The power of play

Last week I had my cartooning kids draw Demetan the frog. They all thought it seemed easier at first glance but encountered some challenges along the way. It is indeed hard to capture the quirky vibe that helped Japanese artists capture the heart of children in the 80s via their anime. It is no secret that what children call Maya the bee is but a reductive caricature of what all the melodrama was about. If memory serves, she was only an observer in a world with no right or wrong, only natural order.

We also drew a horse.

This one from Frances, I colored.

And then she colored mine.

Frances (not her real name) has been coming to my classes for years. She is just a child yet has proven to be a pillar in my life. Very responsible and with a penchant for non-violence, she has helped the dynamic in every group she has been a part of. I like when she questions my decisions because it keeps me thinking and I can typically convince her of my method which is very validating. I am also grateful that she has consistently elevated the level of conversation at the table. It is hard when a group of boys, for example, can’t sit still. The overall focus of the group drops so it is important to have students that are more focused and who can inspire the rest to draw.

The horse drawing provided me with an excellent way to educate these people (age 7 to 12) about the power of negative space when it comes to proportions. The space under the belly and locked between the legs can help the eye decide if everything is into place.

I have introduced an improv component this term. An hour and a half can be long so a standing activity focused on role-playing can help with storytelling skills.

This is what I love about comics; it is so very multi-disciplinary and everyone can bring their unique skill set to the table provided the have an understanding of character design and perspective. I remember as a kid I used to emote the characters I was drawing and a smile would appear on my face as I was making my character happy or frown of concern in another situation.

When do we forget to play as adults? When do we get tricked into being so serious? Take on responsibilities which color the rest of our lives? I am privileged to have in my life these young individuals to remind me of the importance of play. They are far from perfect and they too can be blaze at times but their hope in the future inspires me at every turn.

The week before that we be jammin’

Mordul danger, hehe!

The spider died, everyone is sad. It goes to show that alert helps us deal with grief.

I drew the first and the last panel. Everyone thought it was about martial arts but they got it wrong, It’s a dance-off!

Ooh! I love that a kid drew this panel. Let alone the first one which is amazing!

This is the only one about juice which made it to this blog. Trust the duchess, there were more.

I love that you can tell how much fun we’re having. It warms my heart that they would take the time to do this aside from school the homework and all the field trips. I feel very proud!

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