Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Making art accessible to blind/ visually impaired children? (self.Blind)
submitted by [deleted]
[deleted]
bright_side1977 9 points 4y ago
Out of curiosity, why are you focusing on drawing instead of tactile art such as clay, knitting, or collage with contact paper? VI kids can draw and paint, of course, but tactile offers a much fuller experience. There are also wax sticks that you can use to create tactile lines on paper. Art teachers at the schools for the Blind May be a good resource for you.
HotCheetosHoe 3 points 4y ago
I am 22 years old and I really want to try this wax stick thing
buckeyes4me 4 points 4y ago
Wikisticks-I use them all of the time with my students
HotCheetosHoe 3 points 4y ago
Ohhhhh i know those! I think. They’re like pipe cleaners kind of but covered in wax? Or maybe that’s a different thing...
PractisingPoetry 2 points 4y ago
That's it.
Lurjino 1 points 4y ago
Hey, thanks for your response! Yeah so my reason for focusing on drawing, a typically 2d art, is simply due to the fact that 3d art mediums such as clay, knitting, etc are already offered to vi kids, naturally.
I essentially wanted to attempt to find a way to offer an experience to vi kids that they don’t really have, I’m not looking to make something that can be applied to fine art, but simply a fun way for kids to play around with paints in the way non vi kids do. I wanted to create that fuller experience that is already offered with 3d mediums and bring them to 2d art. But thank you so much for this - I will reconsider, as I was only researching and have not submitted this the work I’m definitely doing yet. Again thanks for the reply.
I essentially wanted to attempt to find a way to offer an experience to vi kids that they don’t really have, I’m not looking to make something that can be applied to fine art, but simply a fun way for kids to play around with paints in the way non vi kids do. I wanted to create that fuller experience that is already offered with 3d mediums and bring them to 2d art. But thank you so much for this - I will reconsider, as I was only researching and have not submitted this the work I’m definitely doing yet. Again thanks for the reply.
[deleted] [OP] 3 points 4y ago
[deleted]
FrankenGretchen 2 points 4y ago
I think you may be looking at art from the perspective of stereotypes and preset expectations. Yes, music is art and I do give props to RC and SW for their talents but that doesn't mean we should immediately direct blind folks to music as a pigeonhole for creativity or that anyone seeking to expand and explore artistic paths should be sent back to band or creative writing class.
[deleted] [OP] 1 points 4y ago
[deleted]
TwistyTurret 2 points 4y ago
It’s important to look at the activity from the perspective of the person doing the activity, in this case someone who is blind. If you’ve never seen colors and all paint is just the same cold, wet texture, would you still want to paint? Especially since later, all it will be is a crinkly piece of paper with slightly rougher sections where the paint was applied. Would that be enjoyable to you?
This is what bothers me about those who try to create tactile versions of visual things such as the Mona Lisa, for example. Is touching a piece of bumpy plastic going to accurately convey to you the level of beauty and nuances which are experienced when sighted people view her? Probably not. The better thing is to completely rethink the experience instead of trying to replicate the visual aspects of the experience.
This is what bothers me about those who try to create tactile versions of visual things such as the Mona Lisa, for example. Is touching a piece of bumpy plastic going to accurately convey to you the level of beauty and nuances which are experienced when sighted people view her? Probably not. The better thing is to completely rethink the experience instead of trying to replicate the visual aspects of the experience.
Lurjino 2 points 4y ago
Absolutely, this is why I wanted to engineer new materials that could be fun and interactive for vi kids, not necessarily have them look good for sighted people, but instead focusing entirely on a vi persons experience with the art. When I say drawing I don’t really mean typical art with colors but instead a way to draw that creates ways that vi kids can interact with their creations.
Lurjino 1 points 4y ago
Hey, thanks for the response! I replied to another person earlier in this thread that was asking a question in kind of the same vein as this: for me I wanted to do this as I want to give vi kids an experience that they don’t really have, that being the fun and freedom of playing with paints. I’m not looking for it to be translated into fine art but for it to simply be a fun way for very young kids to express themselves. Thanks!
FrankenGretchen 2 points 4y ago
If you're sighted, throw on a blindfold and reorient yourself to media. Even a painting has aspects that a blind person can appreciate. Brush strokes, paint texture, depth of media and how it all interacts can be just as informative as the mere colors on the canvas, for example. Ink and paper can be an entire genre for someone interested in creating a texrure message.
