Drawing Experience

What is your drawing history? Where have your notions of the role of drawing in art come from? How do you manage your “drawing anxiety?” After reading Kalin’s chapter, describe how you might mentor an anxious draw-er into the joy of mark-making.

I have an extremely limited drawing history. While I used to sketch and draw a lot as a child I do not do it so much anymore. While I doodle in class or when I am on the phone I very rarely attempt realistic interpretations. The feelings and notions I have about drawing in art come from my early experiences with art. I was never could at creating drawings that were true to reality and this resulted in my having negative feelings about drawing. Those negative feelings transferred into a feeling of failure in terms of drawing and therefore art, I felt art to be defined by your ability to draw and as I felt I couldn’t draw I felt disconnected from art.

In terms of how I manage my drawing anxiety I don’t really I guess. I mainly avoid drawings I would have to share others or make jokes and use humor to distract from what I feel is my lack of drawing ability and the lack of realism in my art that makes me feel like it is not very good.

After reading Kalin I would mentor an anxious drawer by trying to teach to engage with their creativity and understand there is value in whatever skill and skill level they have. I would share with them work outside of realism so they understand that they can create their own art and not to get discouraged. If they understand there are different styles of drawing they will be encouraged to embrace drawing for how they can use it to express themselves and their unique personalities as well as embrace who they are as people.