Game Freakazoid, come on and Wind me Up!

in #palnet5 years ago (edited)

Drawing is FUNdamental. Here’s what I mean, we are used to thinking of your typical school subjects like math or writing, as essential to perform in our society. Truth is, drawing is just as important because it boosts a child’s observation skills as it helps to understand the world around them in a way that comes naturally. These are confusing times where they are led to believe that they can create an image by simply taking a picture on a cell phone, but nothing can replace the flowy gesture of a drawing where the arm is put into motion along with the brain. Not only the arm but the whole body has to get involved, bringing a whole new depth to the exploration of the picture plain. Something needs to be said about the excitement of accomplishing tasks when creativity is involved. Although this is clear with drawings from imagination, a personal style will emerge when copying a character design like Snorlax over here.

According to Betty Edwards, author of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, something happens to us as children at around 9 or 10, that inhibits a large portion of the population in their ability to draw. On one hand, we become taken with realism, becoming increasingly critical of our old drawings as well as the new ones we make, wishing the perspective was more on point. On the other, adults grow less encouraging and many who buy into the myth of the starving artist go so far as to outright discourage the endeavor, which can have a serious impact on our self-confidence. Choosing to stop drawing comes as the perfect defense mechanism not to be judged for our supposed "lack of talent".

Maybe you remember those harsh criticism when you were a around that age. Perhaps you felt indifference to your work and the reaction was less than what you were hoping for. Perhaps the reality was even more brutal and your precious art was called: "a waste of time". How broken do we have to be to say: "I can't draw" or "I can't dance"? Is it not just an excuse not to try? What does it matter if you are good or bad at something? I believe there is tremendous potential in the arts to correct a rigid way of being and to increase flexibility both mental and spiritual.

Knowing that children are exposed to so much judgement already, I have to be very diplomatic in my art classes, pointing out areas of improvement without treating the drawing as a failure in any way. Of course, that is easier said than done but I can only play my part in their overall education and I do my best. Every session, a few pages of comic are created and this involves many layers including language via the speech bubbles. Fortunately, being among their peers, they create a synergy where the complex task seems quite achievable. With 7 year old kids, I spend some time coaching, asking questions about what their stories should be and making light suggestions. I have to be attuned to them of course and if they are blocked, I offer to do free drawing to collect ideas.

I rarely correct their English and mostly answer their questions about spelling and it is very cute to read their stories with a different spelling style for every comic. I celebrate the mistakes internally and I am often in awe at the clever solutions they find via phonetics.

It is a shame that adults can be so careless regarding the arts because children are actually hard to demoralize. Most of them have a natural tendency to be proud of their creations. It is a resilience that is extremely valuable and that parents and educators should not take for granted. Perhaps if our education system was more balanced, our society would produce more emotionally intelligent citizens.

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I do have to coach the kids, helping them to figure out key features in the character but each of them will take something different from our sleepy Pokémon. Because of this, I can encourage them to play to their strengths and emphasize elements of composition that are already in their drawing. I can safely speculate that they will tend to seek knowledge in the exercises wherever they feel like there is a gap.

By working on a copy of my own, I create a place to aspire to, yet as far as they are concerned, their work is a success. Usually, they find a good amount of validation. This was definitely the case with the following studies.

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This little girl gave Snorlax some extra height by giving it a strong A shape which is obvious when looking at the leg stance. She asked me during a later drawing how to make her characters cuter and I said that she can put the eyes lower on the face to do that.

Working quick and having some extra time, she made a perfect circle to draw a Fakemon sharing a family resemblance to Jigglypuff. I suspect it’s a fairy type with its pink hue.

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This is a rough drawing, it needed to be inked because the red was to light and the eye didn’t know what to latch on to. My artist was happy to oblige. He took the lesson about gesture very seriously which is how the weight of our gentle giant was conveyed masterfully.

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Minecraft is definitely an enduring phenomenon. Isn't this Noob Zombie Pikachu interesting to look at. Out of two old ideas, a new one was born. Now that's original!

