[indigolilybear]

Mostly I am thrilled. My middle child, ds (almost 6) is obsessed with drawing. OUr house is COVERED with papers, we have to buy around 2 reams of 500 sheets a week. They are elaborate, space ships, robots, superheros. I love that he does this. He's quiet, interested in something and loves it.<br><br>
But really, he does almost nothing else.<br><br>
I guess I wonder if this is common for anyone else? ALso , is this a age/stage thing, or what does this look like as an older child?<br><br>
He won't come to meals, wakes up and first thing, starts to draw.<br><br>
Guess I"m just looking for feedback/other people's experiences since I find it a bit baffling. Cute, but baffling. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol">

 

[Benji'sMom]

I don't know, but I think artists need to draw all the time like mathamaticians need to think about math all the time and and physicists think about the speed of light all day long, and authors write for hours and pianists play all day long. They *need* too. It might be a phase, maybe he's not destined for great artistic ability but it doesn't sound that unusual that, at least for now, it's something he's compelled to do. But I don't have a child that old so I don't know. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol">

 

[cool_mom]

Try to get him some drawing lessons. A hobby like that should be encouraged, and lessons could make him into a real artist.

 

[MamaOutThere]

My dd (just turned 7) is like that. It's something very therapeutic for her. She always asks for a sheet of paper and some pens if she's stressed out. She also does very detailed work. And she also won't come to meals!<br><br>
Personally, I will not start lessons for her. Her drawing is very personal and I don't want some teacher telling her what to do and what not to do; I'm certain it would ruin the experience for her. She learns on her own how to draw difficult images.<br><br>
Not sure what comes of it. I just see it as her way of expressing everything around her.<br><br>
I need more storage space, though, that's for sure! I keep almost everything!

 

[Thalia the Muse]

I think that's very common. My five-year-old draws A LOT.<br><br>
I might suggest lessons, but I don't think I'd push it unless he were really interested in them, BTW. Not everyone needs formal training; sometimes drawing is an end in itself, and other times artists develop very nicely without being taught "the one right way" at such an early age. Lessons can be great -- learning perspective, some tips for what details count and what don't -- but I think it's easier for older kids than young ones to take art class to learn some techniques without feeling that they're only doing "art" if they copy a teacher.

 

[secondseconds]

You could buy one of those rolls of butcher paper and roll out a long sheet at a time on the table. You could play some drawing games ("You draw me and I'll draw you!"); drawing guessing games, and maybe sneak in some other lessons like math "can you draw 10 ice cream cones?". That would be a lot of fun and you could be engaging him while he does what he loves.<br><br>
Anyway, yes, I think it's normal. This may be the beginning of a life long passion!

 

[momazon4]

My almost 6 year old is obsessed, too. It's just where he is at right now. I won't suggest lessons because what he does makes him happy.

 

[guest9921]

Encourage other forms of art/drawing, to keep it from being one dimensional.<br><br>
*Go to the park, and draw in the sand - take a picture of it.<br>
*Find a picture of a tree he really likes - have him trace it.<br>
*Painting. Painting develops a load of skills.<br>
*Get him a block of clay (can be messy) and ask him to sculpt his favorite character (robot, spaceship, anything he's drawn - it'd help him interact with his pictures.)<br>
*You can buy <a href="http://www.dickblick.com/zz150/54/" target="_blank">art totes</a> - have him go through his drawings every week or two, have him keep the ones he likes - and throw away the ones he doesnt. Store them in these totes, and write the dates on them. I Love being able to look back and see the stages of myself in my 'art'.<br>
*Change his drawing position. Instead of just drawing with a paper down on a surface - tape a piece of paper up, have him draw standing up - it keeps the brain working in different ways.<br>
*Collect his drawings into a book. Laminate the pages. He'll love to look at it in a few years.<br>
*Get him new supplies regularly, different kinds of pens, paper, graphite pencils, even charcoal.<br><br><br>
It can be obsessive, yes, but some people filter their thoughts, emotions, and daily life through creating.<br>
Unless your son seems bothered by it, I wouldn't do anything to discourage it.<br><br><br>
HTH

 

[peachpie]

There was a great piece in a parenting mag recently (not mothering) about the role of art in development. Basically it pointed out that art is an ideal way for kids to explore cause-and-effect and decision-making in a low-risk kind of way.<br><br>
Also it encourages goal-setting and critical thinking skills-- like "Do elephants have toes?"<br><br>
I had never thought it about it that way before-- pretty neat!

 

[Laggie]

DD is the same way - but luckily she doesn't go through THAT much paper (omigod I would freak) - she uses both sides and as she has gotten older is better about using the whole page... We only give her a few sheets at a time and that seems to slow her down a bit - not that we say no when she asks for more, but if the whole pile is in front of her she uses way more. I mean, I love her drawings but often she draws the same thing over and over and over trying to get it just perfect, so that can use a ton of paper.<br><br>
When she was younger though, she had a magnadoodle and she would draw on that for hours. Draw, erase, draw, erase. Now that her pictures are more detailed, it doesn't work for her anymore.