One day, while my daughter was happily distracted in her own marker drawings, I decided to risk pulling out a new sketchbook I had special ordered. It had dark paper, and was perfect for adding highlights to. I had only drawn a little in it, and was anxious to try it again, but knowing our daughter’s love of art supplies, it meant that if I wasn’t sly enough, I might have to share. (Note: I’m all about kid’s crafts, but when it comes to my own art projects, I don’t like to share.) Since she was engrossed in her own project, I thought I might be able to pull it off.
Ahhh, I should’ve known better. No longer had I drawn my first face (I love drawing from old black & white movie stills) had she swooped over to me with an intense look. “OOOH! Is that a NEW sketchbook? Can I draw in that too, mama?” I have to admit, the girl knows good art supplies when she sees them. I muttered something about how it was my special book, how she had her own supplies and blah blah blah, but the appeal of new art supplies was too much for her to resist. In a very serious tone, she looked at me and said, “If you can’t share, we might have to take it away if you can’t share.”
Oh no she didn’t! Girlfriend was using my own mommy-words at me! Impressed, I agreed to comply. “I was going to draw a body on this lady’s face,” I said. “Well, I will do it,” she said very focused, and grabbed the pen. I had resigned myself to let that one go. To let her have the page, and then let it go. I would just draw on my own later, I decided. I love my daughter’s artwork, truly I do! But this was MY sketchbook, my inner kid complained.
Not surprisingly, I LOVED what she drew. I had drawn a woman’s face, and she had turned her into a dinosaur-woman. It was beautiful, it was carefree, and for as much as I don’t like to share, I LOVED what she had created. Flipping through my sketchbook, I found another doodle of a face I had not yet finished. She drew a body on it, too, and I was enthralled. It was such a beautiful combination of my style and hers. And she LOVED being a part of it. She never hesitated in her intent. She wasn’t tentative. She was insistent and confident that she would of course improve any illustration I might have done. …And the thing is, she DID.
Soon, she began flipping through my sketchbook, looking for more heads. “Do you have any heads for me today?” she would ask me each morning. So I began making a point at night to draw some faces for her (which was my pleasure–faces are my favorite part, anyway). She would then pick up a pen with great focus, and begin to draw. Later, I would add color and highlights, texture and painting, to make a complete piece. Sometimes she filled in the solid areas with colored markers, but I would always finish with acrylics later on my own.
Sometimes I would give her suggestions, like “maybe she could have a dragon body!” but usually she would ignore theses suggestions if it didn’t fit in with what she already had in mind. But since I am a grownup and a little bit (okay a lot) of a perfectionist, I sometimes would have a specific idea in mind as I doodled my heads. Maybe she could make this into a bug! I’d think happily to myself as I sketched, imagining the possibilities of what it could look like. So later, when she’d doodle some crazy shape that seemed to go in some surrealistic direction, or put a large circle around the creature and filled the WHOLE THING in with marker, part of my brain would think, What is she DOING?!? She’s just scribbling it all up! But I should know that in most instances, kids’ imaginations way outweigh a grownup’s, and it always ALWAYS looked better that what I had imagined. ALWAYS.
For example, the filled-in marker of the one above, she told me, was a chrysalis, for the caterpillar to transform into a butterfly. Of COURSE it is. I never would have thought of that. And that’s why kids make awesome artists.
Later, I would show her what I had done with our drawings–the painting and coloring. She seemed to critique them pretty harshly. “That’s silly, mama.” or “you put WATER behind her?” But for the most part, she enjoyed them. I enjoyed them. I LOVE them.
And from it all, here are the lessons I learned: to try not to be so rigid. Yes, some things (like my new sketchbook) are sacred, but if you let go of those chains, new and wonderful things can happen. Those things you hold so dear cannot change and grow and expand unless you loosen your grip on them a little. In sharing my artwork and allowing our daughter to be an equal in our collaborations, I helped solidify her confidence, which is way more precious than any doodle I could have done. In her mind, her contributions were as valid as mine (and in truth, they really were). Most importantly, I learned that if you have a preconceived notion of how something should be, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE DISAPPOINTED. Instead, just go with it, just ACCEPT it, because usually something even more wonderful will come out of it.
SIDE NOTE: As an idea (mainly for myself) I decided to put just a few of our collaborative prints up for sale on a site called Society 6. I purchased one myself (the space beavers, called “Outer Face”) to see how they would turn out, and I’m pretty happy with it. We’ve done dozens and dozens of collaborative sketches, but I only put a few up as prints. I’m not sure what to do with the others. Maybe make a children’s book out of them? Make poems to go along? I’m not sure, but I love them with a very large portion of my heart, and they need a special place.
busy mockingbird 
Oh this is brilliant! And it’s giving me a lot of ideas. I might have to start some collaborative projects. I found this through Andrea Joseph’s facebook page and will share. Your work is amazing and I’m so glad to have found it.
