Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Artistic creativity in your gifted child

I am curious to know if your gifted child is also artistically creative. Are the two linked in any way? I ask this because what alerted me to my DD3.9's potential giftedness was her advanced artistic creativity. She was drawing human and animal figures with details at 28 months, sings/hums almost non-stop, made her own lyrics at 21 months, was enacting and directing large scenes from books and movies at 28 months. While her language and math were advanced, I did not have a baseline and didn't think much of it. But I felt her artistic skills were pretty advanced and started to google milestones and realized that maybe she is gifted overall. Anyone else with similar kids? Has the artistic ability stayed with your kid as he/she grew up? Thanks.

I've felt DS9's drawing skills were above average, as it were, since he was very young. I don't recall ages any more, but I do recall that while the other kids were scribbling all over he was making careful circles, and while other kids were drawing stick figures he was drawing fairly detailed people. This past year he started drawing with perspective - very 3d. I have no idea where he picked it up, either.

I saw this linked on another board (parenting) and he's doing drawings like what's listed under age 12 - http://www.learningdesign.com/Portfolio/DrawDev/kiddrawing.html I have no idea how accurate that chart is, btw.

My ds loved to draw at an early age and he was/is able to draw amazingly detailed, accurate works. When other people see them they think he's an amazing artist... I tend to see it as not so much creative talent as a function of how his brain works - he's very spatially oriented, thinks in pictures etc - hence he's able to draw accurately.

My dd otoh, is not visual-spatial at all and most likely not even gifted intellectually - yet she's an amazingly creative artist - she loves to paint, has a talent for color blends etc, she is very musical and not only plays piano but is able to express feeling through her playing - not easy to describe, but very obvious when you listen to her play vs my other kids - and she's also a very creative writer - always coming up with new and interesting stories.

So for my ds - is his artistic talent connected to his intellectual gifts? Maybe... or maybe it's simply an outward manifestation of the way his brain works... which would sorta tie back to his intellectual gifts.

My dd - amazing artist. Not so amazing at math lol!

Re did their talent stay with them as they grew - yep. In dd's case it just keeps getting better and better... probably because it's her passion and she "works" at it happily.

Best wishes,

polarbear

My drawings most closely resemble the 3 year old's according to that. Feeling bad about myself now...

Thanks for the link. Looks quite interesting.

My DS6 was able to draw amazing pictures from a young age, except for people- they always had six or seven arms and legs lol. It wasn't until he was five that he started drawing the appropriate number of limbs. And only humans; animals were no problem. I wonder what that means....

My youngest started scribbling at 10 months, so I will be interested to see his timeline. He started to do the swirls at 16 months.

Ive looked at that link before and the drawings just don't seem like "typical" drawing to me, not compared to what I see in my kid's classrooms at all.

My eldest is very artisic, but she comes from a very artistic family (on her father's side).

Amy,
Thanks for posting the link. I have referred to the website many times too. The other one I go to is http://www.growminds.com/TheArts/GTinArt.htm.

The 12 year painting on the website you linked seems pretty complex. For a nine year old to be drawing like that is pretty amazing!

DD can draw things from one angle so the things that are on the other side are hidden or not seen at all. She was doing that before she was three and I recently read that that ability does not start until 6 or 7.

Interesting, polarbear. You listed many things in your post that have been brewing in my head but haven't coherently risen to the top. For example, the link between visual spatial and creativity; sensitivity and empathy that come with giftedness and how they influence the way a child perceives and depicts the world around.
Glad to find out that your dd's artistic ability keeps getting better. My dd also enjoys painting and drawing and her creations are getting more complex and beautiful by the day. Hopefully, she will continue to go to it as a source of joy and solace into her adulthood.

Lilmisssunshine, I am right there with you. I can hardly draw a straight line.