I think Drawing taught as a visual language with the same importance as reading, writing, Music and Math should be the goal of K-12 education. Academic drawing like advanced calculus should be a choice. The world would be a better place if people could find expression and solace in markmaking.
I've been a teacher and artist for more than 20 years, and I fully agree that art should be an academic subject. The problem is that the ways they measure "success" in school don't necessarily match up well to the ways we measure "success" in our adult careers, and even less so in life more generally! STEM skills get stressed because they're easier to test and also because they seem more directly applicable to "getting a job". But there is much less cultural and political emphasis on the skills and qualities needed to "create a job" for oneself or for others -- and artistic skills are surprisingly important to that! Even if one is not an artist, it's increasingly important to be literate in design, media, and aesthetics in order to be able to communicate effectively and understand what other people in society need.
I agree that academic drawing should be taught in school. So many people give up because they think they don’t have “talent” when what they really need is to be given the skills.
Great piece, Kyle!
I love the drawing above. I believe academic drawing should be taught in grades K-12
I think Drawing taught as a visual language with the same importance as reading, writing, Music and Math should be the goal of K-12 education. Academic drawing like advanced calculus should be a choice. The world would be a better place if people could find expression and solace in markmaking.
I've been a teacher and artist for more than 20 years, and I fully agree that art should be an academic subject. The problem is that the ways they measure "success" in school don't necessarily match up well to the ways we measure "success" in our adult careers, and even less so in life more generally! STEM skills get stressed because they're easier to test and also because they seem more directly applicable to "getting a job". But there is much less cultural and political emphasis on the skills and qualities needed to "create a job" for oneself or for others -- and artistic skills are surprisingly important to that! Even if one is not an artist, it's increasingly important to be literate in design, media, and aesthetics in order to be able to communicate effectively and understand what other people in society need.
I agree that academic drawing should be taught in school. So many people give up because they think they don’t have “talent” when what they really need is to be given the skills.