How to Encourage Reluctant Art Students to Paint

Motivating Strategies for Teachers in Boosting Confidence in Class

Aug 14, 2009 Rachel Wills

The classroom often contains at least one student who needs to build confidence in painting. How can the teacher encourage the learner to complete a painting?

The initial assessment does not always pick up on every learner’s needs until the practical exercises in art ensue. As is the case with painting, the teacher might find herself concerned over a student who freezes at the thought of depositing paint to paper. When this happens, identifying the cause will help find a solution and help raise student motivation.

Building Confidence in Painting

There are many causes of reluctance to painting. These might be:

Beginner’s nerves if this if the first time
Fear of making mistakes
Inability to tap into the inner child that enjoys exploration
Low self-esteem

Motivating Students to Paint

Sensitivity must be applied. In certain situations, the student might be willing to discuss the issues that might be causing this mental block. An overbearing inner critic or anxiety over domestic or financial issues might be hampering freedom of expression. But singling out the student in any way must be avoided. However, by assuring the student that this affliction is common might put him at ease. In order to develop as a visual artist, the student must be encouraged to apply lenience whilst exploring an unfamiliar medium such as oils. Happy accidents are part of learning, building confidence, and are the only way to move forward.

Completing a Painting in Lesson

The following teaching strategies might be applied when encouraging a reluctant student to complete a painting.

Agree on an individual learning plan with the learner that sets out clear and precise goals
Ensure the goals are small and manageable
Ensure the goals provide opportunities for the learner to experience success
Use cheap materials during the experimentation

Art Resources for the Special Needs Learner

Set of acrylic paints
Bristle brushes
Sponges and rags
Thick paper
A china plate for a palette
Stencils of simple shapes such as circles and stars

Examples of small goals might be:

To paint exploratory marks over the page via different brushes and implements
To draw around the stencils at random places on the painting surface and then to fill in the stencil shape with a solid colour
To apply a contrasting solid colour into a neighbouring stencil shape

Further goals might be:

To lighten a colour by adding small increments of white
To darken a colour by adding small increments of a complimentary colour
Mixing colour combinations to see how they behave

Opportunities for praise and achievement are essential for learning (Gibbs, G Learning by Doing FEU, 1984). The application of paint onto the painting surface is what defines Art and is a great first step for the bashful student. The next step might be to emulate the great Expressionists or Abstract artists, such as Picasso, Miro or Klee in order to further explore paint.

Tips for Art Teachers for Promoting Motivation in Students

Completing a painting can be a daunting prospect for some learners. The teacher must treat this problem sensitively. Appropriate use of encouragement and praise will help overcome this mental block, but agreeing an individual learning plan in that sets out specific, achievable and clear goals is likely to encourage the student to take their first steps into using paint. Ensuring the learners experiences success is likely to build their confidence in the future.

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