ABCD (Any Body Can Draw)

By: Nazia Shahid

DHACSS Creek Campus | Article | December 1, 2018

Creating art is a primal behavior. Children, all over the
world, instinctively create art. Every culture has art. Like
language and laughter, art is a fundamental human behavior.
Put very simply, art is a part of who we are. Art exists as a
sort of language, a means to communicate that, although less
direct & specific than written or spoken language, is
inclusive of more facets of human experience. Art is
therefore less restricted than other types of binary
communication because it calls into play more levels of
personal experience, both subtly and explicitly. Art, like any
other language, is a medium to express ideas and to share
information. Art offers us a method to communicate what
we may not necessarily fully understand or know how to
express. Art helps us to share thoughts, ideas and visions that
may not be able to be articulated any other way.
Art impacts individuals in numerous ways, and so doing
directly impacts society. I think Art is at the center of society
and shapes how we live, see, think, and interpret the world.
Art in some form or another has existed as long as man. It is
a part of our daily lives and is present in cultures across the
world. Most people have an appreciation for art. They enjoy
observing it or creating it, they may even support it
financially or by volunteering.
Art is integral in our culture because it provides us with a
deeper understanding of emotions, self-awareness, and
more. The following are the reasons why I believe everyone
needs art in their lives.
ART HAS TO DO A LOT WITH MENTAL HEALTH

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Art can be very healing. Perhaps you’ve never thought of art
in this way but art has effectively been used to help
individuals cope with a mental illness. One example is
making pottery as a part of treatment for depression. Art can
be helpful in achieving good mental health in a few ways:

 Expressing Emotions – Research tells us that

emotional expression has positive benefits for the
immune, nervous, and cardiovascular systems. Self-
expression is life-enhancing and art can help us to
express our feelings and share our experiences.
 Communication is Key – Having a way to
communicate difficult issues, reconcile emotions, and
reduce stress is important to our well-being. Creating
art helps individuals process traumatic feelings &
communicate when there are no words
 Calming the Mind – Creating art can be
very pleasurable and relaxing. The experience of
painting or drawing has been shown to reduces stress,
promote a sense of calmness and slow blood pressure
and heart rate.
Art can be therapeutic – for the audience as well as the artist

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Creating or experiencing art can relax and sooth us or it may
enliven and stimulate us. The process of creating art engages
both the body and the mind and provides us with time to look
inward and reflect. Art provides a release, a place for
reflection and away to engage our whole selves.

Art can be very healing for both individuals and

communities. Art can help us to relax our mind and body
and express our thoughts and feelings.
Art is also a great communication tool, allowing us to share
our experiences with others and providing us a way to
connect with our community.

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The creation of art is a collective activity. Art forms such as
dance, theatre and choir all require a group of artists and an
audience. Even the solitary painter or poet relies upon the
craft of the paint-maker or book-binder to help create art. Art
offers us a reason to come together and share in an
experience. We often think of art as an individual act and the
artist as a solitary figure working alone, but in fact art is a
collective activity that requires the cooperation of a number
of people and a wide range of activities.

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 Drawing is the most foundational form of creating. For
most children, the moment in which they are handed a
crayon (without a coloring page) is the moment that they first
create something. The marks made are far from
representational, but they are pure – made without any
preconceived concepts or past negative experiences. They
are created out of nothing, without limitations. It is a magical
moment when this happens. We all experienced it at some
point, without realizing the importance of the act. Many of
us continue on for the next several years, blissfully creating
things without judgment from others.

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Why is it that such a large majority of people believe that
they simply cannot draw? What exactly happens to us that
makes us believe this untrue statement? If you ask a room of
one hundred average adults to raise their hands if they
believe they can draw, only a handful will raise their hands.
If you ask one hundred 5 year olds the same question, nearly
all of them will raise their hands. What happens to us to make
our opinions about ourselves change so drastically? Can this
belief be changed and what can we do to change it?

As children, we truly are all artists because we believe we

are. There’s no reason to believe otherwise.

Think back to first grade. What were your favorite activities?

