Making Connections (Design)

While our childhood development classes warn against over-emphasizing technical skills, I believe there are still merits to bringing 2D design into the classroom without placing to much focus on the specific principles of design.

2D design gives us a means to teach students about things like implied line and figure/ground, which I feel would serve as additions to their arsenal rather than stifling rules about what art "should" look like.

I recall learning about implied line at age 14 and becoming much looser in my art as a result, something that greatly benefited my artistic growth in the long wrong.

Additionally, children are exposed to brand logos and other kinds of 2D design virtually every day, and helping them to dissect what they're seeing can certainly be a boon for them. On a broader note, it helps students understand that the designs around them were made by human beings with a goal in mind, typically to be as appealing as possible. This in turn makes them more aware of the world and how they interact with it (or, in this case, how it interacts with them).