twolittleajs: Fireworks!! An intrigung look at art and influence!

Wednesday is Guy Fawkes Night, or 5th November, so we have a fireworks theme for the week. Whilst dropping Arthur off to school I noticed they had some black paper and chalk out for the children ready to create firework pictures. When we arrived home I only had about an hour before a friend was due to arrive for Alyssa, so I wanted an activity for her that was quick and simple, and could easily be cleared up whilst I quickly washed the dishes.

I always think that asking a child to draw something they haven't really seen (this year will be her 2nd fireworks night!) is a bit of an impossible task, so I used the tablet in the kitchen to find a video of a fireworks display on YouTube to show her whilst she drew. It was wonderful talking to her about the colours she could see, and was using and asking her to name the colours of the chalks, whilst I was washing the dishes, I so often feel guilty for having to do housework and not being able to spend time with them, but then feel guilty for not doing it and not having clean dishes etc, so this kept us both happy.

I asked Alyssa what noises she could hear the Fireworks making, and it was great fun, teaching her words like "whizz, bang, crash" and was wonderful for her to pick up the word firework so quickly. The pictures she created were wonderful in my opinion, I really liked the fact that some of it was smudged by the sleeve of her cardigan by accident as she drew, almost making it like the fading smoke of fireworks, and the frantic energy created by her scribbles, looking like multiple fireworks at various stages of their explosions.

It was very interesting to compare her pictures, to that of Arthur's when he returned home from school, baring in mind he had nothing but the word Firework to work from, and instructions (i'm guessing) from teacher and influences of other children. Arthur's is a lot more simplistic of a few lines for the trails and a few stabbing marks made by the chalk and some stickers, still brilliant in it's own way, but i'm wondering if he would have created the same picture if he was at home and seen the fireworks like Alyssa, it's amazing how the influences create completely different styles (as well as probably their own artistic styles of course), one more how others would draw fireworks almost ( probably how I would if asked, a few curved lines in a circle and some spots!) and the other more chaotic and representing what could actually be seen whilst drawing.

Of course I could just be reading to much into the scrawlings of a toddler, seeing amazing art work that is nothing more than mark making, also known as "Proud Parent Syndrome!" ;D