Watch a child draw. See how she scrawls with abandon, jabs the felt tip at the paper, colours an eye so deeply the pen drives a hole through the paper. Look as she concentrates on the action of the subject, strips out unnecessary detail, toys with scale. This is pure drawing, instinctive, expressive and truthful.
Children’s drawings are interesting, especially to artists, because of their honesty and their energy. Unfortunately, these qualities are frequently abandoned as they grow up and, for most teenagers, a good drawing is one that resembles a photograph, with the emphasis on precision and neatness. The result is usually a tidy drawing stripped of life; neat, dull and dead. The great challenge is to revitalize drawing.
Throughout October, The Big Draw seeks to do just that. Through thousands of events in countries all over the world, this loose ‘Festival of Drawing’ aims to promote the art of drawing, and stress its continued importance.
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