Pencils for Africa asked art teacher Chyah Weitzman, who teaches art to the Pencils for Africa editorial team, about her recent visit to the De Young Museum in San Francisco, where Ms. Weitzman viewed an exhibit of pencil drawings by the Dutch master artist and painter, Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669).

Question: Ms. Weitzman, could you please describe what inspired you about these pencil drawings by Rembrandt and why it was important for you, as an artist and an art teacher, to view these drawings?”

Rembrandt was known to be one of the greatest draftsmen in the history of art. He was known to regard his drawings the same way a novelist regarded his ideas.

Rembrandt sketched to record observations and feelings that were often thought of as spontaneous thoughts drawn out on paper. Viewing these masterpieces at the De Young Museum reminded me of the importance of drawing, and not just once in a while, on the three “P’s” system:

Practice, Patience, Persistence.

As an Art Teacher I feel that drawing is a discipline and taught as early as possible will teach young children a fundamental life skill: how to ‘see’ and from there think in a focused, simple and clear way, ideally beyond the surface of appearances.

Drawing keeps you visually articulate. By this I mean that drawing is a language and a skill. All languages require maintenance. If you don’t practice it you will get rusty, you lose your vocabulary.

Drawing constantly ensures that you keep and expand that vocabulary.

I feel that artists have a tendency to notice and see things that other people don’t. such as shadows, textures, and juxtapositions of shapes. When you draw constantly, you’ll continue to increase and enhance that ability to see and notice things.

People who draw all the time are more likely to find more interesting forms and patterns just from actively practicing their “visual awareness.”