Communicate Creatively By Learning To Draw

Some people have difficulty communicating and using conventional language. This can make an everyday situation scary or difficult but there are other ways to get your message across. Certain individuals on the autistic spectrum rely on a detailed visual memory but cannot always verbally translate this. CBS News reports that autistic rates appear to be stabilizing at 2.41% of the population of the U.S. In a medical emergency, handing over a medical ID to explain their condition  of autism is one way to offer information quickly.  However, on a day to day basis, drawing can aid as an alternative method of communication in order to provide a voice.

Anyone Can Learn How To Draw

Early childhood development has often placed great importance on drawing as a result. Drawing is not just for children as a fun activity. It requires a great deal of concentration and fine motor skills. Adults too can benefit from learning to draw, for both pleasure and purpose. Often the greatest barrier to be able to draw something is remembering the details of what it looks like.

Where To Start

Research shows that drawing helps with a child's conceptual formation of the world. Along with practicing key skills, drawing lines, circles, hash shading and sketching, know what your drawing is going to look like.  Getting the basics right allows you to then progress to create better pieces. Start by copying something, look for the shapes within it and start to break it down to allow yourself to produce your own interpretation. There are many drawing tutorial aids available that can take you to the next step or focus on a particular animal.

Advantages Of Drawing Over Speaking

Early man used cave paintings and drawings to communicate and share knowledge within societies. The Egyptians then carved hieroglyphics onto stone, in fact these pictorial symbols are considered to be the first writing system. Drawing promotes creativity as an enjoyable task, it encourages you to have an open mind and experiment. Remarkably, coming up with new ideas and ways of doing things are key transferable skills that anyone can use in other areas of their life. Art has both practical and emotional benefits, for example, young autistic children can hone in their motor skills as they use crayons on a page whilst gaining confidence.  

Expression Of Self

Viewing someone's drawing can lay bare their interests, preoccupations and emotions, which may otherwise be kept hidden, particularly in the case of an autistic child.   As there is more than one way to represent an idea, a drawing can rarely be wrong. Producing something independently means anyone can be proud of the result. Finally, displaying the finished artwork is an important part of the creative process and shows that the artist and their work is valued. Producing a piece of art can be confidence building, but it can also be much more than that - it can help to get across a message that otherwise may never be heard.