Can drawing be taught?

[czlian]

Sharing

[DLander]

czlian

I took a peek at your blog.


This begs the question: What are the portfolio requirements for your classes?

In most academic settings you'll have "sandbaggers"-- people who are skilled in a subject area but who enter lower level classes to score high grades to inflate and maintain their overall grade point averages.

Are your weaker students being intimidated by others showing raw natural talent? Or, do you have a sprinkling of sandbaggers who already had some solid skills?

[DLander]

Y'know, I think this is a fairly interesting article on the subject as it pertains to children and the learning of drawing:http://www.bartelart.com/arted/coach2observe.html

[WFMartin]

Well, I certainly believe that drawing can be learned, if it is taught correctly.

For 9 years, and 41 classes, I taught a class in oil painting at our local recreation center. It was an adult class. The first evening of class I always had the students draw a "grid" on their canvas with charcoal pencil. It was a simple grid with a vertical centerline, a horizontal centerline, and a cross, drawn from corner to corner.

I also furnished each student with a proportional, color photo upon which I had also Photoshopped the same grid.

Following the photo that had the grid on it, I taught students how to seek out "key points", and locations that were positioned logically by the grid, and from there, we drew a relatively useful depiction of the photo on the canvas.

Thinking back now, after 9 years, and 41 classes, I never had even one student who claimed that he/she "couldn't draw". They all did relaltively well, and all my students created drawings that were appropriate for using as a guide for painting.

I think the reason that my students were able to grasp the whole "drawing concept", and to perform in such a matter-of-fact way is that I never told any of them that it was supposed to be considered "difficult". I just showed them how to do it, and they followed along, believing that this was sorta' something that would work out if they did exactly as I was suggesting.

It worked for me. However, I had much more difficulty getting students to perform as well at applying paint, but the drawing operation always went rather well, as I recall.

[vandogh]

I recently read Drawing on the Right Side of the Bain by Betty Edwards. I have to agree with her, drawing CAN be taught. Unfortunately, the education system at least in the US has FAILED our children in that regard. Art instruction has fallen out of most schools after first grade. If there are art classes, the instructors are often not artists, nor properly trained in teaching art. Drawing like most things can be a learned skill. The techniques and methods can be learned, but US schools are too focused on testing and teaching to the tests. The development of the student is secondary to the test results. Artistic results are hard to quantify, and therefore don't fit within the scope.

[tiago.dagostini]

Originally Posted by vandogh

I recently read Drawing on the Right Side of the Bain by Betty Edwards. I have to agree with her, drawing CAN be taught. Unfortunately, the education system at least in the US has FAILED our children in that regard. Art instruction has fallen out of most schools after first grade. If there are art classes, the instructors are often not artists, nor properly trained in teaching art. Drawing like most things can be a learned skill. The techniques and methods can be learned, but US schools are too focused on testing and teaching to the tests. The development of the student is secondary to the test results. Artistic results are hard to quantify, and therefore don't fit within the scope.

It is more complex than that in fact.. art is not an economic production occupation, it does not generate enrichment (just moves it around) therefore it has less economic appeal. Art is relevant for the society, not for the state.

While that is easy to understand it has even broader consequences.. Most countries already have serious issues with too low supply of teachers able to teach math... you can imagine would be even harder to get a steady supply of reasonable quality art teachers.

Art has always been and very likely will continue to be something for few...

[Abdushakur]

Originally Posted by czlian

Sharing some of my thoughts on teaching Drawing on my blog

https://www.cherngzhi.com/news/2017/...ing-be-taught-

Yes, it can be taught. Everyone has a different approach to teach, I do. I believe it can be taught to people with a desire to learn. Most people want to learn over night, too lazy to put in the necessary work required.

[East Sun]

Originally Posted by WFMartin

Well, I certainly believe that drawing can be learned, if it is taught correctly.

For 9 years, and 41 classes, I taught a class in oil painting at our local recreation center. It was an adult class. The first evening of class I always had the students draw a "grid" on their canvas with charcoal pencil. It was a simple grid with a vertical centerline, a horizontal centerline, and a cross, drawn from corner to corner.

I also furnished each student with a proportional, color photo upon which I had also Photoshopped the same grid.

Following the photo that had the grid on it, I taught students how to seek out "key points", and locations that were positioned logically by the grid, and from there, we drew a relatively useful depiction of the photo on the canvas.

Thinking back now, after 9 years, and 41 classes, I never had even one student who claimed that he/she "couldn't draw". They all did relaltively well, and all my students created drawings that were appropriate for using as a guide for painting.

I think the reason that my students were able to grasp the whole "drawing concept", and to perform in such a matter-of-fact way is that I never told any of them that it was supposed to be considered "difficult". I just showed them how to do it, and they followed along, believing that this was sorta' something that would work out if they did exactly as I was suggesting.

It worked for me. However, I had much more difficulty getting students to perform as well at applying paint, but the drawing operation always went rather well, as I recall.

I think those students would not have joined your class if they did not think they could draw and were redy to learn.