But, It’s Just Art

By Renee Belville, Art Teacher & Julie Dellert, Art Teacher

“But, it’s just art.” The statement that we, as artists, hear too often yet laugh when we do hear it. But...it’s NOT just art. There is so much more to it than just a “pretty picture." Art is relevant to everyone as it helps us academically, mentally and socially. So when does art become part of our lives? 

PART ONE- The Early Years 

When we were toddlers running around and playing, we actually were learning about art without even knowing it. Child development involves just that. As we were getting messy with crafts and figuring out how to cut with scissors, we were actually working on our fine motor skills. Hand-eye coordination was being focused on as well, because one needs to have the skills to accomplish tasks such as learning how to write. In Pre-School, children have fun while being educated. Weren’t identifying shapes, colors and objects one of the very first things we were taught as youngsters? Building blocks, Play-Doh, matching and puzzles are a few developmental activities that help lead children into the next stage of their life...school. 

Art is important in K-12, because of cognitive development, creative thinking, and integrating core subjects as such as math, language arts, history, etc. It can help children improve with decision making, critical thinking skills, school involvement and higher grades. A study called Reinvesting in Arts Education states, “Art Education can be a valuable education reform tool and classroom integration of creative opportunities could be key to motivate students and improve standardized test scores.” 

With cognitive development, art can help children solve problems, figure out patterns and learn critical thinking. “A picture is worth a thousand words,” comes to mind, because children learn how to plan by visual storytelling. This helps academically, starting with language arts, by using descriptive words with artwork. For example, the third- and fifth- graders at Pennsylvania Distance Learning Charter School draw a picture of a story with a written explanation. In class, language arts is involved in many ways like introducing vocabulary, reading aloud, writing reflections, critiquing artwork and completing literacy strategies, like the Venn diagram and exit slips. 

Another vital subject included in Art is math. For example, the seventh-graders complete a perspective lesson where they learn to use a ruler and discover the different types of lines (vertical, diagonal, parallel, etc.) They also study the element, value, which helps make two-dimensional work look three-dimensional. The seventh-graders utilize math terms such as a sphere, cylinder, rectangular prism, etc. With both elementary and middle school classes, we discuss symmetry, pattern and proportion. One popular math-related lesson is the process of creating a tessellation and the history of the mathematical art whiz, MC Escher! 

History is another significant subject that is tied into the art curriculum. Students study art history by exploring geographical regions and the work of cultural artists. From storytelling using a buffalo hide to designs like a mandala and mola, students grasp a better understanding of cultural history. 

Even though core subjects are important in art, so is self-expression. This can help students express themselves in a creative manner. This can be called  “escaping” as art can help cope with stress and obstacles in life. It improves one’s health and well-being which overall can help a child succeed as an individual. And with success comes growth. 

And with that, children transition into the next stage of their life...high school! 

PART TWO- High School and Beyond

In high school and college, students enroll in art courses such as Intro to Drawing and Painting, Art History 101, and Introduction to Photography or Ceramics. They add these courses in as filler, with the mindset that it’ll be a (scoff) blowoff class. But, what students don’t realize is that, like we have seen earlier, much of what you learn in art transfers into many different core subjects, like math, language arts, history and science.

In the Introduction to Art and Studio Art courses offered at Pennsylvania Distance Learning Charter School, students learn how to draw images using the gridding technique. This method breaks their image down into small squares that can be graphed. Once gridded, the picture can be resized and redrawn to create a more accurate drawing.  The grid technique uses calculated measuring and graphing skills.  These same skills are used in math, except instead of graphing lines and parabolas, the students are graphing eyes and hands.


In Introduction to Art, students learn about different art in the real world.  They discover nature art, or art that is created using nature as a medium, and art that is formed naturally in our world. The students learn about chemical reactions, how Fibonacci's sequence affects the growth of plants, the famous art installation The Spiral Jetty, and the beauty of our own natural world.  Mathematics, history, and science are intertwined throughout the entire learning process.

Art is such a vital part of K-12 learning because it is so interlaced with the core subjects. But what about after graduation? People always joke that those with an art degree never achieve much more than a job at McDonald's or Starbucks, but they do make the best latte art!  The truth is, art is more than just a narrow path that leads straight to the french fryer. 

Take architecture for example.  Blueprints are calculated and measured precisely.  Historical and demographic information about the surrounding neighborhood are researched to design the most historically accurate building.  Architects couldn’t create a beautiful and desireable building without some knowledge of art.  By utilizing their artistic expertise, they can assess what building style is more eye catching, emphasize a part of a room using colors, shapes and objects, and even know how much wainscoting is just too much.

What about something in the medical field?  Let’s say a plastic surgeon.  Although a doctor studies many years in medical school, a plastic surgeon also needs to accurately know the anatomy of the human body.  Discovering where the eye sockets connect to the bridge of the nose, or how your phalanges are situated onto your hand is also taught in most college level anatomy art classes.

Video game design and technology careers are one of the fastest growing job markets today.  Because of the high demand for easy-to-use, immediate-response technology, there’s always an opportunity to grow.  Video game designers must have technology skills such as coding and creating algorithms. Without a background in art, their games have very little purpose to them.  Using art to create the characters, colors, and overall atmosphere sets the tone of the game, and is what makes it popular.  Take Minecraft for example.  One of the reasons the game is so widely popular is because of its bright, simple colors and its aim at advertising to the generation that craves nostalgia.

Below is a small list of the many careers that utilize art.  As you can see, art isn’t limited to just learning about the colors of the rainbow and who painted the Mona Lisa (It’s Leonardo Da Vinci, if you’re wondering).   It is utilized throughout our lives from childhood into adulthood.  By incorporating art into our students’ lives, we can offer them a more well-rounded education.  One that will help them not only in their future endeavors, but with every aspect of their lives.

Sources:
http://www.theartcareerproject.com/art-as-a-career/ 
http://educationcloset.com/steam/what-is-steam/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131022170624.htm
http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/music-arts/the-importance-of-art-in-child-development/
http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-19576763
http://www.pcah.gov/sites/default/files/photos/PCAH_Reinvesting_4web.pdf