LittleSketchers

Whenever I browse through my timeline on LS, it brings back beautiful memories…and smiles…that make me really really happy…nostalgic and kind of transports me to a different world…a world of imaginary critters, places and spaces.

A little background first! LS or littlesketchers.com is something that came about as a need. A need to save and cherish some of the beautiful childhood memories of my little son. He started drawing at an early age and so you can well imagine, I had a whole lot of stuff to stack around 🙂 Slowly, I ran out of space…well not slowly, but really quickly! LOL!! He has a knack for filling up sheets like crazy…sometimes there is just a tiny little dot in a whole lot of them. There was a time when he wanted everything to be framed. And then filling up sketchbooks after sketchbooks after sketchbooks! I had to take help of the digital arena. So there I was. And there I am. Nostalgic. Happy.

Wow!! just returned from one such beautiful memory mall!!

Look at this one, don’t you feel like swishing through those green vistas…what an escape from the daily drill…and the hot sun…and of course if it was one of your child’s creation, I am sure it will have a very different memory attached!

Create a few memories with us. Jump on to the train of imaginary world created by some lovely little sketchers. You might meet your kiddo self somewhere playing in the midst of all the colors too…

Wonder why they keep coloring sheets and stuff for the kids at most eating joints? It keeps them busy…distracted…a break for the parents…oh, what a relief!! Most kids seems to enjoy. All ages, all stages. You can often see them scribbling away!
Sometimes when Tejjas carries his sketchbook along, there is a different air around him! He feels happier, content and in command. Maybe it’s just a nice co-incidence. Maybe it’s the imaginary world in his head that keeps him occupied and he forgets to get ‘bored’.

Maybe it’s just the good old magic of art!! Do your let your kids carry their art around? Maybe try it this weekend!!

If you are feeling sad as you sometimes will…all you need to do, is just simply smile even though it seems hard to do. The moment you smile, or even fake it, somewhere somehow some tiny little particles of happiness lift you up. That’s a miracle…no wait…that’s science!

The act of creating art, of appreciating art, of dabbling in art is also very similar to the act of making yourself smile…go on try it now. Just smile. What do you feel? Any better? Perhaps! There you go!!

For this very simple reason and need we feel, we should maybe slow down from our routines and just participate in some art making. You will be surprised by the results! You don’t need to be an artist to do so. Observe your child, learn from him or her. Go on…try…you might just create a zillion smiles inside of you…who knows…

" smiles make me smile
smiles make me happy
I want lots of them, so
I will never feel crappy! "

Unlike the egg and the hen situation, it is very obvious what came first, art or speech. It was definitely art, the simple straightforward art in the form of drawings, sculptures and music. Theatre has always been a part of certain individuals amongst the human species from time immemorial, so we cannot overlook that, for sure!

Before man could even speak, he made art…the drawings were symbolic of his day to day life, the chores and the ways of life back then. A symbolic, pictorial documentation, a way of journaling thoughts and actions. The stone age man and woman adorned themselves with art too, not just the walls of their caves, they liked to beautify everything around them. Art brought them joy! Remember, they had no idea about the written or the spoken word, but yes they knew sounds, they knew music. And even when the writing system did evolve, it was largely pictorial and included many abstract signs.

Just like the cave people, the human baby, who has no idea about the word, written or spoken…or heard…indulges in art…if permitted…and creates amazing masterpieces! There is in fact a striking resemblance between the art of famous artists and pre-schoolers! So should we say art is the only truth. Perhaps. A few strokes, a splash of color, all in complete unison…a silent harmony can open up a whole new world…

“We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda, it is a form of truth”
— John Fitzgerald Kennedy

When I was small, I had a pen friend. We used to exchange a lot of cards and letters. I enjoyed writing.

Grew up, made friends in school, a couple of them moved out of town. We stayed in touch. We wrote letters. We sent out cards. Still when I think about those days, it brings back fond memories. The anticipation. The excitement. The amazing feelings. The bond. The friendship.

