Basic Art

James M Sandbrook of
Wairakei Place, Tokoroa.

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Basic Art for Children

To help my children feel confident in drawing sometimes, just for fun (for me), when the child was small, I would take their scribbles and then colour them in. When the child saw the finished drawing that they scribbled all coloured in, then the child would feel good because they did the major contribution to this art as well.

To help start the child off in art one can get those art/drawing books with no lines in them, just blank white pages, and draw something simple and basic on the left hand side and the child’s working assignment is to copy it. On the right hand side the child can duplicate it or use the page as a “worksheet” and attempt many copies of the drawing/shape you made.

As the child gets closer to what you drew and you are there to witness this encourage the child and tell the child that they are nearly there, are getting it, and progressing nicely, “well, done, good work.”

And from time to time remind the child that you started out drawing just like that, and so did everyone in the world, practice is how we learn and get better at doing things. If the child understands the process of learning then the child will understand that the experience that they are going through, even with some struggles, is what is our natural human way of learning is all about, and getting better as we practice. The child needs to know that their struggles are not a sign of failure, but of growth and becoming better at what it is that the child is doing.

If we realise that each child learns at his or her own pace that learning is not a race, no need to rush, and that if we let the child bloom in their own time (with a causal pushing and encouragement from us) the child will learn happily and savour each moment in growth positively, happily and feel good about what he or she is doing as they progress.

Simple curves, shapes, lines, and then they can be added together, say on the fifth or sixth page, as a very simple basic drawing of a cat. The child will feel excited, encouraged and overjoyed at finishing this and will appreciate you for helping the child make this simple yet satisfying creation. This is true parent child bonding and joy to be shared with each other.

An important feeling for a child is to feel that they are human as well and can do what others can do.
If we teach the child how to make a basic triangle shape and then when walking around town see a triangle in a sign, part of a building and so on, we can point this out to the child and say something like, “There is a triangle, just like you drew this morning.” and the child will see that he or she is doing things that other people are doing, even what adults are doing, a great encouragement booster for sure.

With time the child will put together shapes, and create images all on his or her own.
The child is in control of their own mind so letting the mind flow and express itself in its own way is an amazing experience to watch. As a parent one can feel deeply connected with their child and really useful and helpful in each step in the child’s learning process. It really is fun for all is we are willing to see teaching that way.

The child should be allowed “free-Time” to draw and make shapes, and do as they please with their art. This allows the child to see their artwork and appreciate that the child can, as others do, create, colour, and draw.

No work of the child’s should be laughed at or spoken of as wrong. All their work is good, and a decent effort, because it is something, and on that day on that hour this is the best that they wanted to do.
We can, however, make encouraging corrections.

Sometimes I would say things like:

“And another way to do that is…”

“Can I add this…”

“I’ll just gently straighten this line to show you how to use a ruler.”

“Love this, so nice…” and talk about all the positives.

If we first look at any work of the child’s and see all the good points first and then speak encouragingly of them, while also noticing anything new that is creative and mention that as well, “Oh, I see you have done…”

And if the child uses your favourite shape or colour mention that, “Nice, you have used daddy’s favourite colour for the duck, I love yellow, so bright and cheerful.”

I can’t tell how much I have enjoyed sitting in a chair next to one of my children and done their work with the child, laughing, joking, encouraging, making comments, suggestions, adding something new, as the child expresses themselves on paper with all sorts of amazing shapes lines, and as the years go by the art greatly improves along with the child’s faith in themselves.

Parenting is good for the soul and child-parent time a joy to experience.

The secret is to know that you are creating art in the child that one day will be an expression that the child uses to show the world who he or she is, something that was going to happen anyway but with your encouraging guidance comes out more the way that is natural for the child so much so that the child has no fear of showing their art to others, and it has the imagination that only this child can use to create.

One of my daughters as an adult sketches people and then gives the very good lifelike sketches to the person as a gift. She can sketch them from photo or live. Also my children have grown up to do acrylic paintings, oil painters, sigh writing, and so on.

For the parents it is a wonderful feeling knowing that we made a really important difference in that child’s life, and that is all the thanks we need.

All the best from

James M Sandbrook.

21st of March, 2021.