Art Group March-April 2019

Our Art group have been creating a variety of art over the weeks, and their chosen subjects, are showing the progress members are making. Having confidence to explore different art forms and making decisions about what they want to do.

Laura, our work experience student, who has completed her time with us. Has made an example book with notes on drawing eyes, and a face, nose, so our group can refer to it when they wanted to draw faces. Photos 2241,2244,2245,2252. Drawing eyes or faces is a subject that we like to encourage members to try from time to time. As eye contact can be a difficult issue for people with autism/learning disabilities.

In photos 2247,2240, our member likes to draw Disney characters, and is not really happy with doing faces/eyes.

In photo2213, this member who has eyesight problems, is progressing very well drawing his landscapes. He is now using his own imagination more rather than copying from a book. In photo 2214, a painting of Weymouth Seaside done by our member who likes trains. He has divided the scene up into sand, sea and sky. This is very interesting , as he has started dividing his pictures up since doing the colour wheel with Laura.

Another lovely picture photo 2220, completed by our member who is enjoying drawing different scenes of his choice. Our member who likes drawing animals, is starting to paint a tiger she has drawn, photo-2211, and completed the colourful animal in photos 2243,2246.

In photos 2218,2219,2221,2222. This member has chosen to do pictures that relate to songs he sings in our Music Express group. Moon Raker, We have All The Time In The World, Smile. Are titles of the songs. This is helping him to interact with the group more by showing the other members and talking about music, and finding out what songs each other like. It is encouraging social and communication skills.

In photo 2281, another animal picture being created by our member who i improving in her hand/eye co-ordination, and choosing a variety of animals to draw, photo2284. As Easter was in the thoughts of this member, as he chose to draw the names of chocolates he likes, photos 2280,2283.

Another form of art we are exploring, is using lots of different colours and patterns of members choice, and then talking about what shapes or anything they saw in the paintings. This was very interesting, as they weren’t copying from a book, but was using their imagination. Photo 2386,2392 2413, is showing that this member needed to look at a painting to copy it. He couldn’t just create a picture of patterns and colours from his own imagination. Being autistic, he draws what he has seen or what he can relate to. He did complete it photo 2415.

It is an art form we are going to encourage. Using their imagination, and doing something different from their familiar subjects.

In photos 2409,2414, colourful animal pictures by our member who is autistic, and likes to draw what she knows and can relate to.

In photos 2416,2417, our member who did a colourful pattern painting, went back to doing something he could relate to, places he goes to buy his lunch.

By exploring different art forms, is helping us to understand how people with autism/learning disabilities see the world they live in, and what they consider important to them. In photo2441, our member is drawing his favourite football team, Liverpool. So he does the letter LFC, and paints it photo2448.

In photo 2439 this member who does wood carving , is starting to paint his lifebelt. Photos 2440,2443,2449.

In our previous blog I mentioned we were going to try doing art on computer to see how members liked it. The idea went down very well photo 2445. This member was keen on trying it, photo2450. She has drawn her own painting, which will be printed out.

In photo2451, another member goes on the laptop and completes a very colourful train, photos 2452,2453, and a butterfly, photo 2455, which was very surprising and different from his familiar subject. He was enjoying it and went on to do a frog photo2456 and doves photo2457.

Click To See Computer Art

Now that we have introduced the laptop, and our group have accepted the idea. We can explore doing art in a different form. Encouraging members to use their imagination, and gain confidence in computer skills, whilst enjoying creating a variety of art.

Uniquely Me & U are moving forward and finding new ways/methods to help our members develop in social, communication and creative skills. Being a small group enables our members to progress at their own pace.

It is our intention to trial one Sunday in a month to hold another art group session. Anyone who may be interested, contact me for the dates/times and cost which would need to be paid in advance.