In the first post, I briefly described my creative session with children Doroteja (8) and Domas (5). In this and future posts, I will tell you how the drawings by these children, their interpretations and photographs inspired me to create a variety of ideas for a Neverland Portrait.
Like I explained in my previous post, one of the drawing games we were playing was to choose 2-3 colours, draw something in 10 seconds, then exchange the drawings and finish them the way you see it.
I started this drawing in black and red, and Domas finished it in blue. When I was making the drawing, I didn‘t have in mind any particular intention what the drawing should convey except an interesting abstract composition of lines. However, when we exchanged the drawings, Domas immediately saw in my abstraction a hen.
How each of us interpret an abstract line drawing, that reflects our memories. It is hard to tell which life experiences influenced Domas to see a hen in my drawing. Nonetheless, since many of us are used to living in a city, a hen reminds me of a fairy-tale world, so I was very happy with his interpretation.
Another thing that I liked about how he finished this drawing is that he picked up a blue coloured felt-tip pen instead of red. After all, hen‘s comb is in a colour red. And that is another reason why I love children‘s drawings so much. Whether it‘s because of the lack of knowledge or because Domas simply wanted to draw with blue in that moment, the result turns out to be unusual and, thus, rather original. Not to speak about the blue dots on the ends of each line. My mind would be too rational to ever colour it that way but here you go – children who simply play with mark-making can create very original sketches.
Later, when we finished playing with art materials, got active for a photoshoot, Domas showed me this funny pose and asked me to take a photo of him like this. (Pardon the blur – camera could not catch up with the action.)
Would you say it‘s rather unflattering image to become a Neverland Portrait? It seemed that Domas‘ parents also didn‘t want to have a portrait painting of their beloved child acting silly, which I understand and accept.
However, I have to say that I loved it. Neverland Portraits are about capturing the inner world of the child at that moment in time. It‘s rather obvious that adults don‘t act this way as that would feel too embarrassing or odd. But Domas (my guess is) found this pose funny exactly for the same reasons – because it‘s embarrassing and odd. Similarly, children find farting and burping super funny, while adults perceive it as rude. Therefore, in my eyes this image very well captures the childhood spirit in Domas that will disappear with time.
In the original drawing by Domas and me, the hen was also rolling on its back. A happy coincidence? Yes. But an awesome one. Therefore, with excitement I sketched this portrait idea.
I wanted to make another version of this composition and add another detail from a drawing that was also started by me (in green and blue) and finished by Domas (in red). I drew an abstract composition of lines because in 10 seconds (that‘s the rule of the game) there‘s no time to form something figurative or recognisable. When we would exchange the drawings, me and Doroteja would usually finish them with figurative elements inspired by our associations. Meanwhile, Domas carried on this drawing by adding more abstract marks. Moreover, he has done it in such an odd way – by joining, extending and filling the marks that I made. I find it fascinating how his young mind explores mark making as my mind by now is too full of art knowledge to see the lines with such innocence and curiosity.
I see the portrait sketches of Domas and the chicken as a wonderful fairy tale. The boy is having fun by acting silly, while the hen is rolling on the ground out of laughter. It is childish and for the same reason charming.
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