Q.Practise drawing various animals and plants.
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →The NCERT textbook advises practising observational drawing of animals and plants to train the eye, understand form and structure, and develop the hand–eye coordination essential for accurate artistic representation.
The instruction to “practise drawing various animals and plants” is not a casual suggestion — it is the bedrock of observational drawing, a method that has been central to artistic training for centuries. The NCERT textbook emphasises this practice because drawing from life, rather than from memory or imagination alone, forces you to see carefully. When you sit with a live subject — a bird on a branch, a potted plant, a leaf — you must notice proportions, the way light falls, the texture of a petal or feather, and the subtle curves that make each living thing unique. This kind of close looking is the first step toward becoming a skilled artist.
Why animals and plants specifically? They offer endless variety in form, movement, and detail. A mango leaf has a different silhouette and vein pattern than a neem leaf. A cow’s sturdy frame contrasts with the delicate legs of a heron. By drawing these subjects repeatedly, you train your hand to translate three-dimensional reality onto a two-dimensional page. The textbook expects you to move beyond simple outlines — you should observe how a stem bends under the weight of a flower, or how a cat’s fur lies in different directions. This builds a visual vocabulary that you can later use in more complex compositions.
The NCERT textbook does not prescribe specific species or a fixed number of drawings. The emphasis is on regular, attentive practice with whatever living subjects are available — a garden, a pet, or even a potted plant on a windowsill.
A common mistake is to rush. Beginners often draw what they think a leaf looks like — a generic oval with a line down the middle — rather than what they actually see. The textbook’s approach counters this by insisting on careful observation. Start with simple shapes: the overall silhouette of a bird, the basic structure of a flower. Then add details gradually — the curve of a beak, the arrangement of petals, the direction of veins. This method, sometimes called “gesture drawing” for animals, helps you capture the essence of a living creature before it moves. For plants, which stay still, you can take more time to study texture and shading. …
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