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Drawing – Natural diet for observant mind
Drawing and painting may seem to be simple school activities for children. However, their importance in the development of children’s minds and bodies is immense. I have reviewed some of the recent and prominent research outcomes that help us to decipher this less understood aspect of art. Family Life Educator Kylie Rymanowicz’s research at Michigan University in USA has changed the perspective towards the importance of art and drawing as a part of a child’s growing up. Similarly, the research conducted by California based International Art Teacher, Author & Trainer Spramani Elaun on Child Psychology and Children’s art is fundamental and important. The following are some of their important research inferences presented in a simpler manner.
Drawing as an emotive medium
Drawing works as the most effective medium to bring out children’s emotions and they can use the medium to express their thoughts without any hesitations.
Motor and cognitive skills
By holding pencils, crayons, chalk and paintbrushes in their fingers, children can develop motor muscles. This helps the child with writing, using switches and other small tasks that require controlled movements. Along with this, it promotes cognitive skills in children. Children learn to recognize faster the various things around them. Painting introduces them to patterns such as different shapes, objects and textures and their causes and effects. That is, they experience, “If I press the crayon harder, the color will be darker.”
Critical thinking skills
Children practice critical thinking skills through the practice of drawing. They plan or create a picture in their mind first before they put it on paper. Mathematical skills are concepts that children can learn, create and understand through their drawings, such as shapes, comparisons, counting and logic.
Exploring self
Growing children are naturally very curious beings. Once they are engrossed in their painting, they unknowingly gain control of their minds. They work to bring their thoughts to the world through painting. In a way, they explore themselves, their thoughts, and their feelings. While drawing, young children observe and imitate. They start thinking critically about how things work in nature. They also try to find out ways to express themselves through pictures.
Let’s look at an example to get more clarity on this. When children draw a fish, they draw the ripples in water in the form of lines or waves. This is after they have seen a real fish swimming in a real tank, or in a video or in a picture. They gain knowledge through their own observations. That is what they express through their pictures. Not just that, they also draw two or three small circles as air bubbles that go up from the fish’s mouth. While this happens naturally and easily, it helps children to make connections in their mind and recall what they have seen; it helps them learn about their surroundings, and this whole uncontrollable process is fun for kids. Painting is a very effective natural activity to continuously encourage and sustain this easy and uninterrupted play that occurs in the brains of children.
Language skills
Young children always describe their drawings. They talk about the concepts in their drawings. This helps them develop language skills. If you actively and attentively listen to them and ask them questions, you can help them express themselves through language. This is very important for their overall development.
What parents ought to do?
Drawing and painting are a blessing for children. But it is up to the parents to create a conducive environment so that children are drawn towards drawing and develop a taste for it. I believe young parents could use these research insights meaningfully, if they try and put some of those in practice. But how?
It is necessary to give your little boys and girls complete freedom while drawing and to strike an affectionate conversation with them about their paintings and their concepts. Most importantly, the thing parents need to stop doing is asking the child to draw what they feel is right as a grown up. On the contrary, when the child is enjoying drawing and painting, sit beside them, become a child yourself, and make them feel important. Ask them like a child “What should I draw? A moon? Or a tree? Am I doing it right?” And then see how the child forgets all their inhibitions, comes out of the parental pressure, and draws freely.
I have talked to many parents. Superficially, many say they let their child draw whatever he/she feels like, but the truth is just the opposite. Anyway, of all the parents that I have met, I found one couple particularly different with their child and I could see that in the paintings their daughter makes. The parents are Mr Deep and his wife who are now in Bengaluru (India). Deep is a computer engineer by profession, and an accomplished musician himself. His wife is a singer. Right from childhood they have been engaging with their daughter Atreyee by talking to her regularly about music and art. Realizing her interest in painting, both gave her the materials needed for painting and discussed with her the process behind her creations. Today, fifteen-year-old Atreyee is not only smart in her studies, but also a very good artist. I am amazed to see the pictures she draws today. I am giving two of her paintings here, so that you yourself can experience what I am saying.
Children’s Art Gallery: A ‘Chinha’ Initiative
Noting the importance of encouragement needed by children, ‘Chinha’ has started a ‘Child Art Gallery’. By this way, the children who draw and paint can get the words of appreciation and their paintings can reach the world. The first exhibition in this is that of 7-year-old ‘Aadi Channe’. You can view it from 15th to 22nd June 2023.
We welcome your response to this new initiative of ‘Chinha’.
To view the online Children’s Art Gallery, click on the link below:
If your child is interested in painting, please join the parents’ group of ‘Chinha’ by clicking on the link below.
https://chat.whatsapp.com/JLIPozlnGAU2UYCZaOEO5B
Pratod Karnik
Author is an Artist and Advertising Professional
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