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ShawnaB
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| Posted: Sept 06 2007 at 3:38pm | IP Logged
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This summer I read Mona Brook's book Drawing with Children and was enlighted to the fact that drawing can be a learned skill, and not just exclusive to the artistically "gifted." As I child, I received no art instruction, and quickly learned that I "just wasn't artistic", and therefore couldn't draw or paint. I feel that in many ways I lost out on the joy participating in any kind of visual art expression because I lacked even a basic proficiency.
Now, as a homeschooling mom, I am realizing the value of basic proficiency in art. Nature journals are kind of a bummer is one is unable or unwilling to do some basic sketching. Notebooks are quite uninteresting too. I REALLY desire that my children develop better skills and confidence than I did.
So today, armed with a headfull of ideas from Mona Brooks' book, some new Prismacolors, and a Draw Write Now book, I attempted to guide my ds7 through some basic "seeing" and drawing exercises (and I mean BASIC). I encouraged him to look for curved and straight lines on a leaf, and try to reproduce them.
Well, it was just short of a disaster. My otherwise totally compliant, task oriented, can-do, son got so frustrated, defiant, and finally tearful over this simple exercise. He was giving no care to doing his best work, and instead just scratched some lines on the paper..huffing and puffing all the time...in totally disgust. He's convinced that he hates to draw, he can't do it, he doesn't want to, and it is stupid.
Agghh!
Dd 4 is a natural, however. I will also add that ds has always been an an academically early bloomer...reading at age 5, doing math well above grade level, and having it all come quite easily. Drawing is out of his comfort zone...
Any suggestions? Thanks.
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Shawna, wife of Jacob, mom to Abraham 8 Amelia 5 and Jillian & Jonathan age 3 years http://www.psalm121family.com
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DominaCaeli
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| Posted: Sept 06 2007 at 3:55pm | IP Logged
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ShawnaB wrote:
| I will also add that ds has always been an an academically early bloomer...reading at age 5, doing math well above grade level, and having it all come quite easily. Drawing is out of his comfort zone... |
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Don't have any experience as a parent to share, but your description of your son sounds a lot like me growing up. I was very academically successful, and my successes there made me hesitate to try new things (especially things at which I didn't feel I would do well!) for fear of failing.
Perhaps just leave the drawing supplies with him and see if he experiments with them on his own, when you're not around? A hands-off approach might make him feel a bit less like he has to perform.
Or perhaps introduce an artistic medium to him that is really hard to "fail" at--collage or tracing, or something like that? Maybe another form of creative expression will spark his interested in learning basic skills, like drawing.
I'm not sure if that helps, but it would have helped me! 
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Celeste
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ShawnaB
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Celeste, you are right on in providing him materials that he can be successful with right off. He likes stencils, and actually enjoys hand crafts like finger knitting and basic needlework. I'm open to more of this. I thought that the Draw Write Now books would help him be successful...and I haven't given up on this hope yet.
However, the "leave the materials around" approach, sadly, has not worked. This had been my primary strategy for art in general...have lots of materials for plenty of open ended creativity. My kids just haven't gone for it...although we've been well-stocked in art supplies for years! Dd does more than ds...but with him, enjoying the "process" is not enough if there is not a satisfying "product" as well.
Just curious...how do you feel about art and drawing now as an adult?? Are you still hesitant to try new things, or have you outgrown that tendancy?
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Shawna, wife of Jacob, mom to Abraham 8 Amelia 5 and Jillian & Jonathan age 3 years http://www.psalm121family.com
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DominaCaeli
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| Posted: Sept 06 2007 at 4:34pm | IP Logged
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ShawnaB wrote:
| I thought that the Draw Write Now books would help him be successful...and I haven't given up on this hope yet. |
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I definitely wouldn't give up yet. To be honest, I haven't seen the Draw Write Now books (still in baby-land here! ), but do they introduce an Ed Emberley-kind of drawing style, with step-by-step instructions? That's the only kind that I was willing to work through as a child--less room for mistakes!
ShawnaB wrote:
Just curious...how do you feel about art and drawing now as an adult?? Are you still hesitant to try new things, or have you outgrown that tendancy?