I have always considered myself lucky in terms of friends and even otherwise 🙂

But somehow, the close friends, usually moved out of town and sometimes even out of the country. Out of sight. But never out of mind. I enjoyed writing essays and stories as a little girl. Then I grew up. Grew up and entered this wonderful digital world.

A world that allows everyone in it to have a voice. A voice that can reach far and wide. Everyone in this world can write and find an audience. An audience that writes back. Friends and strangers alike. Everything happens in an instant, mostly.

I miss receiving letters and cards in the ‘real’ world.

My son loves to create imaginary stamps. This illustration is also derived from one his drawings. He often writes and draws letters and cards…perhaps in the hope of sending these out to an imaginary friend…someday…

The other day I mentioned that I will take him to a post office, where he can see real letters, and real stamps. He can talk to the people who deliver the mail. He seemed so surprised by the whole idea, and exclaimed “wow”.

I really really hope that the ‘snail mail’ doesn’t become a thing of the past, to be seen in museums and history books. I wish to allow my son to relish the pleasure of sending and receiving letters. Since he can’t yet write…we will send out some ART to his ART PALS 🙂 and definitely visit the post office very soon!

When my son was little, whenever he looked up at the moon….especially when we were in the moving car, he used to get excited, “why is the moon ‘coming’ with us?” And I always told him, “coz it is following you!” the moon is your best friend, I once told him and so is the sun. They will never leave you 🙂 when one friend goes the other comes! Isn’t that what real friendship is all about…

Y’day while out in the car, I looked up in the sky and yes, his friend was up there, following him home as always!

Last night, the weather was simply awesome! My son usually doesn’t like to sit outside and ‘enjoy’ the weather…there is not much in that for a 5 year old anyway… He would rather play a game or watch TV inside.

I asked him to sit for a moment. I am happy that I managed to convince him. Happier still from the outcome… Well, thought of playing a little game. Told him to close his eyes and listen to all the sounds that he could hear…told him to list a few…a biker zipped past on the road, a chair was being dragged somewhere, a dog barked, an old man coughed.

All this while I was whispering to him.

Suddenly he whispered back, “I can hear you too mumma”! For a minute my heart skipped a beat.

My son was tuned in…

We see kids fill up pages after pages and the next thing you know these beautiful pieces are lost forever.

But it is interesting to see how children over years improve their drawing skill on there own. Without any formal lessons in art they seem to mature on their own. They are self taught in every sense. They are the best. No wonder we grown ups tell each other to ‘nurture your inner child’. There is a reason, we believe 🙂

For this very reason, we created this platform for our little sketchers. A platform for them to dabble in color. A platform for us, the parents, to relive our childhood…

We hope we manage to keep this spirit alive and let our kids just be 🙂

Who knows who is the Picasso or the Van Gogh or the Leonardo da vinci amongst them…who knows…but what we know for sure is that we should let them enjoy every moment of their childhood and let this be a medium to connect!

We strongly believe that every child is an artist. Stats show that only a small % actually grow up to become ‘real’ artists. Somewhere down the line, these little sketchers get distracted and perhaps get ‘busy’ with other stuff. We as parents can at least try and nurture this ability for as long as we can or want to.

In our profession as UX designers, we have rarely come across a designer who can sketch. Who can take pencil to paper in the real sense…

Ever wonder, why all kindergartens encourage art?

Art is not only good for their minds but also thoroughly therapeutic. Give yourself another chance to relive your childhood! You will have no regrets 🙂

When children doodle, they enjoy it to the hilt…ever seen a child sit and ponder what if this becomes a master piece or not? I guess, no…A child would do anything for that matter for just the fun of it. Never worrying about the ultimate ‘result’. When your child comes running to you with his doodles and sketches, look at his face, look at how his eyes light up. A comment from you can make it or break it for him…Just think…

Enjoy and be. That’s what one can learn and strive for. Believe in the theory of Karma, as they say

Be like a child…be in the moment!