The Value of Drawing Instruction in the Visual Arts and Across Curricula: Historical and Philosophical Arguments for Drawing in the Digital Age

This book explores the cognitive and holistic benefits of drawing instruction, arguing for its importance in the digital age. It offers five Paradigms for teaching drawing and provides exemplary curricula for pre-K12 art and general education, pre-professional programs across the visual arts, and continuing education. By dispelling the misconception of drawing as a talent reserved for the artistically gifted, the book posits that it is a teachable skill that can be learned by all.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 372 pages
Publication date: 26 September 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Drawing instruction can be enhanced by incorporating philosophical and historical perspectives, as this volume demonstrates. By exploring diverse teaching methods, it sheds light on the cognitive and holistic development that drawing offers, making it applicable not only within the visual arts but also in various other fields. This text offers a fresh perspective on the art and science of drawing, highlighting the often-overlooked benefits that it can have on the human mind. It argues for the significance of drawing instruction, even in the age of contemporary digitalization. With the prevalence of visual information and digital media, the ability to think visually through drawing may become crucial in the future.

To address this, the book proposes five Paradigms for teaching drawing: design, seeing, experience and experiment, expression, and visual language. These paradigms provide exemplary curricula for pre-K12 art and general education, pre-professional programs across the visual arts, and continuing education. Through instructional examples, the text dispels the notion that drawing is a talent reserved for the artistically gifted and presents it as a teachable skill that can be learned by anyone.

This text will be of primary interest to researchers, scholars, and doctoral students in drawing theory and practice, cognition in the arts, positive psychology, creativity theory, as well as the philosophy and history of arts education. It aligns with contemporary trends such as Design Thinking, STEAM, and Graphicacy, making it appealing to visual arts educators at all levels, as well as educators involved in arts integration. By embracing philosophical and historical perspectives, drawing instruction can be transformed into a powerful tool for fostering cognitive and holistic development, contributing to the well-being and success of individuals across diverse fields.

Weight: 586g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367721268