Other examples
Ceramics. My mother and I both enjoye/d this media. She'd build containers and texturize surfaces or make appliqués for them. She experimented with using other everyday items to texturize her work. It became a Thing for people to try and identify what item she used for the effect. Sighted folks were especially engaged. She'd get an idea and draft me to make templates for bases or texturing tools. Her ability to describe her wish was an artform itself.
Woodwork We did woodworking at sumner camp. Sighted facilitators did the sawing and we did the rest. Woodcarving, though, is a whole genre that a blind person can run wild with. My hands aren't strong enough to use those tools but I have ideas...
Mosaics This isn't just tile, btw. This is anything you can glue down. I've used strung beads, tile, broken glass, plastic cut outs, instamorph shapes, whatever. (but let's please stay away from food on construction paper. This is a serious artform. Artists deserve to have their media be something as viable and respectful as any other artist.) Paper or two dimensional media are a genre in themselves but we can leave it here in mosaics for a start.
Textiles. Knitting is a thing and something blind people can definitely do. Mom was expert at it. I crochet but have never mastered knitting. Don't scoff at knitting until you've examined a fisherman knit afghan. That is artwork. My mom made many of those. But textiles is a world outside of yarn craft. Weaving and making the media one wishes to weave are an amazing genre. It's fascinating and implicitly a blind person's adventure. Sighted folks might say that color is everything but they spend as much time on the feel of a yarn or overall texture of the product. Why not us?
Art is designed to interact with mostly sight or sound. If we value only one mode of interaction over the rest, we've missed so much. If we shift value to only touch because we perceive that as the only way a blind person can interact, we continue to miss the point. Consider ways to encompass a minimum of two senses in an art piece. Try to include a third. Floor art, for example, can be painted, textured and designed for sound interaction as well.
Other examples
Ceramics. My mother and I both enjoye/d this media. She'd build containers and texturize surfaces or make appliqués for them. She experimented with using other everyday items to texturize her work. It became a Thing for people to try and identify what item she used for the effect. Sighted folks were especially engaged. She'd get an idea and draft me to make templates for bases or texturing tools. Her ability to describe her wish was an artform itself.
Woodwork We did woodworking at sumner camp. Sighted facilitators did the sawing and we did the rest. Woodcarving, though, is a whole genre that a blind person can run wild with. My hands aren't strong enough to use those tools but I have ideas...
Mosaics This isn't just tile, btw. This is anything you can glue down. I've used strung beads, tile, broken glass, plastic cut outs, instamorph shapes, whatever. (but let's please stay away from food on construction paper. This is a serious artform. Artists deserve to have their media be something as viable and respectful as any other artist.) Paper or two dimensional media are a genre in themselves but we can leave it here in mosaics for a start.
Textiles. Knitting is a thing and something blind people can definitely do. Mom was expert at it. I crochet but have never mastered knitting. Don't scoff at knitting until you've examined a fisherman knit afghan. That is artwork. My mom made many of those. But textiles is a world outside of yarn craft. Weaving and making the media one wishes to weave are an amazing genre. It's fascinating and implicitly a blind person's adventure. Sighted folks might say that color is everything but they spend as much time on the feel of a yarn or overall texture of the product. Why not us?
Art is designed to interact with mostly sight or sound. If we value only one mode of interaction over the rest, we've missed so much. If we shift value to only touch because we perceive that as the only way a blind person can interact, we continue to miss the point. Consider ways to encompass a minimum of two senses in an art piece. Try to include a third. Floor art, for example, can be painted, textured and designed for sound interaction as well.
Lurjino 1 points 4y ago
This is so incredibly helpful, thank you so very much for taking the time to think of this and write it all out. Regarding the brush strokes, paint texture, etc that you discussed: my original plan was to create a paint that has interesting textures, that is leveled so that vi kids can really feel and in a way see the art that they are creating. This wouldn’t be about a non vi persons view of the art and whether it looks good to that person, it would be entirely an experience for vi people, specifically children, I simply want it to be a way for kids to have fun and express themselves. Again thank you so much for this, this is so incredibly helpful and appreciated.
TheBlindBookLover 1 points 4y ago
Hi. I do not know if this would work, I think that mixing some sand with paint might work alright.
