Kids Love Art: 2019

Why do children like to draw?

If you want to understand another person – try to see the child within him/her. If you want to understand yourself, try to remember yourself as a child. That what the psychologists say, and they are right. We sometimes look at our children and envy them a bit, the freedom which they grab the brush with, and smearing everything around them with paint, sticking their tongues out with immense concentration- they create. Watch them; the next time they decide to create something, they will know what they want to draw, and when their piece is complete. They enjoy the process of creation as well as the outcomes of it.

I will describe a few situations, which may not necessarily relate to you personally, but they might get you thinking out of the box...

...Sometimes people tell me: “I would like to draw something, but I clearly lack the skills to do it”. “Have you ever tried it?” – I reply. “Yes, back when I was a child I did, but...” is the answer I get...

...A child grabs a pencil with a little hand and selflessly starts drawing out scribbles. He or she sees, within it mountain peaks, clouds or something else that the mind of an adult could never grasp. And the parents, discovering these pieces of art on the wall or the table, scold the little artist...

...The child sees the toothpaste on the bathroom mirror in the morning. The dots, the splashes and the strokes it leaves on it, but parents just say “Hurry up! Don’t just stand there and do nothing, you are going to be late for school”...

...Finally, the first piece of art, the first drawing. The child feels satisfied with the outcome and runs to his/her mother to show it off. Mother is pleasantly surprised, and without stopping to compliment the child, she puts in a pile of paper, where the drawing will be forgotten. And then, sometime after, somewhere in a gallery, the parents say to each other “Wow, some people can really draw, too bad we don’t have anyone nearly as talented in our family” in the presence of the child...

...If the child is a bit more persistent, then the parents buy colorful packages of artistic sets for kids, which already have certain, picked out, colors within themselves, where the picture is already drawn , and in a matter of a couple of minutes, the drawing is done. Or they give the child some computer software which “Teaches kids how to draw”, and then are surprised, after finding this software somewhere underneath the cupboard...

Why is a system necessary in the development of art skills?

The learning process of a child 3 to 10-12 years old should be mostly based around the discovery of different materials and surfaces and re-discovering the world from an artistic point of view and aesthetic perception. The stages of spontaneous development of the child’s drawing skills are: from scribbles to line, from line to shape, from shape to image. Of course, you can by all the possible materials and present them with complete freedom of their use, but be prepared that most of it will be misused, if used at all, and that the child’s interest will slowly evaporate into nothing, The child wants to understand – how to mix two colors together in order to get a third one . And what will happen if you mix all of them at once? Can you draw with a pencil this way or another? What else to add so everyone will finally see an elephant in this paint stain? Here the child needs the help of a teacher. Again and again.

Children need a system of planned out lessons, with the help of which, they will be able to try out themselves the different materials, their properties, capabilities and limitations of expressing the children’s imaginations and ideas. These lessons allow for consolidating the achieved skills of a child by using his or her patience. Maybe the child will take a step towards something yet unprecedented? Or lose all interest to given material, but will continue to search for the one most suitable to the personal style. There are countless possibilities since there will be an opportunity to use a vast variety of materials such as: pencils, crayons and wax crayons, oil and dry pastel, markers and watercolors, gouache and acrylics. All of these can be tried out on paper, canvas, glass, wood and ceramic. And as a result there will be continuous experimentation with shape, color and the uniqueness of the artistic world.

Why doesn't a computer program replace a teacher?

There exists an immense number and variety of different computer software and hardware, with the help of which one is able to create a very realistic image or a virtual reality. This is a great tool to use in order to complete a piece of good quality, however it is mostly used for completing certain works in particular time frames, since these tools allow for greater speed. But for everything – its own time and place, and in early ages, it is of high importance that the child is able to learn in the real world. The child needs to touch, spill, break in order to gain important experience.

But why exactly are all those pencils, brushes, paints and etc., still so popular, no matter the progress that technology is making? It is simple, really. While working with paints, crayons (any material can be put in here), we use our senses. We don’t just see, but also touch and feel, instead of clicking our mouse to order the program to do one thing or another. By going through the process of creation, we try to understand, which colors need to be mixed together, how to see the shape in one object or another and how to express the emotion. We learn the capabilities of paints and surfaces- we play with this treasure, enjoying the very process of the game. We interact with the world that surrounds us, learning more about it, being amazed by it each and every time we do it, taking from it the immense inspiration that drives us to learn even more. Then comes the result...sometimes completely unexpected, but no less interesting because of that. Here it is, right beforeme! I created this! This all becomes even more exiting if someone else, by seeing your creation, understood you when you drew this, came into contact with what became important to you. A child can experience all this if we give him/her our support and systematic lessons which are done according to the age of this child.

Many artists say that, no matter all the experience, skill and everyone’s recognition, they would still like to learn to draw the way that the kids do it. All that experience, skill and recognition are acquired over time and, alas, this means over aging. Because of that, there is a significant loss, in the sharpness of perception and of the happy anticipation of something new, of a playful attitude.

It is not a right thing to say that everyone should become an artist, or that there is some universal teaching method for everyone. However, if there is even a slight interest towards this area- it is worth a try, especially when it comes to children.

If someone really wants to, they can research scientific studies of how interconnected is the development of the cerebral cortex with the development of small hand motor skills. And not just in childhood but also in old age – as a prophylaxis of many illnesses that occur in old age.

It is possible, of course, to contact acupressure specialists, to use special exercises…Or to sculpt, draw, creating truly beautiful pieces of art, exploring ourselves and meanwhile developing those small motor skills mentioned above. The two processes do not intervene, but complement one another.

To feel the moment of an artistic muse, trying to learn one of the world’s faces through creation.

Creation is what defines the raison d’être of our lives.

What skills can be learned through the program?

Through my art lesson program, a child learns how to:

Set up the work space
Choose appropriate art materials
Prepare the drawing surface
Realize the intentions
Clean up after finishing the creation process
Treat the materials, which he/she is working with, with respect
Appropriately treat his/her creations, as well as the creations of others

The studio has a zone of free access, where children can take whatever they need for their lesson, or to play with additional, thematically chosen, material.

The cost of materials is included in the price of the lessons, since it is important to accurately know which paints, crayons and etc, are permissible for children’s use (some of them may toxic, some may contain allergens, cheap materials will only bring disappointment), and that is my responsibility to choose the ones that are appropriate. Besides, if you buy expensive paint sets and for those - suitable paper, it may be that your child will not be able to treat those with appropriate respect, simply due to the fact that he/she does not know how to do that. That results in quite an unreasonable waste of money. However, if your child develops a preference to a certain kind of material, then I will be able to recommend you what and where to buy. It will save both your time and money significantly.

Contact number: (403) 890 - 4969 Alla

Summer
The school year is over, the long-awaited vacation has come.

At this time I try to hold an exhibition with my little students. These exhibitions provide the students with a sense of importance and excitement. Their diligent preparation and their carefully thought out names for their artwork and even their parent get a chance to help; the frames and their attendance. This year, unfortunately, the exhibition could not be held due to the weather, and other projects that had appeared:
http://canada-icons.blogspot.com/

However, I really want to share the work of the children, because it is a way to show their small victories, inspiration, mood and much more, which makes our life more interesting.