One of the first things kids do when developing their motor skills is put crayon in hand to colour or draw. And who doesn’t love those combinations of colourful swirls and squiggles that are presented with the same solemn satisfaction I’m certain great artists demonstrated when showing a new work of art?
What I don’t love is my inability to recognize what my kids saw in their tiny masterpieces. All of those gorgeous baby blues in their turn, looked at me with wonder and pride, and had to settle for insipid, but safe and flattering remarks.
Equally challenging was when they could actually create images that were unmistakeable but didn’t yet match even the level of Aunt Ada’s watercolours. Seeing a future Da Vinci or Picasso in those stick figures, cartoon houses and rudimentary trees took a lot of imagination.
Of course there are some who show promise early. Our daughter surprised us in elementary school when she started bringing home artwork that surpassed that of her classmates, as well as any that could be produced by her parents or siblings.
It was a talent I can only assume she inherited from my maternal grandfather, who spent countless hours drawing for my cousin and I. He was an adorable man, sweet and kind beyond fault. When Susan and I visited he would patiently entertain us after a long day on the job. There were songs, recitations and games, but most notably he drew horses, the animals he loved, as true to the real thing as one could imagine.
With back-to-school on the horizon, and memories of early works of art and those of my grandfather, it seemed appropriate today to provide these links to some drawing tutorials:
