What no one’s teaching your child and how to get them unstuck

I could draw my favorite characters from memory. Almost to perfection. I had drawn them hundreds of times.

There was just one problem…

I could only draw them in the same exact pose that I had learned in the tutorial I had watched.

I couldn’t create. I only copied.

I couldn’t put them into action, have them do anything else but just stand there, or draw them with any variety at all.

I was stuck.

Stuck with the same old boring characters with no variety.

But now, as an adult, I can draw these characters doing whatever I can imagine, without help, without any reference.

So what changed?

How did I go from being confined to drawing characters in the same boring pose to being able to draw practically whatever I want—thousands of characters in thousands of variations?

Well, I finally broke free from what I call the growth-stunting “Perfect Outline Method” and learned a new method that led to breakthrough after breakthrough.

See, there are two fundamental ways to approach drawing:

1️⃣ The Perfect Outline Method 👎: This popular method focuses on making smooth, perfect outlines, like I did as a kid. It’s what most Youtube tutorials teach. Usually, people using this method start their drawings with Sharpies or by pressing hard with their pencils to get dark lines. For example, here is how Art for Kids Hub teaches to draw Olaf from the movie Frozen:

🚨 Pro artists do not do this. 🚨

This often leads to instant results, and is fine to start with.

📣 But young artists should progress beyond this method early in their creative journeys if they want to grow.

Longterm, this method stunts growth, and turns kids into dependent artists. They can only draw these characters with the help of a tutorial, and are confined to the exact pose they were taught. They are only thinking and seeing in terms of flat lines, simply following instructions on where to place them. It seriously limits their creativity if they stay here.

That’s what happened to me, and it’s why I saw so little progress as a young artist. Then I gave up drawing altogether for 20 years of my life.

Make no mistake—this method is easier, but it’s like a crutch—if a student becomes dependent on this method, and doesn’t progress beyond it, they won’t be able to walk, and eventually run, as artists.

There’s a better method…

2️⃣ The Drawing Lightly from Basic Shapes Method 👍: This method is how pro cartoonists, illustrators, and animators draw.

It’s how all our favorite characters are actually made, and it’s what frees your child up to be an independent artist, so they can draw characters without reference, in an infinite amount of poses. This is how an actual Disney animator teaches us to draw Olaf:

This method encourages young artists to truly see like an artist, first in 2D and then in 3D, by focusing on how characters (and all things) are constructed.

With these building blocks of shape and form in place, students are empowered to not only draw their characters at different angles and poses, but also to draw anything they could imagine.

When I finally learned the “Drawing Lightly from Basic Shapes Method” my skills improved exponentially. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until I was an adult. A long time was spent wasting my creative potential.

That’s why I teach the Drawing Lightly from Basic Shapes Method at Kids Cartoon Academy—because kids shouldn’t be babied in their art instruction. They should be given access to the same tools and methods the pros use, in kid-friendly ways. It’s harder, sure, but so is almost any worthwhile pursuit in life.

So here are a few things you can try now to encourage your little artist’s growth both now and longterm:

1. If your child is a beginner artist, and wants a fun holiday drawing to try, they can check out the Art for Kids Hub link to draw a festive Olaf on Youtube. There’s no harm in fun, quick, and easy doses of “The Perfect Outline Method” as long as they don’t get stuck there.
2. If your child is ready to level up and learn a method that supports longterm growth, have them try the Youtube lesson from a real Disney animator to draw Olaf using the “Drawing Lightly from Basic Shapes” Method. Depending on your child’s experience, they might find this more challenging, but once they get it down, you’ll be impressed at how quickly their skills improve.
3. If your child wants an entire course that supports their longterm growth with the “Drawing Lightly from Basic Shapes” Method, using the characters kids love, from Mario to Pokemon, then enroll in my Cartooning with Confidence Course now for only $7.
   
   I’ve never offered a deal like this before, and it won’t last long. You get 7 on-demand lessons best completed over 7 days. But you can complete them on your schedule.
   
   You get permanent access to them, so they make the perfect Christmas gift for your child or a friend.
   
   Your child even earns badges as they complete each lesson and makes awesome art. 😁 Plus, your child will learn the same set of skills that the pros use so that they are set up for real longterm success.
   
   CLICK HERE to learn more about how you can get your child learning the real methods the pros use.

Happy Drawing and Happy Holidays,

Daniel