Paint-by-Number

Okay, here goes a rant!

I was trained as an art teacher (and therefore supposed to be adverse to coloring books, paint by number kits etc...... but I'm not.) Everyone has to start somewhere and unless one is a child prodigy those things give us a sense of success (when we are little and just starting out.) The worry is that such things will stifle creativity. Viktor Lowenfeld was the head guru of art education when I was going through college and basically the idea was to just give the child the materials and let him create without instruction or adult influence.

My teaching style never totally followed Lowenfeld and in later life followed the Discipline Based teaching style which seemed a comfortable fit for me.

Now that I'm a creating artist I'm still not upset by coloring books and paint-by-number kits. But what I am upset with is the onslaught of metal clay tools and supplies geared for the "I don't trust my creativity" people.

Metal clay is an expensive medium. Too expensive to give people a false sense of their creative ability by selling them items they don't really need. I'm not going to mention these products. (Don't want to get sued for my opinions.) Most metal clay enthusiasts probably already know which ones I'm talking about. Some were geared for the general metal clay artist but have already left the market. (Probably because they weren't really filling any purpose that couldn't be taken care of with a much cheaper homemade solution.)

I usually just laugh when these items come out. (Actually, I bought a few myself when I was first starting out. Found out that all those fancy tools and aids aren't necessary.) But when I opened one of my emails from a Metal Clay Supplier today it was just too much. This product leaves no possible chance of creativity to the creatively challenged.

The money would be better spent taking a class and fostering individual creativity.

Okay, this wasn't that much of a rant. But, I couldn't put out there all the things I really wanted to say about this onslaught of crap.

Want to know what set me off or share your opinions on a product that "stifles" creativity? .... email me.