As an editor / writer / artist I think you have a wonderful vehicle to do a children’s book that will accomplish many things, such as bonding time between parent and child; showing there are no boundaries in creative thinking; allowing the parent to let go of control and giving space to the child’s imagination (I’ve often found that when a parent gets their knickers in a wad about what the child has done, they’re often jealous and upset the child came up with something they didn’t); and communicating to children that anything is possible when you stand aside and allow it to happen (that self-sabotage and self-editing are bad things). This is taking the notion of a mother and child making sugar-sprinkled cookies together or coloring in a coloring book several steps further.
Your artwork is brilliant! I also LOVE the combination of fantasy with reality (human head/animal or insect body … particularly the Mermaid) as it literally takes wings of flight into the imagination. Oh, please allow this to fly! And what a wonderful legacy your child to have for when they’re older and are reflecting back on this special time together. Just make sure they have a joint byline of “and” instead of “with” to share authorship. Congrats — great job!
THIS ART TAKES ME BACK TO LATE NIGHTS LATE 60’S!
I love how you and your daughter work together. You both know what you do best. You’re both independent and you both believe that by combining, the work will be more effective and better. The work is wonderful. It conveys fun, surprise, and humor–and does what art can do best–help us see the world in new and unexpected ways! I’m also an artist and it makes me so happy to look at the work you and your daughter have done.
Have you considered publishing them. Wonderful possibilities for narratives.
Great idea!
Thank you! I’m working on self-publishing it!
[…] didn’t have to look far before I found this beautiful project by artist Mica Angela Hendricks. Mica’s a professional illustrator who, reluctantly at first, allowed her four-year-old […]
Hey there, I don’t have the time to scour these comments, but I wanted to affirm this art and inspiration.
Furthermore I’d love to help unfold the next project you take on with this art. Help you dream up the sequence and planning for unfolding these works.
Shoot me an email if you’d like to discuss. I’ve got an entrepreneurial management background.
Cheers! Create joyously.
Your post and your collaborative pieces with your daughter made me smile so much. What a talented pair you are!
#ParentingDoneRight These would make for interesting stories. You gave me a lesson because I am the same way with my son. He has his, I have mine. Now there’s no way I can turn it away. Thank you for opening my eyes 🙂
These would make an awesome wall calender. But more like the ones designed to have a vintage feel with spiral binding and without the high gloss paper.
These are wonderful. They remind me of my daughter, she’s only 3, but loves to draw and always ‘adds’ to my pictures. I am no way as talented as you, but still, it was nice to see the similarities. I am hoping to purchase a print soon! I love them to pieces!
[…] Collaborating with a 4-year Old | the busy mockingbird. […]
Really love what you’ve shared here on so many levels! Love the art, love the interaction between you and your daughter, and love the possibility of all the potential this has!
Wonderful! I’m curious… As a long time reggio inspired educator, I’ve been careful not to draw FOR the children, and I understand that you did not so this. However, what was your process when she has perhaps asked you to draw for her and the perhaps resulting feelings of frustration on her part not being able to effectively draw her own representations?
Thank you! I’m not sure I understand your question, but as far as I can tell, she considers herself an artist. She judges my work harshly, but seems to love it. When she sees me add shading & dimension, she watches closely what I do and later emulates it, working it into her own style. She doesn’t let me TEACH her, but learns better through observation.
We love! these. What a beautiful collaboration between yourself and your daughter. My kids love them as much as I do 🙂 inspiring.
I absolutely love these. Is it possible to buy a copy of the space-beaver-people drawing? I would love to frame it for my room or put it up as a poster!
Oh, NOW I see the side not about them being on Society6. Thanks! 🙂
I have prints of them up for sale on Society6. The link is at the end of the post–thanks!
these are awesome, you should make prints to sell!
Thanks–there’s a link at the end of the post!!
I loved the collaboration and the fact that it gives you something that you can work on together. As a mom myself, however, I will suggest that especially *since* you have an venue for doing things together, that you not be afraid of setting boundaries. “This is yours, that is mine.” Because if she doesn’t see you doing it, how will she learn to establish and defend her own boundaries when she gets older?
…or respect the boundaries set by others, for that matter.. ❤
Agreed. But to be sure, she has PLENTY of boundaries, and I set mine OFTEN. As I stated, I sort of expected what would happen, so it was like jumping off a diving board–by choice, but nervous about it….
This is an amazing way to share and an experience that you’ll treasure forever. It’s good to take risks some times! (found you via http://www.themarysue.com/drawing-with-daughter/)
I Love,Love,Love this story!!! You crack me up!! And I love the art work!
This was a breath of fresh, creative air. I LOVED this post. And like you, I love the drawings. I think the fact that you create them together is part of their charm, and I have never seen anything like them, in the very best way.
I just found you, and I loved this. Thank you!
I AM 4 NOT AN ARTIST BUT WIRED FOR SOUND! PUT SOME TO mUSIC PLEASE!! E
[…] ORIGINAL: By Mica Angela Hendricks. Found on This Is Colossal. Also seen on Visual News. Thanks for sharing, Mica Angela Hendricks! […]
I love this–great parenting. You made some really good points that we should all live by. I hope your daughter never tires of being an artist–I can see that she’ll be great one day.
