Creativity can’t be taught . . . and can be exercised or not.
Children are often taught to follow – within school, families and activities. Learning by following maintains order and is useful in teaching large groups but is far from a creative process. Copying someone else’s art teaches children how to follow. Projects that allow students to use their creativity result in projects that look different from one another. The art materials and inspiration for a project may be the same but results are unique when creativity is exercised. The key is to enable children to do the project by themselves and feel successful completing the task. Not only is the process creative and fun, the process builds confidence in one’s creative ability. The best kids art classes, whether online or in person are art classes that build on creativity rather than copying .
- Understand that everyone has the ability to create
Creativity, simply, is a problem solving process. Setting up a problem solving situation naturally leads to a creative exercise. Creativity can be seen at work in a one year old child. Applying creativity to art-making, children can create as soon as they’re able to play with art materials. However, children begin benefiting from an art class when they are able to complete projects on their own. In person and online art classes that start with creative choice are equally effective at exercising creativity. By age 4.5 most children are able to benefit from an in studio art program. By age 5 most children are independent enough to benefit from an online art program.
- Exercise creativity to gain confidence.
Within a few hours kids can create a work of art. When the art making process is engaging and allows the student to complete the project with their own creative choices, a feeling of accomplishment is reached regardless of the outcome. A good outcome brings on the desire and confidence to do more. An art class that hones a child’s art making skills while allowing creative choice has a greater chance of instilling confidence.
- Learn to draw, paint and sculpt from observation.
Learning to draw is a lesson in observation. Drawing, painting and sculpting are activities that train our eyes to see objects in different ways. We look at objects differently when we draw than when we paint or sculpt. Sculpting forces us to employ spatial concepts to create. It’s important that we consider age when teaching kids about learning from observation. Introducing some concepts of observation too early can take a child’s confidence away and quash the joy of art making.
- Learn to use color with confidence.
A little knowledge goes a long way when it comes to understanding color. Providing children with a basic understanding of the color wheel and opportunities to use color in a variety of ways begin the process of building their confidence in using color. Color mixing and using color in composition while allowing each child to exercise their own color aesthetics is magical. It is particularly important for online art classes for kids to ensure students have a limited palette of colors to encourage color mixing.
- Learn and use art terminology.
The fine art vocabulary is minuscule when you compare it to any other language. Young children learn new languages quickly. 4.5 year olds should have a grasp of most fine art terms within a year of study though some may still be shy about using the terms. Older students learn and easily apply art terms in conversation. Using proper fine art terms also increases a student’s understanding of concepts that can optimize creative choice. Online art classes for beginners
- Understand how to use composition to achieve their goals
Learning the tools to apply to planning a composition is key. Children under 7 years can understand the terms that relate to composition. However, we recommend waiting until children are 7 years old before teaching how to use composition concepts to improve composition. to children ages 7+. The vivid imagination of children under age 7 is remarkable. Providing opportunities for their imagination to develop and bloom during these early years is critical. Studying concepts of art making can be acquired at any time. The best time to develop confidence in a child’s imagination is before age 7.
At age 7, students are ready to apply concepts used in composition to achieve the goals set for their artwork.
- Become familiar with art making using a variety of media.
There’s nothing more engaging to children than a fun surprise. Kids art classes that have projects utilizing a variety of media is an easy way to add a surprise element. Mixing media also provides opportunities for students to discover and challenge themselves to explore. Most children love the newness and become adept at adapting to changes that come with handling new media or processes. Experience adapting also draws on a child’s intuition to carry them through the process. Children’s ability to adapt also builds confidence in their own ability to adapt to change and make decisions.
- Problem solving throughout the art making process.
Age appropriate programs allow children opportunities to make all the creative decisions and problem solve. Art making is an ideal activity for kids to make mistakes, adapt to change and learn from their mistakes in a relatively short time.
- Understand that process is more important than the products
Using art to understand oneself is a mantra of the Art Moki way of teaching art to kids. Art making imitates life in many ways and can become an activity that leads to self discovery. Art can take the perfectionist in us and teach us how to overcome tendencies that keep us from progressing. Regardless of the outcome, the act of creating and making become teaching moments. We all learn fastest by making mistakes. Having the time to solve the problems our mistakes bring is an engaging and satisfying process regardless of the outcome.
- Grasp that there is no right or wrong way of doing art.
In a creative space, whether in kids art classes online or a physical space, there are many solutions to one problem. The beauty of individual choices make the world a unique and beautiful place. Creativity is not taught, it is exercised. Art making with creativity does not have a predictable outcome. Exercising creativity builds confidence in one’s ability to solve problems. This confidence makes one more adaptable to change and makes difficult moments when the goal becomes foggy more manageable.
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