For a long time, when I was a kid, I wanted to be some sort of an artist. Maybe an animator or just a famous painter.
I drew a lot. My mom kept an uncomfortable number of drawings I made when I was 3. I kept doodling up until I was an adult, encouraged by my love ones that I had talent.
When I got to be an adult, I had to admit the truth to myself: I was OK, but I was not great, and I was definitely not a natural at it and never would be. But you know what? That’s OK. Even though I wasn’t going to be able to comfortably label myself an artist, I don’t consider what I did to be a waste of time or resent people for encouraging me. Learning to draw, even if only to a mediocre level, taught me so much. There were other art pursuits that I ended up being more of a natural at, namely photography, and what I learned in drawing taught me a lot about composition, light, and staging.
But learning to draw taught me a lot of non-art related skills too. I learned about patience, observation, and unusual ways of looking at beauty. It taught me that successes and failures can be in the eye of the beholder.
And I still harbour a fondness for cartoons and respect the patience it takes to make them. Yes, I’m an adult and I love cartoons. As a kid, and even now still. I Netflix the ever-lovin’ heck out of all the old classics, and I enjoy a great many new ones.
I look forward to the next cartoon show I’ll enjoy, and I hope it’s Canadian!
(If you’re sitting here struggling to think of Canadian cartoons other than Caillou, then you’re not the only one. What a legacy to leave, eh?)
I think we can do more here.
Fortunately, one company is out to make this happen. Startoon is out to create Canada’s next cartoon superstar, and it’s holding a contest with Canadian animators over the age of 16. But they want to encourage the little ones, too! So they’re busy hosting a fan-art competition within their competition, and this one is open to our kids 13 and under.
If you’ve got a budding artist on your hands, or just a kid who you’d love to see do more with their hands, don’t be afraid to encourage them to pick up a crayon. To enter the fan-art competition, all they have to do is draw their favourite Startoon character and let you post it on Facebook.
There’s weekly prizes to be won and a grand prize which will be drawn live by Producer Mike on October 12, 2016! Hope to see your kid’s work there!
In fact, it’s been a while. Maybe I should pick up a crayon myself. But…