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Lesson Plans


Re: drawing as a skill

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
gregjuli
Sun, 18 Jul 1999 09:54:11 -0500

For MPBC to be disheartened to hear that " I can' draw" is how I think many of us
possibly feel. Joseph has some excellent points, but when you tell us we should'nt be
(disheartened) I have I hard time shaking that off. Yes, there are other means of
reproducing visual ideas, but when I hear people say the "I can't draw" I also hear
them saying in my mind "I can't do art" and some times they will actually say that out
loud. There are those who assoiciate drawing with art in general. After I've had
faculty tell me they can't draw some of them will go on to say they can't do art at
all.

I love Joseph's comments about getting kids to see the connnections with many things
and to try new approaches. Agreed that technique isn't important, except for those who
have the desire to persure particular areas of skills. I'd really like to see
students develop more appreciation of the visual arts and not get so hung up on the
drawing thing. Some students don't care to learn that skill ( not that I don't
encourage them to anyways). The intinsic motivation isn't always there. When students
don't want to draw and feel they can't
( and adults too) they sometimes shut down in art class. It's our job to show them
otherwise, that drawing isn't the only avenue to enjoying art.

MaryB

Joseph Augusta wrote:

> Joseph Augusta wrote:
>
> > MPBC90 wrote:
> > > It was disheartening when I realized a pervasive "I can't draw" attitude
> > amongst
> > > the faculty at my school.
> >
> > Shouldn't be. Drawing by hand is only one of the means available today to
> > reproduce our ideas visually. All of the great artists throughout time have
> > worked with the latest technology--Leonardo is certainly the most prominent.
> >
> > What's more important for youngsters is to try to get them to think like artists:
> > to see connections between things not usually connected, to try out new things
> > that haven't been done before, or things that don't at all seem to be art, to
> > have them go to their strength--that is, things that are easy for them to do--and
> > refine that strength into a visual form of communication. These things are
> > important---technique, isn't, unless the young artist wishes to develop these
> > skills--but if not, and this is ever more the case these days--execution can be
> > left to others if the artist only wants to deal with his or her ideas.
> >
> > best wishes,
> > Joseph