Beyond recess, and perhaps lunch, I’ll bet you that you
enjoyed coloring or sculpting, or perhaps building things
with blocks. You enjoyed creating because we are innately
all creators in some form or fashion.

I have heard so many times — “I can’t draw.” My question

is, “Have you tried?” Or do you expect it to just come to you
naturally?

If you are a writer — you know that you only improve if you
are interested and practice.

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Drawing seems like a fun skill. It makes it possible to bring
your ideas out, to show them to others in shape and color.
And all this with a few simple tools! No wonder that so many

people dream of learning how to draw. Unfortunately, this

kind of skill sometimes seems impossible to attain. Why is
it harder than, let's say, playing chess or cooking?

Most of the people think the ability to draw or create is

inherited.

Not true. It is not necessary to have the right genes to draw.

Everyone can learn. I did — you can.

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Honestly I could not draw — or thought I couldn’t until I
was told that everyone could draw. And I found that out to
be true — with practice. Just as hockey players work at skills
so artists need to refine their skills.

As a matter of fact it might be harder to create for those with

an artist in the family as they might feel they would be
judged.

It’s like the seamstress whose children don’t know how to

sew, or the cook whose children don’t think they can do as
well.

Drawing can be taught. Drawing can be practiced. All

creative endeavours can be learned.

Yes they can be.

But you need to believe that you can.

And you have to have the desire to learn.

Anyone, in a safe environment without judgment, will be

free to try their hand at art.

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Most people think that there is a special way to draw or do
art and you have to follow the rules.

Absolutely not. If you read any critiques on a piece of art,

they are all different.

Art is subjective. We all see different things. We react

differently.

I don’t believe art should be graded — certainly not like

math or science.

There might be a few rules that help you get started. But rules
are made to be broken in order to develop creativity.

Learn the rules — then expand.

Try something new.

I tried a different challenge and did many unique paintings.

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People usually say that drawing and creating is just for fun.
Don’t make it your life’s purpose.

This is a myth that I see and hear all the time. “Get a real
job.” Writers hear those words too. We can see that in most
of our schools the arts have lost favour and have been
replaced by the “basics”. But studies have shown that by
using art, the “basics” will grow and thrive.

Inspiring creativity through art extends our desire to learn

and grows problem solving and critical thinking ideas.

Some teachers know this and are supplementing the

curriculum with art through groups like “Artists in the
Schools” where local artists of all kinds give their time to go
and work with kids in the schools. As we did in DHACSS
Creek Campus, “Little Art on Mega canvas” and called Mr.
Jabbar Gul, a renowned artist. Children of the age of 7-9
came out from their classes and worked together without any
hesitation or boundaries or tension of marks. All of them
enjoyed a lot those who are good in drawing or painting and
those who have to face some difficulties.

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I know personally that my jump into the arts has extended
my writing and reading capabilities in everything I try. As
well as my vision in performing art has also been improved
and now I am able to teach my students the other fields of
art as well. It has made me feel wonderful accomplishing
something I never thought possible.

It has opened a whole new realm of possibilities. And

extended the dendrites in my brain.

“Before you can do something that you’ve never done

before, you have to imagine it’s possible.”

So if you truly believe, then you find ways to make it happen

– no matter what the circumstances. When we believe and
are faced with a challenge, we find a way to overcome it. We
know that the goal will eventually be achieved, so we work
through all of the obstacles to get there.

But if we don’t believe and are met with an obstacle, we say

to ourselves, “see I knew I couldn’t do it” and we give up.

Making art helps you tap into you’re the creative side of your
brain

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And you know what my belief is?

Our imagination offers freedom to be creative and can give

us something to not only hope for but to also work
toward. Through imagination we craft a vision of
something new, something different, something better and
when you combine creative ideas and a vision of something
different change starts to happen.

Imagination is creativity, hope, potential and freedom all

rolled up into one.

In the end I must share this quote;

“We do not need magic to transform our world.

We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already;
we have the power to imagine better.”
J.K. Rowling

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