How To Draw A Grandma

Zoe Washington’s grandma, affectionately called Grams in the novel, is this rock-solid presence who balances tough love with unwavering support. She doesn’t coddle Zoe, but she’s always there, like a steady heartbeat in the background of her granddaughter’s chaos. Grams is the kind of woman who’ll hand you a spatula and make you cook your own dinner while subtly teaching you life lessons—except in Zoe’s case, those lessons revolve around family, justice, and finding your voice. When Zoe starts digging into her father’s wrongful conviction, Grams doesn’t shut her down. Instead, she listens, even when the topic is painful. That’s huge, because Grams carries her own scars about the situation, yet she never lets bitterness overshadow Zoe’s need for truth. Her support isn’t just emotional; it’s practical. Grams gives Zoe space to breathe and think, whether that’s through baking together (those cookie scenes are pure warmth) or by subtly nudging her toward resources. She doesn’t outright say, 'Go investigate,' but she doesn’t hide the truth either. When Zoe needs to visit the prison, Grams doesn’t panic—she helps make it happen, even if it means bending a few rules. That’s what makes her so compelling: she trusts Zoe’s intelligence while still being a safety net. And let’s not forget the way she bridges generational gaps. Grams shares stories about Zoe’s dad, not to guilt-trip her, but to keep his memory alive in a way that’s honest, not idealized. It’s this messy, real-love approach that helps Zoe piece together her identity. Then there’s the quiet activism Grams models. She doesn’t preach, but her actions—like her work in the community or her strained but respectful interactions with Zoe’s mom—show Zoe how to navigate hard conversations with grace. Even when they clash (because Grams isn’t perfect), their arguments never feel like rejection. It’s more like two strong-willed people figuring things out. By the end, you see how Grams’ support isn’t about fixing things for Zoe; it’s about giving her the tools to fix them herself. That’s the magic of her character—she’s a guardian, but never a crutch.

I always start off with a light pencil sketch for the basics, focusing mainly on placements and proportions. From a light bulb shape for the head to straight lines for the orientation of the shoulders, this allows me to build a solid base before diving into the details. Then, I like to add more body features using softer strokes and slowly erase the initial sketch, making necessary corrections along the way. Only then do I start rendering detailed facial expressions and hair, quickly using an eraser or white gel pens for highlights. And finally, for the outfit, I whip up something inspired by my favorite anime characters! Just remember, practice makes perfect. So even if it doesn't come out perfect the first time, keep going!

Reading Roald Dahl's 'George's Marvellous Medicine' as a kid left me equal parts horrified and delighted when Grandma gets her comeuppance. That cranky old woman spends the whole story berating George, demanding her medicine like a tyrant, and generally being a nightmare to live with. So when George concocts his chaotic brew—mixing everything from shampoo to brown paint—the results are explosively satisfying. After gulping down the 'medicine,' Grandma doesn’t just grow a little; she shoots up like a human skyscraper, bursting through the roof of the farmhouse. The image of her towering over the countryside, screeching about her shriveled legs, is pure Dahl madness. But the chaos doesn’t stop there. She eventually shrinks down, not to her original size, but to something impossibly tiny—smaller than a mouse. The last we see of her, she’s stuck in a chicken coop, her once thunderous voice now a squeak. It’s a grotesque, hilarious end for a character who thrived on being monstrous. The beauty of Dahl’s storytelling is how he turns revenge into a carnival of absurdity. Grandma’s fate isn’t just punishment; it’s a metamorphosis. She goes from a human terror to a literal giant, then to a speck—almost as if her cruelty evaporates along with her size. The book never moralizes, though. There’s no 'lesson' about respecting elders; instead, it revels in the anarchy of childhood imagination. George’s experiment isn’t framed as wicked—it’s inventive, a rebellion against boredom and oppression. And Grandma? She becomes folklore. You can picture farmers years later whispering about the day a woman pierced the clouds, or kids poking at the coop wondering if that faint squeak is really her. Dahl leaves her fate open-ended, but the implication is clear: some bullies shrink under their own weight. The fact that George’s parents barely react to her disappearance says everything. She wasn’t just diminished physically; she’d already shrunk in their hearts.

I stumbled upon 'Trail Magic: The Grandma Gatewood Story' while looking for inspiring outdoor documentaries, and it became an instant favorite. The film beautifully captures the life of Emma Gatewood, the first woman to solo hike the Appalachian Trail at 67. Her grit and sheer determination are awe-inspiring. I watched it on Amazon Prime, but it’s also available on platforms like Vimeo and Kanopy. The documentary mixes archival footage, interviews, and reenactments to bring her journey to life. If you love stories about underdogs or the outdoors, this is a must-watch. Her story makes you believe age is just a number, and adventure is for everyone.

Learn the basics of drawing if it's not already the case: shape, perspective, colors, volumes, etc... Learn anatomy, it's the structure of the human body and you're going to need this a lot, all the time. (try to draw real humans, see what limbs can do, what posture does work and doesn't, etc...) Learn things such as poses, angles, how bodies interact with each others. Don't worry it's less tedious than it sounds, you basically have to draw things to try to understand them. Finally, don't hesitate to use references when you have a specific idea, it's easier to draw when you see the poses than trying to do it from your mind alone.

To draw a blueberry, start by sketching a simple circle for the main body. Add another smaller circle on the top to create the little crown that blueberries have. After that, shade in the body a bit to give it depth. You can use a blue or purple color, depending on how ripe you want it to look. Don't forget to add some highlights on the side to make it shiny and realistic, like it’s covered in a light sheen of morning dew. Keep it simple, and you’ll have a cute blueberry in no time!

Drawing dreadlocks can be super fun once you get the hang of it. Start by outlining the shape of the head and where you want the dreadlocks to fall. Make thick, wavy lines to represent the hair texture, and remember that dreadlocks bunch together. Add some details like highlights and shadows to give them depth. Practice drawing them from different angles to better understand how they flow and twist. Keep it loose and let your creativity shine!

Armor drawing is an art where you can let your imagination run wild! Firstly, try sketching a basic human figure and then imagine the armor around it. Use simple shapes - cylinders, circles, rectangles to mark the major parts like gauntlets, pauldrons, cuirass etc. Study imagery or actual pieces of armor to understand how they work. Don’t forget shadows and highlights to add a 3D effect. Have patience, practice a lot and soon you will see improvement in your art.