Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Evolution of Drawing

For the first three and a half years of Elijah's life, there have been several times when I've worried about his development.

Ultimately, for no reason.

First the doctor was worried at his 18 month appointment that he wasn't talking/babbling enough. I worked with him for two months and he had dozens of spoken words and sign language. Now it's hard to get him to be quiet. Then I began to have concerns about his lack of climbing or desire to climb. Not long after he began to venture around playground equipment on his own. These days I have a hard time tracking him at the park because he's so busy having fun and climbing. 

Recently it has been worries about crayons and paper. Over the last couple months, Eli showed almost no interest in coloring or drawing (at home at least). About a week ago, he requested I draw him a Transformer. And then another. And another. AND another. Eric got in on the fun too.

(Eric's Heatwave on the left, my Bluestreak on the right*)

It was a daily activity with new and different characters requested. Finally we suggested we draw pictures for him and Eli could color them.

(Tweak from Octonauts on the left, Batman with handy helpers on the right)

While we were drawing for him, Eli would be next to us, observing (he's blue and red), critiquing (is that the best you can do?)**, and working on his own skills.


A couple days ago, he ceased asking us to draw him pictures and created his own.

(working on shapes, lines, colors)

Within a day or two, his drawings have become amazing. Especially for the short time he has been working on them.

(top is Eli's Optimus Prime, bottom is the original)

He has even outdone his mother. 

(that (yellow) person is better than any I drew for the first 25 years of my life)

I convinced him that all great artist's sign their work so Eli has been working on that as well.

(I had to remind myself to teach him to write it from left to right)

Suffice to say, I think we may have another Nies artist on our hands. 

(definitely right handed but you have to have those other colors at hand)

I love watching Eli draw, but this is my favorite family activity - cuddle time.


*Please note my artistic skills lie in more of a yarn and fabric direction than with crayons and paper.

**This line sprang from me finishing every picture with "That's the best I can do".

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