Art (and thinking) lessons
Posted by: Fats in: What and Why > Alwin's BlogThis afternoon, Alwin was so inspired because I kept his drawings and so he made a new one! 
Below is his drawing of the car dashboard, and he especially pointed out that it was right-hand drive automobile. He knew that there were such things when he went to Malaysia (we have the left-hand drive here in the Philippines). So, this was drawn entirely from memory and the details are just incredible: the aircon, lights, clutch, handbrake, the speedometer - and there’s even a free perfume card!
This made me think how dumbing it must be to ask kids in drawing workshops to draw things from life. I do remember my first drawing classes and we were drawing fruits, statues and all sorts of objects placed on a table in front of us. Thinking now I can compare that experience with my earlier drawing experience at home of watching “Combat” television series (starring Vic Morrow, I know, it’s American war propaganda, 1962-1967!) and then drawing the war scene (tanks, planes, etc.) from memory on a large piece of scrap cardboard (scratch also like Alwin’s pieces of paper). I can definitely say that drawing the war scene is much more satisfying than drawing fruits and objects placed on a table! The former involves a very dynamic thinking process whereas the latter is so static!
The same is true with sculpture. I remember when I was a kid I loved watching Japanese anime - Voltes V, Mazinger Z, etc. and my favorite was Getta robot. Then I cut pieces of cardboard (scrap that came from the hospital) and stuck them together with tape, staple-wire, stick and string to create Mekanda robot with moving parts - all from memory. I even went to bed with it! Then when I studied fine art in university, we were asked to get an image from a magazine and then get some clay and create a 3D version of the image. It was so dumbing! 
For the past decade I have had so much un-learning to do!! So don’t send your kid to art school, for godssakes!!!
