For Judin Ahmad (or Pak Judin), AiS’s 9th artist, art is about knowing the techniques first. Equipped with a colorful life as a painter of more than 40 years, he filled his audience of 60 students of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sungai Limau, Yan, Kedah, with a vital ground for painting. With slides, he drew the students’ attention to, among others, composition, tones, choice of colors, the Rule of Thirds, and the Golden Rule in the forms of notes and images.
Through a step-by-step teaching style, he made the process of art learning more relaxed. Preparing the students with the core tools in the students’ mental palettes, this traditional method of art teaching allows them to master each stage of the process before moving on to the next.
This is in line with the conservative thought that to expand one’s creativity, one need to possess a thorough understanding of the basics of pencil work and drawing in a systematic way. Talent has little, if not nothing, to do with producing good artwork.
A teacher saw the presence of a professional artist as a very logical way of boosting the students’ keenness on arts.
Pak Judin also brought the students outside the classroom to explore and draw whatever they see. With the aid of two artist friends, in this way, Pak Judin managed to create a more exciting ambience for them in their artistry and creativity exploitation.
Thank you Pak Judin and friends, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sungai Limau especially Mr Idrul and the rest of the teachers and students for the awesome experience.
At the end of the session, a student responded: “The artist made me feel like I was the one who was drawing while he was drawing. I learned to imagine before drawing. I learned a lot and I want more.”
That should be good enough to illustrate Pak Judin’s session.