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I think there is a lot on the line when it comes to art for a perfectionist child--there are a lot of opportunities for the drawing not to turn out well, and art can be very subjective, of course. In high school I took photography, and that became a great creative outlet for me. I also really liked doing collages as a child, since organization is one of my first loves.  I took a lot of art history courses in college and grad school, and I do have a deep appreciation for art. But I DON'T draw! Instead of sketching in my nature journal, I tote my camera along on our outdoor adventures. I completely agree with you that a basic knowledge of drawing is a very useful skill to have, and I hope to learn along with my children when the time comes.
I would certainly keep at it. But if in the end, he's still hesitant, maybe wait until he has gained a bit more confidence in himself. Self-confidence, I think, is key to stepping out of one's comfort zone. He just might not be there yet.
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Celeste
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Lorri
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Sounds like my ds, who is the World's Worst Draw-er. Draw Write Now was a total disaster. What was recommended to me was Drawing Textbook by Bruce McIntyre or Draw Squad by Mark Kistler. Kistler was a student of McIntyre, so the technique is identical. DT is small and no frills, but very good. Probably cheaper, too, if that's a concern. I ended up buying DS, too and we like it a lot better. It's filled with funny little cartoons and its got a light hearted, fun style. Go for that one if you can.
My ds' drawing is getting better. He uses a sketch book, the size of a half sheet of paper and uses one page per "art attack". Each lesson has 4-6 art attacks, and even from the first attack to the last, I can see real improvement.
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MaryM
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I was going to recommend the Drawing Textbook by McIntyre also. I didn't know that link to Mark Kistler and will have to try to get some of his Draw Squad books. Thanks, Lorri.
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ShawnaB
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I Googled "Draw Squad" and it looks like it is a DVD series? Is this right? Or is it also a book?
Thanks!
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Shawna, wife of Jacob, mom to Abraham 8 Amelia 5 and Jillian & Jonathan age 3 years http://www.psalm121family.com
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Lorri
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It's also a book. Sorry I didn't provide a link before:
Draw Squad
Drawing Textbook
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PDyer
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My son and your son sound very similar. I tried the 'leave materials around' approach for years to no avail. We've had step by step how to draw books around, and all sorts of materials. He would not touch them.
This year we are using Book 1 of the K-3 series of Artistic Pursuits all together (ds11, ddnearly 6 and mom42 ), and he's been told working through one lesson per week is required. Each lesson takes about 30 minutes to complete in a minimalist fashion (more if he gets engaged), so he knows he won't be tortured for very long.
We had some tears the first week, and I had to reiterate the objective here is to try. He seems to have moved past that, is enjoying the process and says he looks forward to Fridays so we can 'do art'. Is his tolerance better because we're using a specific program? Because we are all working on it together and there are now three of us struggling with it? Because he's more mature but not yet a teenager? Hard to say. But I would definitely keep trying.
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humanaevitae
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I have tried to emphasize to our kids that one can't expect the first drawing to look like the book's. If they could draw that well, they could write the book. Instead, one will get better the more one draws.
Drawing was horrible for me because I was so focused on my end project which NEVER satisfied me. I really try to get my kids to see that they need to take small steps and to not be "quitters".
Maybe he needs to look at Picasso's work! Not all art is realistic!
I would approach drawing matter of factly. A subject that must be done. I would be consistent and keep my expectations low. Explain that he "passes" the class when he hands a drawing in and that any effort will be counted.
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ShawnaB
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Well, no one has yet told me to scrap it, he's just not artistic! I REALLY appreciate this! There is a mental recording playing in my brain that says "art is a non-essential and not as important as the 'core' academic subjects..." Its my public school experience no doubt! Thank you for the suggested resources, and the shared experiences. I am going to stay the course with ds, hopefully with more wisdom.
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Shawna, wife of Jacob, mom to Abraham 8 Amelia 5 and Jillian & Jonathan age 3 years http://www.psalm121family.com
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4Real Forums : The Arts in the Everyday
Topic: Help with a reluctant draw-er
