Malakai's Art Masterpieces

"My Family" by Malakai.
From left to right: Mum (me) with my long hair, Dad is the big one,
Ethan the little one, Malakai himself with big eyes and his favorite blue gum boots, and Niel with the big eyes.

When I first joined playgroup with Malakai at 2 years old, I thought for sure that he was not going to be an artist.  While other little boys and girls can't wait for their turn to don an art smock and use the paintbrush, Malakai would screech at the sensation of the wet gooey paint on his finger tips.  Yes, he was a finger-food eating toddler then, but his food has to be dry to touch, no sauces, no sticky coating whatsoever.  So yes, he was grossed out with the paints, and would never try finger painting.

With pencils, crayons, and markers... he would just do a short little attempt of a dribble and yells out 'I'm done!', and off he goes.

At 3 years old, there was not much improvement in his art department, but  I have introduced him to tracing and dots-to-dots and he absolutely loved it.  So there is hope for training.

When I was a Uni student studying Graphic Design, I met a Mum of a brilliant 5 year old daughter that was excelling in maths, reading, and writting in her class, but has no talent for art- thus is behind in her drawing class. Surely one can't have it all, I thought.   I had no training in kid's development or education whatsoever, but I had ways to connect with little kids and was a Sunday School teacher, so the Mum offered to hire me as a private art tutor to her beautiful little girl. Sure I was overwhelmed at the challenge.  What can I do to make a preschooler sit still and do what she doesn't like for 1.5 hours??  My job was not to turn her into an artist, but simply to train her to enjoy art. On the first day I arrived at their residence I was even more nervous to find that not only the little girl would be in my session, but her neighbour, and the neighbour's little 3 years old brother as well.  Armed with a giant sketch book, a pencil, an eraser, and a big pack of oil pastels, I started my journey.

Six months later, as she entered primary school, her Mum reported that she had made much progress in art.  She was able to see figures and animals as geometric shapes (her strong point)  and use that as a template for her drawing.  She had no trouble drawing elephants and horses in simple form and mixing colours.  My job was done then.

Surely I can give my son the same opportunity.   He doesn't have to love drawing, but introduction to visual art at this stage would benefit him greatly at this stage.  It would help him with his lettering skills when he learns to write, it would help him express himself, and being good at something is always a confidence booster.


This post features his drawings at 3.5 years old including the one above.

Malakai's self portrait.

"My House" by Malakai
On the left is his play tent, then the house with attached garage. 
In the sky there are clouds and a sun.
On the right is a tree on the bend of the road. 
In the front there's our 2 cars and uncle's card. 
The little stick figure is Malakai himself.

Now he enjoys his private drawing sessions with me when his brothers are napping, and as you can see, I am trully proud of him as he has gone a long way from that little short scribble just earlier this year.  Both Malakai and I are so excited that his original artwork gets laminated, framed, and hung.  Kids Art.