CHILDREN will be encouraged to be quick on the draw this week when a number of local venues take part in an annual event to foster a love of doodling.

The Big Draw is an arts education charity that promotes visual literacy and the universal language of drawing as a tool for learning, expression and invention.

This year the theme of the event in STEAM, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths, and the goal is to promote the idea that art is just as important as any of the sciences.

On Wednesday Bradford Industrial Museum, at Moorside Mills in Eccleshill, will host Steam Powered, a Big Draw event that ties in with its current Beastly Machines exhibition. The artist behind the exhibit, Johnny White, will work with children to help them create their own moving paper cut out creatures to take home. The session runs from 11am to 3pm.

On Thursday at Cartwright Hall Gallery in Lister Park, children can get inspired by the work of two artists Tony Bevan and David Hepher. They can view their exhibits then create 3D cardboard windows and illustrations of their home, inspired by Hepher’s exhibition, or create self portraits in different media, like Bevan’s work. The session runs from 11am to 3pm.

And South Square Gallery in Thornton is running an event tomorrow in support of The Big Draw.

From 1pm to 4pm visitors to the gallery can take part in experimental drawing sessions with artists to create light drawings, prints and traditional sketches. It is being led by the gallery's Young Roots group.