We live in a society where everyone is busy bringing everyone down a peg, quick to call mere opinions arrogant. My advice to you and especially to protect the magic in children around you, celebrate the child within yourself. It's the only way. Be playful, don't take yourself so seriously and if you don't know the answer to a question just say: I don't know.

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I celebrate the mistakes internally and I am often in awe at the clever solutions they find via phonetics.

Simply beautiful words, I hope there are many more teachers like yourself... I can relate to so much of this post. As a young child, I was told that 'if I wanted to be an artist then I'd better get used to not eating' however it is something I've returned to and embraced as an adult.

To celebrate the child within, be playful and not take myself or life, so seriously, was the best and most positive change I've EVER made for myself. Thanks for sharing such a heart warming story.

But that phonetic spelling... it's completely baffling until you work it out, then it makes complete sense ;)

Thank you for an amazingly encouraging comment, I am glad my words have touched your life. Unfortunately, the experience of having art diminished is something we can all relate to. On the bright side, if we chose to keep art in our life, it is thanks to deeper thought processes where we have truly questioned predominant values in society like productivity for example. Productivity does not mean much without creativity even if you get paid for it.

I am glad that you feel the same way as I about celebrating the child within, let's keep doing that!

The process to draw is wow, its super cute! Congratulations :)

Your posts are always so wonderful, @edouard :) I am glad you are able to teach your students the gorgeous spirit of creativity and that it is more important to nurture children's sense of wonders and confidence at such crucial developmental age <333333333 i looooooooooove it, i love this post, and your warmth and your teaching and your students XD aaaaaaah <3333333333

Gorgeous, gorgeous post <3

Congrats for curie, as well <3

To say that you are anything less than an absolute treasure of a human being would be a lie.
We all feel strongly about children, to be honest I feel sad sometimes when they bring intolerance from home or the media to my classes but the beauty is that they are still figuring things out.
They make it easy to focus on this sense of wonder, confidence and astonishment and I can love them for who they are in a way that is at times be challenging with grown ups.

Be well my friend and keep celebrating all that love in your heart because there is really not much else in the world than love.

Hi edouard,

This post has been upvoted by the Curie community curation project and associated vote trail as exceptional content (human curated and reviewed). Have a great day :)

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Thank you @curie, you are very sweet and I appreciate you tremendously!


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Nice process shots and finished product. Drawing is a good way to focus the mind.

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You had altempted to portray something that everyone should try to follow. Art plays an important role in the development of a kid in many aspects, I think many of the schools and syllabus has been included art as an important activity in the Preschool. And also many children magazines are available which have many coloring activities that kids eagerly altempt to do.it. I would also like to say that learning of art also give a chance for kids to develop as good human being

Your intention behind this post is highly appreciable and the conclusion is also fitting at the current way of living!

I am very much a relativist and think there is no one ways to raise all the children. I am thinking about anthropological studies of tribes in the South Pacific for example, so many radically different way to exist according to so many environmental factors. However, you make a good point, our western school system is pretty uniform so while we're at it yes; it is a complete waste more money is not put into the arts.

To say that we could all be happy seems outlandishly Utopian but we could be much much happier than we are now with an emphasis on the arts in the way we are raised.

I would also like to say that learning of art also give a chance for kids to develop as good human being

You are absolutely right!

Good to hear that some of my points had resonated well with what you were trying to convey. The topic you mentioned is limitless, so there are n: number of reports, resolves, researches etc in the field of education across the Globe. And I dont think anything happening the way it wants to be for Kids based on the change of times.

This may not be related to your topic - But you can have a look, just google "Happiness carriculam, Delhi, India,, they are doing some of the most revelationary changes in the field of education.

Hope your plan of anthorpological study of tribes would materialize, All the best

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Hello @edouard, thank you for sharing this creative work! We just stopped by to say that you've been upvoted by the @creativecrypto magazine. The Creative Crypto is all about art on the blockchain and learning from creatives like you. Looking forward to crossing paths again soon. Steem on!

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Well said. My artist friend Laura Lemons was very gifted with drawing. I used to believe you were either gifted or not, however anyone can draw its all about practicing!!! Laura would say that because peoplec would be So blown away by her work unfortunately she thought she was nothing special and preached anyone could do it

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