History of Drawing Education in the U.S

By cpeyton
  • A proposition for drawing in American schools

    A proposition for drawing in American schools
    Benjamin Franklin ,among others, advocated for teaching of drawing in schools (Whitford, 1923)
  • Early Advocates of Art & Drawing

    Early Advocates of Art & Drawing
    "William Minife, of Baltimore, in 1848, advocated art as a training in taste for all pupils and as a means of discovering art talent for use in the industries" (Whitford, 1923, p.1)
  • Crystal Palace World Fair Expo - London

    Crystal Palace World Fair Expo - London
    Many prominent people of the U.S. attended the fair. There was a realization the the U.S. was not keeping up with the product design of the European Nations.
  • Massachusetts desires designers

    Massachusetts desires designers
    In 1870 a special committee in Boston, Massachusetts wrote a proposal to hire a Director of Art for the city in order to the meet the demands of product design, because the United States were failing to compete with the European design markets. (Efland, 1990).
  • Art Director hired in Massachusetts

    Art Director hired in Massachusetts
    Walter Smith was hired in as State Art Director, and as such was tasked with developing a plan for structured art education for the state. As a part of this procedure he created literature to facilitate the process of teaching drawing in American schools (Efland, 1990).
  • Period: to

    Smith's ideas on Drawing Education

    • Drawing lesson structured, symmetrical and proportionate
    • As drawing lessons advanced subjects become more complex & or ornate, but are still 2 dimensional/blueprint-like.
    • Smith states that realistic "picture drawing" cannot be understood by younger students, and therefore should be taught only in secondary schools.
    • He clearly thought that anyone could be taught how to draw as well as teach drawing, provided the proper resources and training
  • Smith creates a plan for Art Education implementation

    Smith creates a plan for Art Education implementation
    Smith writes Art Education Scholastic and Industrial, Smith makes his case for the need of Art Education in public schools and outlines how this education should be carried out.
  • Period: to

    Smith develops more resources for art education

    Smith developed multiple resources to be used by educators for the purpose of training students, both children and adults, in the industrial arts; including drawing. One of these resources, a Teachers' Manual for "Freehand Drawing in Primary Schools" (1875), provides tangible examples of the type of drawing activities being presented to and taught by educators of the time. (Smith, 1875)
  • Smith

    Smith
    Smith moves back to England in 1882 where he passes away four years later in 1886.
  • Period: to

    Art materials changing

    Improvements were being made in the materials for drawing. Resulting from this, art education, including drawing, took on a new form. New materials, among other factors, brought a new expressive teaching and learning style. (Whitford, 1923)
  • Worlds Fair Prize Winners Exposition - Chicago

    Worlds Fair Prize Winners Exposition - Chicago
    After the Worlds fair was held in 1893, an emphasis on color was introduced to the art world. (Whitford, 1923)
  • Worlds Fair Exposition - St Louis

    Worlds Fair Exposition - St Louis
    Arts and Crafts Movement, Unions of Manual Training meets. Art education begins to teeter back to towards industrial design education.(Whitford, 1923)
  • WW I 1914-1918

    WW I 1914-1918
    Tendency towards industrial art.
  • Worlds Fair Expositions San Diego & San Franscisco

    Worlds Fair Expositions San Diego & San Franscisco
    1915-16, & 1917 - These expositions demonstrate a tighter connection between art and design. "Objects were made with definite practical use in view,demonstrating the union of beauty and utility, art in common things and for the masses." (Whitford, 1923)
  • Therapeutic Art

    Therapeutic Art
    In the 1920's, children's self-expression through art became a part of therapeutic post World War education. (Freedman, 2003)
  • Art Education Industrial arts or Fine Arts?

    Art Education Industrial arts or Fine Arts?
    William Whitford, a professor of art education depicts the practice of art education as one that volleys between industrial arts and a more expressive fine arts in his book "An Introduction to Art Education".
  • 1929 Beginning of The Great Depression

    1929 Beginning of The Great Depression
    In the 1930's the aesthetics of everyday life gained popularity during the great depression. (Freedman, 2003)
  • WW II 1939-1945

    WW II 1939-1945
  • "The Natural Way to Draw" is published

    "The Natural Way to Draw" is published
    A curriculum on drawing is published by Kimon Nicolades, which gives instruction on drawing using a fluid style that is figure based rather than the more architectural, design/product based teachings offered by Walter Smith. This book offers many activities designed to strengthen drawing skills and to teach the artist how to properly "see." (Nicolaides, 1941)
  • Period: to

    1960's Civil Rights

    1960-1969 - Civil Rights and Turmoil. The United States is involved in civil rights movement.
  • "The Growth of Art Education in American Schools" - F.M. Logan

    "The Growth of Art Education in American Schools" - F.M. Logan
    Fredrick M. Logan writes "The Growth of Art in American Schools, which give a history of art education in America as well as predictions for the future of art education, which connect art education to industry as well as the need for a more holistic approach to art education.
  • Drawing as Learning to See

    Drawing as Learning to See
    Authors King-McFee and Degee describe drawing as an issue of learning to see in their book "Art, Culture, and Environment a Catalyst for Teaching."
  • Visual Culture Introduced

    Visual Culture Introduced
    The concept of visual culture begins to change the way that we think about art including drawing
  • Drawing is a matter of left vs right brain thinking

    Drawing is a matter of left vs right brain thinking
    Betty edwards lke Smith, Nicolades, King-McFee and Degee believes that anyone can learn how to draw given opportunity, time, instruction and practice. In her book "Drawing on the right side of the brain she explains scientific reasons why drawing is a matter of switching modes of consciousness.
  • Design Thinking

    Design Thinking
    Design Thinking is being taught at the Stanford School of Design setting the standard for industrial design.
  • The Many Purposes for Drawing

    The Many Purposes for Drawing
    Gill Hope presents many reasons why drawing is not only valuable but also necessary for aspects of learning in his book "Thinking and Learning Through Drawing" in which he defines multiple purposes for drawing.