Kids arrive in the elementary art studio with all kinds of preconceived notions about themselves as artists. For example, my particular favs are: "I hate art", and the ever-popular "I don't want to do this because I'm bad at drawing". Breaking these thought bubbles is a priority if they are going to learn anything and probably if they are going to be peaceful participants in the studio. This is the procedure that has worked for the students in my studio--many of them with learning challenges. (1) Training wheels: Kids are encouraged to trace to develop pencil-skill and eye-hand coordination. They are allowed to choose, print, and then trace line drawings of their favorite game characters. (2) Once they feel confident with the basic pencil skill, we move to trace photographs with grey tones. (3) After a few weeks, many students feel they are ready to start working from a reference drawing using observation of a flat surface. (4) Usually around mid-yea