Process over Product
As an artist or parent of an artist, how many times have you been disappointed with your own artwork or maybe thought to yourself, that a child’s art wasn’t “picture perfect”?
Between 2020-2023 I spent some time as an Early Childhood Educator working in preschool classrooms, and it’s likely no shock that I naturally gravitated towards the creative art centres in the rooms. I became very interested in developing rich and engaging invitations to create for the little ones that I worked with.
During my time as an ECE student, the concept of “process over product” was routinely driven into our mindset, and for good reason. Historically, early childhood education had a strong preference for “teacher led, cookie cutter crafts”, which we likely can all agree, are not true expressions of a child’s creativity and exploration of materials.
Today as an Art Educator, my goal for the children that I spend time with, is for them to truly gain a rich experience while exploring the artistic process. This sometimes means that the art coming home is not what some people might think as “picture perfect”, but that’s ok, because the process is just as important as the product.
As parents, educators and artists, we could all do with a reminder that it’s when people are in the process of creating, that the real learning and growing takes place. And so, here are just a few of the benefits that take place when we truly allow ourselves and children to experience the creative process:
Problem solving! So much problem solving takes place when we come up with ideas, manipulate materials or “fix” something that we didn’t intend to do. Problem solving is an important skill that we need to allow children to experience (and ourselves for that matter), so that we can become more confident and self reliant.
Critical thinking. When we make art, we make decisions that can change the outcome of our work. Allowing ourselves and children the room to think about how these decisions may alter their work allows us and them to trust their judgement and thinking, giving a sense of ownership to their work.
Expression. There is value in expression through art. Whether it looks “good” or not is secondary. Spending time making art is a healthy outlet for expression of emotions and ideas.
Experience. Let’s say you have never picked up a guitar in your life and I handed one to you and expected you to get up infront of a large audience and play Blackbird by the Beatles perfectly, you would probably crumble at the pressure. First you would need to learn and gain experience by practicing and learning the guitar. Well the same goes for any art techniques and skills. We need to allow for PLENTY of exploration, exposure to materials and experimentation. Through experience we gain confidence and skills.
And so, the next time you are feeling unsure of yourself as an artist or look at a child’s art and think that it isn’t worthy, remember that much more than just the end results went into this creation. Learning, growing, problem solving, critical thinking and gained experience went into that piece, which is just as valuable if not more than the end results. The process is where the magic happens.
Happy creating friends!