> them if at all possible.
>
> I'd really appreciate any ideas or resources.
>
> Thanks much!
> Julie
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-- 
~Jewel
Check out my blog about accessibility for the blind!
Treasure Chest for the Blind: http://blindtreasurechest.blogspot.com