Ask Jackson: 5 Things To Do if You Don't Like Your Drawing

ASK JACKSON is an art advice column run by my best friend's dog (that's him, peering at you at the top of the page). Besides being good at eating pine cones, Jackson is also great at answering kids' questions about art. I (Betsy) might also kind of help him sometimes since he has a hard time with the keyboard. You can send your own Ask Jackson questions to: mail@betsystreeter.com.

It happens to everybody - you start a drawing, and then for some reason it gets messed up. Maybe you goof up a line, or it just doesn't look the way you meant it to.

Here are a couple of things NOT to do in this situation:

1. Don't take the eraser on your pencil and attempt to erase the entire drawing. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people try this! It's really boring to do that.

2. Don't crumple up your paper unless you decide it's best to take the advice below.

Okay, here are 5 things you CAN do if you don't like your drawing:

1. Make it worse. Make it as terribly ugly as you can. This can be a lot of fun and you can laugh about your mistake. And you may get something really cool!

2. Turn it upside down and transform it into something else. Does it look like an alien creature? What if you add a new nose and some antennae?

3. Take another piece of paper, put it on top of your drawing and trace just the parts you like. Then, go from there on the new drawing.

4. Make an outline around the outside of your drawing, or around the various shapes. Then, color in your outlines with bright colors and make pop art out of it.

5. And last, if you have someone nearby who needs to be hit in the head with a crumpled up piece of paper, you can use your drawing for that. But only as a last resort.

Okay? Now get out there and mess up some drawings!

- Jackson