FrankenGretchen 1 points 4y ago
I have thought of this. I made a response above but will rewrite part of it here. Try things like, modeling clay, salt dough, spackle, grout, and plaster of Paris (I LOVE Paris craft, myself.). I'm barely started on acrylic media additives like glass beads and strings but they can change texture and surface tactility, too. Things like paper clay or instamorph are cool, too but would require adhesives. (I highly recommend Sobo glue, btw. It does take about 12 hours to fully dry (and must stay flat for a couple hours at least before it can be moved around but it dries clear and holds for years in heat or freezing conditions.)
FrankenGretchen 1 points 4y ago
You can seal any or all of that under acrylic or spray sealant and maintain most of the texture or hose parts and leave others uncoated for effect. Or layer.. I use wood or canvas board as a base.
On wood, you can drill holes for guide marks or to string wiring for hangers or guidelines, too. A shallow router can score outlines, as well. I have used recycled jewelry and string beads for accents. You can also implant items to add supports or depth to a piece where the media wouldn't hold as thick as desired.
As much as you want to instill a sense of autonomy in your students, think also on how you can facilitate their creative process. Helping them develop the words yo describe their work and giving them a sense that they can direct the parts they themselves may not be able to do is an empowering experience. If they discover that someone genuinely wants to know what/how they're doing a thing or presents a way to help them get their idea into reality, that's a joyful adventure. I can't put that fully into words.
A story...
My mom was totally blind from early childhood. She decided she'd get into pottery when I was in high school. I was always her partner in crime so she naturally commissioned me to make templates for some of her creations. Her teacher didn't know I was legally blind, too, so when mom came to class with a star-shaped cutout she planned to use for a planter base, her teacher asked where it came from. (Mom ran the kiln for the center, so all the staff knew her.). Mom off handedly said, "I made my daughter do math. She hated it, but it came out pretty cool." (I did vehemently dislike the math part but only because I wanted it to be perfect and my protractor skills sucked lizard toes. I had my own demons and graphic arts and blindness were, in my mind, incompatible. Mom didn't cotton to that mess so she dragged me through my inferiorities to my betterment.) The teacher took they in stride and helped her do the parts she couldn't do and stepped back to let mom run with the rest. Sadly, the project didn't survive the kiln, but her teacher never discouraged her. The next project was 'winged Things.'. I had so much fun. Mom did, too.
On wood, you can drill holes for guide marks or to string wiring for hangers or guidelines, too. A shallow router can score outlines, as well. I have used recycled jewelry and string beads for accents. You can also implant items to add supports or depth to a piece where the media wouldn't hold as thick as desired.
As much as you want to instill a sense of autonomy in your students, think also on how you can facilitate their creative process. Helping them develop the words yo describe their work and giving them a sense that they can direct the parts they themselves may not be able to do is an empowering experience. If they discover that someone genuinely wants to know what/how they're doing a thing or presents a way to help them get their idea into reality, that's a joyful adventure. I can't put that fully into words.
A story...
My mom was totally blind from early childhood. She decided she'd get into pottery when I was in high school. I was always her partner in crime so she naturally commissioned me to make templates for some of her creations. Her teacher didn't know I was legally blind, too, so when mom came to class with a star-shaped cutout she planned to use for a planter base, her teacher asked where it came from. (Mom ran the kiln for the center, so all the staff knew her.). Mom off handedly said, "I made my daughter do math. She hated it, but it came out pretty cool." (I did vehemently dislike the math part but only because I wanted it to be perfect and my protractor skills sucked lizard toes. I had my own demons and graphic arts and blindness were, in my mind, incompatible. Mom didn't cotton to that mess so she dragged me through my inferiorities to my betterment.) The teacher took they in stride and helped her do the parts she couldn't do and stepped back to let mom run with the rest. Sadly, the project didn't survive the kiln, but her teacher never discouraged her. The next project was 'winged Things.'. I had so much fun. Mom did, too.
RoundSmartPanda 2 points 4y ago
While agreeing with the previous comments, I would highlight that some features for children with VI include using bright colors with high contrast to the background medium, incorporating tactile sensations like stickers and 3D objects, and ensuring the working environment is well setup for tactile vs visual (e.g. working above the surface, brightly lit if the individual is not light sensitive, able to engage the full piece, etc.)
Lurjino 1 points 4y ago
Absolutely, creating an entirely tactile experience was my original plan, thank you for all the advice by the way!
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