Often , as people grow up they decide they either are or are not creative or artistic based upon comparing their efforts to the existing work or creations that they see in museums, or praised by their teachers. When that decision is made, the efforts to draw, paint, or sculpt frequently stop. This is unfortunate because there are so many factors that impact how well a creative effort develops into a piece of " Art " .
Does the quote " I couldn't draw a straight line if I tried. " sound familiar? If you believe that the ability to draw straight lines defines whether you are capable of creating art, then someone convinced you that the only thing that constitues beauty requires lines to be straight and perfect. Line is and element of art, but certainly not the only factor involved in creating an image or form that grabs an observer's attention.
When you learn how to create art, you learrn a visual means of communication that words may or may not describe. Learning how to use the tools to create images or forms such as charcoal, paint, pencils, clay, or any other materials allows you to expand your ability to interpret your world and emotions.
Deciding to explore the many materials used to put together an image is the first step to allowing yourself to have the courage to attempt to create art. I present to my students techniques, strategies, and tips which help my students learn how to use the various tools. Each person has different natural strengths and challenges. Developing skills requires patience, practice, and realistic expectations of yourself.
I believe everyone is capable of creating art. The key is to work in a media you enjoy, and pursue imagery or subject matter that appeals to you. It should hold your interest enough to allow you to perservere and conquer technical struggles you may encounter.
I encourage my students to look at work by as many " artists" as they can. Some reknowned art doesn't look like anything recognizable, but is very attractive and appealing. Other "Art" has immaculate technically correct colors and proportions, but has imagery that is completely unappealing to the viewer. The more exposure a student has to the diversity of what the world defines as " Art " , the less restricted their ability to create should become. Why? The students' more informed perception of "Art " will be permanently changed.
Think about only knowing about one kind of flower, and you assumed that there were no other kinds of flowers anywhere. What if you considered that flower ugly, smelly, or impossible to cultivate. What if you were allergic to it? How motivated to plant, draw, display, or smell flowers would you be? Next, bring to mind some flowers you love, and some that you really don't like or even hate. Now, use the diversity of flowers as an analogy to the diversity present in the art world to be open to learning more about what you really like about art.
If flowers don't interest you at all, that is only an example. Anything diverse: food, machines, animals, books, etc... will bring to mind a wide range of opinions, experiences, or emotions. Art is extremely broad and subject to interpretation by individuals. Logically , one would conclude that the more exposure to items in the world categorized as " Art " , the more a student can truly determine his or her own artistic inclination.
I present elements and principles of design to beginning students to familiarize them with the many factors that merge in the artistic process. I also introduce students to different materials and techniques so they have the opportunity to explore and develop methods to apply the elements and principles of design in their own work. Over time, strengths emerge which allow students to more accurately and effectively develop their means and approach to visual communication in the language of art.
If you dare to try new things and have courage, you can create " Art". There are so many materials, reasons, and methods used to create "Art" . Over time your attitudes , standards, and skill development through your creations greatly determine the level of satisfaction you experience as a student of " Art".
Future Topics:
The importance of the saying " Everyone was a beginner once." , and having realistic personal expectations.
How our development, brains, and bodies affect our ability to use art materials and to develop different skills.
Relationships between Art, Math and Science. |