[…] kid’s crafts, but when it comes to my own art projects, I don’t like to share,” says Hendricks on her blog. “Since she was engrossed in her own project, I thought I might be able to pull it off… […]
Impressive parenting.
Thank you! Unless that was sarcasm, in which case: thank you!
My 23-year-old daughter sent me your link, as she said it reminded her of our collaborations, when she was four. We would sit in the bistros and she would create creatures from my doodles. (Oh, how I wish I had your level of talent!) Anyway, the happiness she felt for the arts continues. Today, she is a renown luxe beader, because friends, family, teachers, and others spurred her on. It does take a village. I am grateful for artists like you that make the world a more beauteous, whimsical place. I will watch your adventures with great interest. I hope there are books, calendars, and coloring books in your future. It is a niche that needs filled! Cheers…to your success!
I like to incorporate my 3 year old into my artwork too. I write plays, and on occasion produce them, and with a recent project, I had my son do a voice over for it. The words stuck with him, and it ended up being a pretty weird experience. I wrote about it here: http://li88yinc.com/2013/06/03/c-and-the-turtle/
[…] won’t you just grow up!!” – but what if that helper was just a 4 year old child? When Mica Angela Hendricks, a professional illustrator, bought a new sketchbook, her young daughter ditched her own art […]
I also have a 4 yrs old daughter who loves drawing so much. She ‘invaded’ into my ‘sacred’ sketchbook, too. But usually I let her draw on a blank page. Your way of collaboration is very inspiring. I should try this one, too. Lovely art!
Love them. I can just imagine lpoling at them in a gallery. Have you thought of that?
So great! What a fun collaboration. Great job Mom and Daughter!
These are very cool!
I absolutely Love this! What a wonderful idea and the two of you have really come up with some amazing art! Thanks so much for sharing!
[…] kid’s crafts, but when it comes to my own art projects, I don’t like to share,” says Hendricks on her blog. “Since she was engrossed in her own project, I thought I might be able to pull it off… […]
Reblogged this on Saad Gulzar.
Reblogged this on Art Zines.
“Outer Face” may very well be one of my favorite works of art ever…
As I read the article I was amazed by each and every piece, but when I finally arrived on Outer Face I stopped scrolling and just stared for a minute. Beautiful.
I don’t know what it is (and maybe that’s the beauty of it) but I truly was moved by it. I’ll have to head over to buy a print as soon as I can.
In fact, I got so lost in Outer Face (I literally scrolled up multiple times while writing this post to check it out) I forgot to congratulate you guys. Awesome stuff. Keep it up.
Thank you so much! I’m so amazed by how these affect people differently. Thanks for commenting!
This is magic!! It reminds me a post I did on my blog (http://bloguetavie.com/2012/02/21/co-dessin-avec-poulette/) with my daughter too, when she was 3! You both did an amazing job!!
Awesome to see others sharing art with their kids! Thanks for sharing!
These knocked my socks off! Next time I see my nephew – an amazing artist in his own five-year-old right – I’m going to see if he’ll collaborate with me.
I love these, what a fantastic idea. thank you for sharing.
So very wonderful! 🙂
I love it! My 4 year old daughter and I collaborate, not nearly enough. These works are so fun, beautiful and unique. It inspires me and the 36Kolks and Purple Ray collabos to come!
Love the flow, keep flowing!
That’s how my kids learned to draw, I would draw and they would draw better.. They probably felt sorry for me.
I love this! My four-year-old daughter and I do something similar (though not with your kind of talent!), where she’ll doodle something and I’ll make it into something new, etc. My mom used to do that with me when I was little. But I’m not a professional artist, so it’s really just doodles. Though I am a book reviewer and my daughter constantly collaborates on my reviews of children’s books (when we disagree I have to divide the review up into “My Take” and “Magda’s Take”).
Reblogged this on MamaPeachyKeen and commented:
This is absolutely fantastic. I can’t wait to take some of my watercoloring and have my kids put in their ideas!
Will you be selling any of the originals? I have two children who are 3yrs and 4.5yrs. The pieces resonate so deeply. They are so beautiful and humorous. Amazing and lovely!
Your collaborations are uniquely beautiful and will speak to parents everywhere. I’m sure there are fine art galleries which would love to represent you and sell your works. It would be a great way to fund your daughter’s future education at RISD or some other fine art school. 🙂
[…] The story starts with a brand new sketchbook and an inquisitive four year old. […]
Very lovely indeed!! Could you add a function so that we can printerest your arts? It’s also a very fast way to promote your piece! (And easier for us to collect beautiful arts too :P)
Sure! I’m still figuring this stuff out…I’ll look into it! THanks!
A friend of mine collaborates with her son.
http://www.erinshawart.com/bedtime-stories-re-told
Those are beautiful!