I have recently set up an after school drawing club. I have done lots of work with children, but this particular series was thought up in response to reading more about how art is used in a therapeutic context. I'm not a therapist and am mindful not to make claims to this effect - but I am interested in the value of free drawing and the well being benefits of working without outcome. My process led approach is central to how I encounter and develop ideas and I wanted to see what impact an open ended and playful workshop series would have on a group of children.
I summarised the workshops for the parents:
The primary focus for the workshops will be on the different ways of drawing. We will thinking mostly about the process of drawing and experimenting with materials – and not so much on outcome and finish. Whilst we will use some watercolour paint at times, the activities will be mainly ‘dry’ and 2d.
I am keen to enable the children to experience group drawing and free drawing and to use the sessions to foster some wider skills in friendships, conversation, and collaboration. Above all, I hope it will provide them with a valuable opportunity to be creative!
Drawing to breathing in, breathing out
Shared imagination drawings (one child starts a drawing, before passing to another to add to)
A conversation with colour (large roll of paper, kids draw different lines to each other)
Free drawing
The main success of the group was simply that it felt fun and informal. I don't think it would be the right approach to try and go in to heavy with technical skills. I'm aware lots of children have really been impacted by the pandemic and I simply wanted them to have a fun hour and feel good about themselves. It really was that simple!
Other activities we did:
Drawing in a circle
Drawing conversation (passing the pen)
Drawing and moving
Drawing round each other lying on the roll of paper
Calm, breathing and drawing. Getting into a create space.
Drawing around each other and finding it very funny...
Working in separate areas of the paper, but interacting and chatting as they go.
Having a go at bilateral drawing.
A deconstructed and re constructed collaborative drawing. Moving it around and placing it down again. How different does it look from different angles?
Passing the mark along.
I like how these workshops keep the conversations going in my own practice. What can I bring of my own process led approach to this group? How can I further connect with the ideas of paths, conversations, re treading of steps, repetition, community etc etc through them? Today, I made some marks that weren't dissimmilar to the ones made by the children, sort of like footspeps across the page. The differene is mine were a lot smaller and the kids were working on a large roll of paper on the floor. I must try and do some more of this type of drawing.
