Many people don’t get the chance to experience a lot of the things that they wanted to as children, but fortunately, they find themselves in a position where they can afford their own children this luxury. If you are someone who really liked drawing and coloring but was never able to pursue that interest, you can take some steps to help your little one explore those pursuits. Some people will say that you are either born an artist or you aren’t, though this isn’t even near the truth. Yes, some people are naturally disposed to certain things like the arts, math, strategy, and even other talents. However, this doesn’t mean that others cannot learn these things. In fact, not only can others learn these skills, they can even excel further than those that had a knack for these things. With the right guidance, practice and effort, it’s all achievable. Here are a few things you can do that will help your child with drawing in the initial phase, when they find their interest, they can focus on that specific niche.
1. Observation
The main thing for artists is to be able to observe. Especially in the case of drawing physical things. Be it landscapes or objects, being able to observe the environment around you is key. It helps a person understand what they are doing and allows them to pay attention to the finer details. Even if you are pursuing abstract art, having a strong ability to observe the environment will always help in creating your works.
2. Doodling
They say that every great artist starts off as an amateur. Some like scribbling in notebooks, others spray paint walls with lightweight, portable airbrushes but the idea is to start in some way or another. No one is going to be able to create a masterpiece on the first day, it might even start with a rough doodle. Just putting pen to paper has benefits that are going to radiate to other parts of your child’s life. Even if they don’t pursue art, later on, it will help them in the way they think and process information. In a time where everything is digital, putting pen to paper is rare and an unparalleled experience. Nothing digital really quite compares.
3. Tracing
Another great way to succeed, in nearly every field of life, is to follow the path of success that others have taken. In some cases, this might mean learning from their books, going to the same school, or even just doing exactly what they did in life. Learning art is no different, replicating good art is a great way to learn. The artists at Mofukawa.com advise parents to encourage their children to trace. They can do this on paper or they can do it via a digital medium. This helps them understand art and gives them excellent practice. The basic images that they trace as children will give them a unique experience and also form the basis upon which they can experiment with their own ideas. Tracing is not as easy as it seems, it also helps develop excellent hand-eye coordination.
4. Colors
There is no harm in starting with a simple pencil or a blue or black ink pen. However, using colors gives the image a fresh look and something that is impossible to achieve by simply shading using a single color. For a child, it is not important to know how to use color, but rather it is important to have the ability to experiment with the arsenal of colors. Even though the grass is green, they might color it blue. What is important is that the child learns how to use different colors and understands that these too are options. Using different colors also makes the entire process of drawing that much more engaging and that much more relevant to the world that the child sees around him or her.
It will be rather difficult to teach a child how to do an observational drawing. There is some degree of a natural inclination to observational drawing as the child is putting to paper the images and ideas that they have in mind. For some children, they will start off with imaginative drawing, simply putting down random images in random colors. When it comes to learning art, there is no right or wrong way. The important thing is to make a start and make a mark. Later on, as the child develops an interest, they can go to great lengths to perfect their skills. Also, pairing drawing with other creative activities will also help them not only explore drawing further but will also open their mind to other creative opportunities.
