Credit: Art-rini – Stories of Children’s ArtIs “Drawing Freely” Really the Best Art Education? Thoughts on Upper Elementary Art Education

From an early age, there are children who create countless drawings filled with individuality and detail.
Some have an extraordinary sense of color, arranging tones into beautifully balanced compositions.
Others show remarkable skill in observation and description, or possess exceptional craftsmanship in their hands.
Still others fill their pictures with stories, or leave traces of deep exploration in every corner of their drawings.
And there are even children whose works feel unexpectedly refined and restrained, even at such a young age.

Because of this, many parents have felt it might be better not to send their children to art academies at all—
worrying that their children’s natural talent might be restricted,
that they might hear the words: “Don’t draw like that. You should draw like this instead.”

And in some ways, this concern is very valid.

Early Childhood Art Education: Play

In early childhood, art is play.
Children express themselves more clearly through images than words, they delight in colors, stimulate their senses, and release emotions through drawing.
That’s why they never seem to tire of scribbling on paper, chalkboards, walls, and even floors.

At this stage, a teacher’s role is to play along with the children—sometimes drawing together with them, reacting with big enthusiasm, and encouraging them with praise. The goal is to let them experience as many materials as possible and draw freely, however they want.

Lower Elementary Art Education: Confidence

As children enter the early grades of elementary school, they begin to compare and evaluate their drawings with those of their peers. Through this, they develop self-esteem, and they start searching for ways to explain and visualize their own thoughts.

Here, the teacher’s role is to talk with the children, broaden their ideas, suggest suitable materials, and encourage them warmly. This way, they can achieve outcomes that feel more complete than what they could do alone. Looking at other children’s work also gives them fresh energy and motivation.

Upper Elementary Art Education: Development

This is the stage where many children who once shone brightly in art start to lose interest or even give up.
Art is a discipline and a visual language. To express oneself through it, one must gradually study and practice.

So, how long can a child remain satisfied with simply “drawing however they like”?
Without growth, they may eventually stagnate.

This does not mean that upper elementary students should undergo rigid technical training. But they do need to experience the joy of growth—the thrill of focusing deeply on a drawing and feeling themselves move to the next level.

They must learn what to draw.

To choose a subject, children must first learn what is possible to draw. This means exposing them to a wide range of art, especially contemporary works that expand the boundaries of what can be called art.

Many children at this age either keep repeating the same kinds of subjects (falling into a rut), or they feel lost about what else they could create. They need to try new approaches and push beyond familiar habits.

They must learn how to draw.

Art has always been a part of human history. Countless artists have studied theories, aesthetics, and techniques.

Children should begin to understand principles like composition and balance, proportion, movement, perspective, depth, and texture. They should learn how to arrange the subject so that the focus is clear, and how to use vivid and muted colors in harmony.

They should also explore how different materials behave and what effects they can create. Only then will they know how to plan and choose the right methods when they have something they truly want to express.

They must learn how far to draw.

Sometimes, a drawing must be pushed to the level of near-photographic realism. Even if realism may not end up being their personal style, children should not reject it without trying—it is an essential part of the learning process.

At this age, some children may already draw with skills rivaling adults. But realism should not be dismissed as a flaw in art education. It is a stage worth mastering.

Great art is difficult to rank, since styles differ so widely. Even professional artists often dislike styles other than their own. Yet, all agree on one thing: a truly excellent work, no matter its style, conveys the artist’s intention clearly and moves its audience.

By viewing many works,
studying broadly,
experimenting with diverse materials,
and pursuing depth in observation and drawing,
children will gradually discover what they most want to create.

And in that discovery, art education fulfills its true purpose.

credit: https://m.blog.naver.com/sukyee74/222873800971?recommendTrackingCode=2

Translated into English with ChatGPT