sees color as a tool to be used to reflect emotional reaction to the subject at
hand.
So- what now?
- Share this information with your older students. (They will find it
intriguing.) It will also help them to understand that they can continue to
improve themselves. - Consider the stages when evaluating artwork and intent of the student
- Communicate with shareholders the stages. (Ex. A flyer with the stages
sent home with the students artwork.)
Consider observational drawings with younger children
“Children who have not learned that drawing skill is based on careful observation
may become very frustrated when they reach the next developmental stage.
They may wish they could draw more realistically, but not knowing how to
practice effectively, they may mistakenly assume that they are too young or not
talented enough to learn it. If they do ask for help, many adults give them the
wrong kinds of help. As they get older, they begin to compare with others and
mistakenly believe that they lack talent while others seem more gifted in drawing.
They give up because see others who appear to do better.” –Dr. Martin Bartel
WHEN TO TEACH OBSERVATIONAL DRAWING
In many ways it is easier to teach observational drawing before children reach
the stage of self-criticism and frustration. When children are four or five they are
less apt to compare their drawings to others. They are less self-critical and more
tolerant of their own work.
“The brain can be stimulated to grow in the areas that learn how to observe and
draw. The common belief that drawing is a talent is a myth. It may be that some
children are born with brains and instincts that predispose them to spend more
time drawing, but much of these habits are developed as the result of the settings
in which they grow up. A few children who love to practice drawing on their own,
discover how to make observations and drawings that seem advanced for their
age. By age 8 or 10 other children are convinced that some are gifted and others
are not. Adults support them in this. Children mistakenly believe that drawing skill
emerges as an ability without practice.” –Dr. Martin Bartel
Observation drawing is only one way that children learn to draw. Children should
also be drawing from experience (memory), and they should be drawing
imaginary things and topics. These drawing activities develop other important
parts of the brain.