Drawing isn't just for artists

I have always held the belief that drawing was one of those innate abilities that you either had or did not. A closer dive into my beliefs would show that I believe all people are creative, we just each have our own ways of expressing it. Some may never find their specific avenue of expression or innate abilities. Some find them when they are young and have their whole lives to gain confidence in it, perhaps even mastering a particular form. Some people through words, some through painting, some music etc....

Personally I would never consider myself a drawer. You can tell this from my drawing of making toast. On a side note saying your a "drawer" sounds very odd. Not a piece of a dresser for sure, but meaning one who draws. When I was young I remember making this distinction in my head. I do not remember the specific moments that lead to it, but at some point I decided I was not a "drawer". Perhaps it was my friend who destroyed my confidence. I do remember looking at a picture he drew and thinking "I could never do that". I think as humans we gravitate towards things we are good at, and in this moment perhaps decided if I could not even be as good as my friend I could never be good enough. Whatever being good enough means. I do know that I made a sub conscience decision within myself that I was not a "drawer".

https://youtu.be/iRL8ZxBhCa0

I have recently come across these TED talks that seek to dispel this very notion. Everyone can (and should) take the time to draw out your thoughts from time to time. It is amazing what simply being liberated of the idea that you are "not a drawer" can do for you. You don't have to be an legendary artist to draw. Everyone can draw. This is not a pursuit for just very talented artists, this is a tool that can be used by anyone to communicate their very specific thoughts and visions to others. We are all visual thinkers, and pictures simply give us an ability to cut through very dense jungles of words and context. With machete's of cartoons and graphical objects we have much better tools available to us to attack these overgrown conversations.

See how much easier it is with images?

There are two things that will stick with me from these talks as I continue with my career in education. First of all is that everyone should draw. This is one of the more thought provoking exercises one can undertake and you do not have to be a genius to utilize it. It can be artistic, but it also serves as a fantastic thought and communication tool. The second thing is that in many cases the most direct avenue to understanding is a simple image. If at any point you are struggling to explain something with words - try another avenue of expression.