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The Importance of Education |
We not only enjoy the act of expressing, but are keenly interested in the creations of others. To better express ourselves, we are constantly learning and honing our skills. We learn through doing, but also through seeing and trying to understand the work of others. This is art education. To this end, art education is essential. Art education provides a focussed effort to become content literate in this field. Education will rapidly develop an individual's skill and broaden their knowledge. Although art education happens outside of a school, a student will benefit greatly under the guidance of an experienced mentor.
All small children will pick up a crayon and draw. This is our natural instinct. All people, at one time or other, try to express their deeper feelings with words, and may find themselves speaking poetically. Art is evidence of that part of the human being that is invisible to the eye. It is what goes on in the mind and heart. Ever since the beginning of man, art has played an important role in evolution. The artist, like Leonardo Da Vinci, is considered a genius--a creative thinker who advances our way of life, our consciousness, and our human race.Because art is such an important part of our life, art education is essential. All people, young and old, benefit from learning to appreciate and create meaningful designs, expressive images, and moving messages. All people will develop better perception by learning how to observe. All will benefit by the confidence that is developed by acquiring drawing skills. Although many can go through life without formal art training, art education helps us to fulfill our highest potential.
TEACHING ART
When teaching art, I encourage my students to really look at things, to understand them and to reflect. I teach them the fundamental skills needed to draw and paint. I teach them image-development strategies and elements of design. Students must be given the fundamental tools of art, so they can use them to express themselves. Art education develops important faculties of the mind that may not be exercised in other academic studies. Painting, drawing, looking at art will develop observation skills, focus, sensitivity, a sense for space, memory, and other higher thinking faculties such as metacognition, analytical thinking, imagination, logic and problem solving. Art education also teaches manual skills and hand-eye coordination.I first introduce the basics and systematically build on the student's understanding and skill. I have seen great leaps of awareness and dexterity happen in less than three months. When I see a student's confidence and ability grow, I know that I have been a helpful teacher. My job is to support and facilitate a student's personal discoveries and inspire him or her to continue expressing.
IMAGE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES--A Web Tutorial