Top art courses your kids can pursue
A panel called ‘The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports’ submitted a report at the end of the union budget session stating that the committee intends to reform education related to performing and fine arts. This initiative is in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 that prescribes integrating art with the education system in India.
The recommendations of the panel include: Making art education compulsory till class X, establishment of a central university solely dedicated to art, formation of an all-India regulatory body for art education in the lines of All India Council of Technical Education, alongside a large-scale public campaign that will promote better inclusion of arts in the education system. These have been primarily recommended to promote performing and fine arts education across India. This has also been done keeping in mind the unlimited potential of art education in creating a more creative and talent-oriented learning environment in schools with special emphasis on music, dance, visual arts, folk arts and theatre.
Well, this is a welcome initiative for sure. But what is even better is the fact that in the era of digital education, the scope of accessing training in any subject, including art, has become much easier. Millennial students can opt for art classes outside the purview of their school curriculum from the comfort of their homes, thanks to online courses. Here’s an overview of four such art courses.
Age group: 10 to 15 years
Duration: 6 weeks
Sessions: 6 sessions (60 minutes/session)
Frequency: Once a week
Fees: INR 2100 + GST
Taking inspiration from portrait artists such as Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo, this Portraits and Human Figures course will cover topics such as how to draw any kind of human portrait, starting from famous people, to a band of musicians playing at a concert and even a little girl trying out tricycling for the first time. Kids will also be introduced to art vocabulary with concepts such as realism, cubism, distortion, abstract art, modern art and pop art.
Cartooning and Caricature (Senior)
Age group: 10 to 15 years
Duration: 6 weeks
Sessions: 6 sessions (60 minutes/session)
Frequency: Once a week
Fees: INR 2100 + GST
As part of this course, pre-adolescent and adolescent kids will have the opportunity to convert portraits and inanimate objects into funny caricatures and cartoons. Youngsters will also learn that creating cartoons is different from regular drawing. Focus will also be given on personification of inanimate objects, developing cartooning sequences using motion and ground lines and applying expressions to cartoons.
Age group: 4 to 6 years
Duration: 6 weeks
Sessions: 6 sessions (60 minutes/session)
Frequency: Once a week
Fees: INR 2100 + GST
During the formative years, kids love to explore the world and express themselves through colourful drawings. To encourage imagination, creativity and confidence, this course has been introduced where they’ll learn to draw everything they love and see around them, from ice cream trucks to balloon-seller, parks and so much more. As part of this course, learners will gain added knowledge on drawing elements such as proportions, balance, perspectives, placement, motion and so on.
Age group: 4 to 6 years
Duration: 6 weeks
Sessions: 6 sessions (60 minutes/session)
Frequency: Once a week
Fees: INR 2100 + GST
All kids love cartoons and animated characters which is why this kid-friendly course is ideal for those who not only love drawing but try to recreate their favourite animated characters on paper. Kids in this course will learn about the ABCs of drawing, how to divide complex images into easily recognizable shapes and how to draw portraits of living beings through imagination, observation and independent thinking.