Visual arts education
Drawing is viewed as an empirical activity which involves seeing, interpreting and discovering appropriate marks to reproduce an observed phenomenon.
One form of this teaching style is the Atelier Method as exemplified by Gustave Moreau who taught Picasso, Braque and many other artists.
[11] Historically art was taught in Europe via the atelier method system[12] where artists took on apprentices who learned their trade in much the same way as that of guilds such as the stonemasons or goldsmiths.
Florentine contracts dating from the late 13th century state that the master was expected to clothe and feed the apprentice, who was called upon to be a faithful servant in return.
An apprentice often paid the master during the early years of his education; assuming the apprenticeship was productive, the student would be compensated later in his training.
In the upper secondary schools, it is possible to prepare a baccalauréat technologique in sciences and technologies of design and applied arts (STD2A, former F12).
[22] The Dutch Art Teachers Association (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Tekenonderwijs) was founded in 1880 and began to publish a monthly magazine in 1884.
[24] Formal art education emerged in the United Kingdom in the early 19th century, motivated in part by a desire to match the quality of design work being done in France.
[28][29] It is the leading provider of digital visual arts resources in the UK,[30] with over 22,000 schools as paying members,[31] using AccessArt's educational materials in their teaching.
[35][36][37][38] [December 2019 – March 2020]"The first exhibition of work made by primary school children at The Fitzwilliam Museum in its 250 year history and was designed in partnership with AccessArt.
Attention to the aesthetics in classrooms led to public interest in beautifying the school, home, and community, which was known as "Art in Daily Living".
[43] The picture study movement died out at the end of the 1920s as a result of new ideas regarding learning art appreciation through studio work became more popular in the United States.
[citation needed] Since World War II, artist training has moved to elementary schools, and contemporary art has become an increasingly academic and intellectual field.
[citation needed] Various "ed-tech" companies like Kadenze and edX have attempted to mitigate this loss through online arts education.
Education through the visual arts is an important and effective influence in allowing students, from an early age, to comprehend and implement the foundational democratic process emphasized within the United States societal structure.
The findings of the study concluded that female students earned higher scores than their male peers in both music and visual art.
[51]Michelle Marder Kamhi, who has written on art education,[53] is highly critical of recent trends in the field in the United States and elsewhere.
Because of this, art therapy is reserved for students who do not have much chance for long-term improvements, but rather short-term developmental skills, or for those who seek to increase their all-round capabilities.
Current trends in scholarship employ postmodern and visual culture approaches to art education,[59][60] consider effects of globalism on the production and interpretation of images[61] and focus renewed interest on issues of creativity.
[64] Art education plays a critical role in fostering creativity, improving academic performance, and enhancing social and emotional development.
Art challenges students to think outside the box and explore multiple solutions to a single problem, reinforcing cognitive flexibility needed in real-world situations.
A study by Catterall et al. found that students who participate in the arts are more likely to score higher on standardized tests compared to peers who do not engage in such programs.
Another study demonstrated that integrating art into science lessons improved memory retention and conceptual understanding among elementary students.
[68] Through hands-on artistic projects, students visualize abstract scientific ideas, making complex topics more accessible.
Activities like drawing, painting, and sculpting require precision and hand-eye coordination, contributing to fine motor control essential for tasks like writing and typing.
[70] Similarly, research in The Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance noted that deliberate practice of fine motor activities, such as those found in art classes, enhances skills critical for fields like surgery, dentistry, and other precision-based occupations.
For example, law enforcement officers who receive training in art-related skills are better at identifying suspects, analyzing crime scenes, and recalling visual information accurately.
[72] In the military, visual analysis and creative problem-solving skills are essential for tasks like map reading, strategic planning, and interpreting aerial reconnaissance imagery.
Research in Sparks of Genius: The Thirteen Thinking Tools of the World's Most Creative People shows that many successful professionals, including scientists and military strategists, attribute enhanced observational and problem-solving skills to early experiences in the arts.
