Ways to Support Your Young Artist
by mathe | Sunday, October 19th, 2008 at 2:56 am | Momspeak |
As promised, I put together my thoughts about how moms (or both parents for that matter) can show support to children who have keen if not unusual interest in drawing or painting. I hope that whatever gifts your children have, these principles will work as well. However, for the sake of being specific, I limit my discussion to my own experiences with my little boy (whose birthday it is today, by the way) who loves to create artworks of every kind.
Initially, I did not embrace his activities as something to be supported. As mentioned in my previous post, the “mess” that follows each creative session drives me mad (until to day). Eventually, I warmed to the idea that perhaps, he deserves support and encouragement because in his uniqueness, he will always be like that and I can’t do anything to change him – so I might as well support him. Anyway, there are coping mechanisms I can employ.
Organization
To make it easier for both of us, I organized his stuff – paper, drawing pens, erasers/rubbers, sharpeners, etc. in one big plastic box where he can put everything away after each session. That was the easy part. The more challenging aspect of that is training him to tidy up later and to make it his second nature to go to that box for anything he needs instead of fretting that he cannot locate his favourite eraser.
I also gave him an envelope in which to put away his drawings that he does not want to me to throw away. Again, the trick for every child is to train him to use that envelope.
Exposure
We also bought books on drawing that show him step by step creation of animal or equipment pictures. He has not gotten down to using these very extensively but he knows that when he needs something to copy, he can always refer to them.
Another idea which I am planning to do is to bring him to museums and galleries where he can see real artists’ masterpieces that can perhaps inspire him to do his own serious artworks. I am just bidding time because I want him to be a bit older when we do this so that he can fully comprehend what I want to point out. If you have older children who are future artists, it is a good idea to bring them to these wonderful places.
Another thing, not all TV is bad stuff. We parents can look for TV programs that encourage children to be creative and artistic and make it a point to remind them to watch these shows. This is my next move to widen my kid”s exposure to art as a way of life and expression of one’s self – that is, if I get the chance to ever hold that remote control.
Equipment
It is also important to designate a place where the child can draw, like a desk of his own. The tiny space in our flat forbids me to do this at the moment but I am already on the look out for a nice desk to give him once we move to a bigger accommodation. Meanwhile, he has this special stool that he uses as a desk while he kneels on the floor. I know, this is quite uncomfortable but not for him. He likes it there inspite of my repeated pleas for him to use the dining or the coffee table.
My boy is a highly visual learner. If he asks for the meaning of say, “ripple”, he wants us to draw it instead of describing it in words. His drawings are his way of fully understanding something that he saw, heard or learned. In fact, after watching something very interesting on TV, he immediately grabs his pencil and paper and draws what he saw – a black hole, lightning, the solar system, diamonds, lava welling up from the core of the earth – anything.
This exercise is an important part of his development, so the least that I can do is to support him and show him that we believe in what he is doing. I hope that somehow, the gestures of encouragement that I have been showing will push him all the more to pursue his love for creativity.
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To my Elijah, my wingless, artist of an angel, happy, happy birthday!
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Tags: Life as I See it
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