Creativity and perfectionism go hand in hand, especially in gifted kids. Help your child let go of perfectionism and embrace creativity with Sparketh online art lessons.

Mrs. Kochis, we have a problem.

Art?

Yes.

She hogs the station, I’m guessing…

Yes.

She has meltdowns when it’s time to transition?

Yes. And….

And?

She tore through her portfolio this morning and ripped her artwork to shreds. Not all of it – just the pink ducks. We managed to save this, though. She was working on it right before the incident…

The teacher held out a wrinkled sheet of paper. I straightened the edges, then smoothed the crinkles against a desk. G’s imaginary friend, Pink Duck, looked up at me.

G had drawn the right foot a little larger than the left. The frustration was too much, and she’d destroyed every image of her beloved imaginary friend.

This post is sponsored by Sparketh Online Art Lessons. Sparketh provided me with free access and I have been compensated for my time. All opinions are my own.

G’s been an artist since the day she picked up a pencil. She’s an illustrator at heart, a graphite wizard with a whimsical style.

We’ve enjoyed watching her style develop over the years: 

But her violent quest for perfection has a tendency to break our hearts.

Online Art Lessons Embrace Creativity – Not Perfection

G is an outlier – a twice exceptional with a low threshold for frustration. New tasks and opportunities are terrifying; challenges are insurmountable. If she doesn’t already know she’s good at something, or if the task doesn’t come easily, she’s highly unlikely to work her way through.

Her creativity and passion continue to grow. Her technique has begun to stagnate.

Thank God we discovered Sparketh. 

Sparketh is an online art program for children ages 8-18. It’s the perfect solution for creative perfectionists who want to hone their skills in the privacy of their own home.

Sparketh offers

• 500+ high quality video art lessons
• Professional, down-to-earth instructors
• A searchable course catalog archived by medium, skill level, course type, and technique
• A low pressure, supportive environment perfect for sensitive kids

Our first foray into Sparketh began with a course on Manga illustration, specifically instruction on drawing eyes. It’s an area G finds challenging.

I was nervous she would struggle.

G did struggle, so much so that she’s asked I not share a photo of that particular session. But I still consider this a victory for one main reason:

When G made a mistake, she didn’t cry or yell or rip the page to shreds. She paused the video, erased the offending marks, and started over at a point before she had made her mistake.

Victory!

Something about the instructor’s gentle tone and patient direction encouraged G to keep on trying, even when she wanted to give up. She did feel pretty deflated at the end of the session, so we took a break and returned to it the following day. I encouraged G to try a different instructor and a different set of lessons. She chose two with instructor Dwayne Walker, and this is where G’s skills began to improve.

Here is a tree frog G painted about three months ago:

She won’t do her homework, but she’ll paint frogs. Talking about lack of motivation in gifted kids and how to face it head on.

A post shared by Ginny Kochis (@ginnykochis) on May 11, 2017 at 10:16am PDT

Here’s the tree frog she drew with instructor Dwayne:

There’s a marked difference between the two projects, and not just because one is in acrylics and the other one is in ink. There’s an increased understanding of shading and depth I haven’t seen her employ before. Her standard cartoon style relies on a two dimensional plane, like this:

Dwayne’s instruction brought out a more refined, professional technique she has continued to employ.

G enjoyed Dwayne’s class so much that she tried another Sparketh session with him: the chalk pastel beach at sunset:

Dwayne’s gentle encouragement and down to earth teaching style drew G in from the very beginning, and she learned to view mishaps and smudges as an opportunity for growth, not frustration or anger. She was focused, engaged, and totally at peace:

Sparketh has made a huge difference in G’s approach to her artwork.

She is much more willing to experiment, and she is less likely to destroy or give up on a work in progress. It has ignited a spark within her and allowed her to let go of the inhibitions which have plagued her since preschool.

I’m thrilled for her as her mama, and she’s thrilled for herself as an artist. I can’t wait to see how Sparketh continues to help my daughter soar.

Interested in trying Sparketh at home? Sign up free for a month, or subscribe for $25 a month ($250/year).

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