Is this exceptionally talented for a 9YO?

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DD has been saying she wants to be an artist for quite a while. I'm not naturally artistic myself so can't really teach her myself nor do I really know what makes good art. Everything she does has been self taught. Is this talented for a 9YO? How could I encourage her?

Extremely talented. I thought my DC was good at art but they are not in the same ballpark as this at all.

I’d say so!! Wonderful

Could you tell me what school if that's not too personal? Thank you.

Can't believe we are 50 posts in and no one has yet said that it's not that exceptional and that their DC was around 3 when they were drawing like that

Why are some people so good at art, it's not fair - my best efforts at a real life portrait look like a Picasso! 😂

Haha yeah that's usually how the handwriting/story writing ones to. Everyone has raised a mini Austen according to MN.

Which goes some way to tell you quite how good this is.

That's amazing, and honestly, better than some of the artwork I saw in my daughter's A level class. Keep encouraging her, it may end up being something she wants to do at GCSE and beyond.

This is really really good. In your shoes, I would take her to as many different kinds of art exhibitions as you can (look into a membership eg I have Tate Modern membership and it means I can get into all paid exhibitions free as many times as I like as long as I can book a slot - about £80 for a year and can take up to six children a time free of charge). If nothing like that near you, just make sure she gets the chance to see as much art as she can. Classes also great, but seeing wonderful art of as many types as possible may really inspire her.

Even the hair seems to have texture and the eyes to glisten. Looks very, very talented. It has so much life.

Is it from a photograph? Is it a self-portrait?

I should think she must be very good at quite a few subjects: English, for instance, if she has this much emotional depth.

Wow that's amazing! Could you show us some more of her work OP?

Absolutely wow. She's super talented. Encourage it x

It's a copy of this guy's picture right? Extremely proficient but not drawn from a photo. www.instagram.com/p/Cl__jGyps-5/

Thank you it's a photograph , she actually has severe dyslexia so isn't the best at writing but tries her best. Her verbal skills are very good though.

My DD was similar to yours at 9, she burned out by age 12 though. Secondary school art killed her love for it sadly.

I think this is probably what happened to my DS. At secondary it became more of a chore, it's such a shame he was so talented, like OP's DD. I wonder what would've happened if he'd never picked Art as an option? Whether he'd still be enjoying it now he's 18? School definitely put him off 😢

No she used this photograph it's Wednesday from the new TV show.

Very talented. I agree with PP who you should foster a love of art and encourage her to try different media.

PS I hope she has not been watching Wednesday, as she is too young.

Sorry this one

Brilliant and far better than 45 year old me

Not just drawing from memory / imagination. Get her to practise drawing from life- it's a very different skill than drawing from photographs. So she could set up a still life, or draw part of the view from the window, or draw her own hand (eg. if she's right-handed, draw a picture of her left hand).

And I'm not sure how they'd teach it, but being able to do rough sketches is really useful. I was ok-ish at drawing at school, but could only draw anything by spending hours and hours painstakingly copying all the details of the thing. I always really admired artists who could do a quick, loose sketch that captured the vague shape of a thing to try out different compositions.

But mostly just keep it fun and no-pressure.

Send it to Grayson Perry for appraisal?
Contact ISIS (Independent Schools Information Service, not the terrorists) for secondary schools which give Art Bursaries.

Find classes for her but also if you don’t already, take her to as many art galleries/places with paintings/graffiti/sculpture etc so she gets immersed and influenced by different forms/artists etc.

She is very talented for a 9 year old.

look at some of the ideas to help listed here. Also, it might be worth contacting artists or patrons to see if they’d like to help out re visits or paint/materials.

I know they don’t push art much these days at schools but there’s so many options she could look to explore in a creative way, apart from painting and drawing for a career.

The age thing is a guide, not a law 😁

I'm quite sure her parents know best.

WOW - 9yrs old, that is incredible!

That other drawing looks like it's from the same (or similar photo) - a 'nicer' drawing but a bit bland.

I've noted before that dyslexic children can often draw very well and capture something exactly as it is: it's inscape.

It really is a great picture, she has created. I can see it in my mind's eye, even when I'm not looking at it. To be honest, you'd say it was very good, even if she were several years older.

Does she like drawing insects and flowers, etc. from life?

She is very talented, it's a great picture.