How Do I Start Teaching My Child Art?

Art is such a vast field that encompasses many subjects. Art is an interesting field to engage to engage the children because it takes the entire focus of a child onto a single subject of art. It is recommended to teach children art implying appropriate techniques and subjects according to the age of a child. Here we shall discuss a few of the tips that will help you in teaching your child art in a meaningful and interesting way.

Use of oil pastels:

It is recommended to not use pencils and erasers while teaching your child. It may sound strange to you but lead pencil causes frustration in a child especially if child is drawing a portrait. Lead pencil can be erased by using an eraser. It leads to build a belief in child that he/she can draw wrong thing because it can be erased. In this way, child spends a lot of time in erasing the markings of lead pencil. Artists use oil pastels for drawing the perfect image on paper that was previously in their mind. Using oil pastels, a child can draw quickly. An art has to be worried less going with the flow. It is the art that makes a person to enjoy the process and not worry about the details of particular event or subject. So art bring an attitude of going with the flow.

Mixing of paint:

It is the tendency of a children to take more than enough time in doing the stuff they are assigned to do. While painting, there often needs mixing of colors. There is a color palette on which different colors are available. Artists usually mix colors on color palette but do not apply this on children if you have a limited time. Instead teach children to mix the desired colors on paper and see the outcome that if the resulting color matches the scheme of work. If you have a plenty of time, then you may ask children to mix the colors on color palette in order to see the results that what comes after mixing.

Art smocks:

It is recommended to not let the child to wear the art smocks while coming in art class. This is because children take a lot of time in putting on the art smocks and then settle down. So it is better to let them in art class without any costume.

Quiet time:

Once you have given the instructions and handed over the paper to children, it is recommended to given them 10 minutes that is called as quite time. In this quite time, encourage child to reflect and think silently about the art work they are going to draw on paper. In this time, a child will engross him/herself into the piece of art work and will let art flow into mind and soul. This quite time is considered as the best opportunity for a child to reflect and get lost in the art work. Make sure when you give quiet time to children, there is no transition means a child is not been given instructions for a new project after one project finishes. This time is solely the child’s “me” time in which they are taught to not engage with their best friends by their own choice.

Make mistakes:

It is important for a teacher to explore the art in different ways in order to teach the child in an effective way. One of the fine ways to teach child an art work is to demonstrate it by drawing on white board. If you are a teacher, draw the diagram that you expect from children. While drawing, keep in mind different ways of drawing. Draw one shape in different ways incorporating mistakes. Laugh at your mistakes so that children do not get scared while making mistakes. Teach children to embrace their mistakes and not hesitate once they have made mistakes. It is important for an artist to be fearless while drawing so teach the children to be free from every shackle of fear, hesitation and perfection.

Fun subjects:

It is important to choose the subjects for drawing wisely. Choose such subjects that intrigue the child’s interest and motivates the child to draw in an efficient way. Assess the child’s interest and analyze that how child behaves in different situations. Pick the situation in which child feels happiness and choose the subject from those happy moments. It will be fun for a child to draw such subjects that are interesting and funny at the same time. When a child draws such thing in which he/she is interested, it inculcates a sense of confidence in child.

Save time:

Standard paper size for drawing is 12” * 18” but you can use a paper that is half in size as compared to the standard size while teaching children. It will save children’s time while drawing as child usually get it difficult to handle the large size. You can cut the standard paper into halves in order to make a child comfortable in drawing. It is recommended to use a small size paper while teaching children.

Importance of outline:

Outlines brings class to a piece of drawing. It is recommended to add contrast and outline to a drawing once it gets completed. Teach children to use watercolors for giving an outline to drawing in order to make it finer. Usually dark colors such as black is mostly used in order to give outline to a drawing but you can teach children to use different colors to give outline.

Open ended questions:

When a child shows you drawing after completing it, it is recommended to not ask the questions such as “what is it”. Rather ask an open-ended question and let child speak about his/her work. Afterwards you can ask questions in order to enhance the imagination of child by bringing more perspectives in the drawing.

Art is one of the key to benefits in enhancing the capability of child and bringing more exposure to the imagination of a child. Art is the best form of work to display the imagination of a child in a productive way. So being parents or teachers, it is your responsibility to encourage children to get their hands dirty in any type of art work.

Children may consult online character counter tool if they are given to write the words using oil pastels in order to check the number of words and to assess the space they will take on white page.