{"id":66941,"date":"2016-02-16T00:03:42","date_gmt":"2016-02-16T08:03:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.schoolofthefreemind.com\/?p=66941"},"modified":"2016-09-15T14:07:57","modified_gmt":"2016-09-15T21:07:57","slug":"not-an-artist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.mayagonzalez.com\/blog\/2016\/02\/not-an-artist\/","title":{"rendered":"“I’m not an artist. I can’t illustrate my children’s book.”"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Simple
Simple Line Art with Ink & Watercolor<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As I get ready to start my Make Books Now! Action Program<\/a><\/strong>, I\u2019ve been exploring fun and fast ways to create good-looking art that kids will love. I imagine there are folks out there doubting their ability to make art so I always like to provide playful ways for everyone to access their inner artist. While we\u2019ll also be covering how to hire & art direct someone else for those still not convinced they can illustrate their own book, I do always encourage everyone to at least consider making their own art.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s something potent about illustrating our own stories that can make us better authors too.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

If you\u2019ve ever taken a class with me than you probably already know my first rule, EVERYONE is an artist<\/strong>. Yes, everyone!<\/p>\n

Usually it\u2019s not our skill that is the issue but that we\u2019ve lost our sense of play, our trust in our hands and our ability to let go into freewheeling creativity. When I teach my classes that\u2019s usually where I start; learning to trust our hands and PLAY PLAY PLAY. Kids are experts at this. They haven\u2019t yet learned to second guess or think that something has to look perfectly representative. They can see into the art and play around inside it. My 2 year old draws a squiggly oval and says, \u201cwhale!\u201d<\/em> Kids\u2019 imaginations are alive and fresh.<\/p>\n

A sense of play when making art lets us drop back into that space where anything is possible.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

I often hear folks say that they can\u2019t make their art look the way they see it in their heads. A lot of times what they see in their heads are classic, more formal children\u2019s book art. They immediately dismiss the art that is naturally theirs to express. We all have our own perfect style and way.<\/strong> If we take the pressure off how art looks and focus more on expression and play we enter the realm of children and open up new possibilities of expression and exploration.<\/p>\n

Here are 4 children\u2019s books that beautifully play with & expand the idea of what art needs to look like for kids to thoroughly enjoy it.<\/h5>\n

1. any book by Todd Parr!<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"Artwork<\/p>\n

2. Happy, by Pharrell Williams.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Yup it\u2019s more than just a catchy song!<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Happy<\/p>\n

3. Otter and Odder written by James Howe, illustrated by Chris Raschka<\/strong><\/h4>\n

(I’m a terminal Raschka fan!)<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Otter<\/p>\n

4. The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade written by Justin Roberts, illustrated by (the brilliant and award winning)<\/em> Christian Robinson<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"illustration<\/p>\n

What\u2019s great about art like this is that it\u2019s accessible to kids. They see it and say, hey I can do that!<\/em> I mean what\u2019s better than inspiring our next generation of storytellers and artists?<\/p>\n

Lately I\u2019ve been exploring Potato Prints to illustrate a book.<\/strong> Besides being fabulously fun for me they\u2019ll be hilariously fun to share doing with kids in the classroom.<\/p>\n

\"Make<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t feel like you can draw. Not a problem, how about playing with photos or cut paper collage? Or breakout the crayons and let your hands play freely. Or maybe a potato is what would unleash your free side. Who doesn\u2019t love potato art?! The possibilities are endless.<\/strong> You could even consider it a challenge to find the most fun, or most silly, or most weird way to make children\u2019s book art. Kids LOVE that!<\/p>\n

And if the art\u2019s all that\u2019s stopping you from publishing your book this year, well \u2026 why not come play<\/a> and see if just maybe there\u2019s an inner artist just waiting to burst onto the pages!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As I get ready to start my Make Books Now! Action Program, I\u2019ve been exploring fun and fast ways to create good-looking art that kids will love. I imagine there are folks out there doubting their ability to make art so I always like to provide playful ways for everyone …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":67037,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[7,6],"tags":[105,195,246,253,239,223,224,233],"yoast_head":"\n"I'm not an artist. 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