A Child’s Drawing Analysis
Contrary to the beliefs of many, it is stated that “until such time that artistic or visual literacy is valued on the same level as verbal literacy and mathematical numeracy, we have an important task before us in adult education” (Erickson and Young, 1996, p. 40). Unlike the norms of several decades ago, the Conceptual Age has brought forth a greater appreciation for right-brained thinking. Today, “it’s economically crucial and personally rewarding to create something that is beautiful, whimsical, or emotionally engaging” (Pink, 2005, p. 65). Evident in the simple scribble creations of children rests the platform for art to unfold (Kellogg, 15). By analyzing a child’s art, connections can be made to general theories of art development. Therefore, it is imperative that children are exposed to the arts early on, through both art concepts and creations. Likewise, it is crucial that teachers understand some basic principles of art so that teachers can meet the needs of their students. Through this analysis activity, a drawing of a cat (pictured on p. 6) is used to assess the artist’s development as well as make connections to some general theories of art development.
It is known that understanding and creating art parallels the growth of a child emotionally, socially, cognitively, and physically (Erickson and Young, 1996). As children develop, they encounter the six Lowenfeldian stages of artistic development (Erickson and Young, 1996). These phases include the Scribbling, Preschematic, Schematic, Gang Age, Pseudo-Naturalistic, and Adolescent Art stages (Kellogg, 1970). Variations in drawing characteristics, representations of the human figure, and space representation can be attributed to each of these six stages (Kellogg, 1970). Some children progress through Lowenfeldian’s stages in a predictable manner, but there is a great deal of unpredictability and disparity within the age norms of these stages (Erickson and Young, 1996). Often times a child may display characteristics from one or more of these stages.
Upon observing a particular piece of art (pictured below), it appears to be created by a child who shows signs of being in both the preschematic and schematic stages. The picture features an animal with five legs that appears to be a cat with wings. Along the surface of the paper are scribbles in which the cat-like creature rests. Above the image lies what appears to be a sun and sky created with more scribbled lines and shapes. Evident in the characteristics of the images drawn are geometric shapes, an element attributed to the preschematic stage (Brittain and Lowenfield, 1970). The cat’s face in particular features some of these geometric shapes, such as ears which are in the shape of a triangle and circular shaped eyes and nose. Likewise, the sun featured in the top right corner of the drawing is also circular in shape. The human figure representation is also characteristic of the Preschematic stage, because the car is looking directly towards the audience (Brittain and Lowenfield, 1970). In addition, toward the end of the preschematic stage children begin to include hair, similar to the whiskers depicted on the face of the cat in the drawing (Brittain and Lowenfield, 1970).
However, the space representation and drawing characteristics of the Schematic stage are featured in the drawing as the artist demonstrates awareness of the environment (Brittain and Lowenfield, 1970). For example, the child appears to have a grass-like surface below the cat and a sky above the creature which symbolizes the cat in an outside environment. In addition, the child shows no overlapping which is often times apparent in the schematic stage (Brittain and Lowenfield, 1970). The cat has legs which are correctly placed, a characteristic of human representation that is typically evident in the Schematic stage. However, the cat is depicted with five legs rather than four. In the article Learning to Draw: Nurturing the Natural the representation of many legs is described as stemming from a child’s desire to fill space, which in this circumstance is the cat’s body (Wilson, 1982).Therefore, it is evident that there are elements from both the Schematic and Preschematic stage manifested in the child’s drawing.
Inherent in the teaching profession is the duty of every teacher to meet the unique needs of all students in the classroom, including art. Likewise, “we believe that preservice elementary art teachers and classroom teachers need some knowledge of stage theories of children’s development- with attention given social and cultural factors- in order to have a place to begin when trying to understand their students” ( Luehrman and Unrath, 2006, p. 67). Consequently, it is crucial that classroom teachers develop a basic understanding of art, such as the stages that accompany a child’s artistic development. In the article Making Theories of Children’s Artistic Development Meaningful for Preservice Teachers it is emphasized that, “The more a teacher knows about their students, developmentally and personally, the better able they are to provide a proper and appropriate education for them, making sure they are not left behind” (Leuhrman and Unrath, 2007, p. 11).
From this analysis of a child’s drawing, a great deal of knowledge has been gained in regards to the stage of development of the artist. From this knowledge, a teacher can make better decisions for each individual student. For example, this child’s teacher may seek to move the child from the Preschematic stage completely into the Schematic stage. The teacher can alter instruction in a way that lends to a better awareness of perspective and space, something lacking from this child’s drawing. The teacher could also expand upon the child’s thinking by questioning the significance of the “23$” in the picture. The teacher could also question the child about the significance of the black shading in the picture.
Today teachers face harsh demands to meet standards and match curriculum objectives, leaving teachers with a big decision on the necessity of art in the classroom. However, by utilizing art integration teachers can ultimately increase student learning. For example, this teacher could encourage the child to write about what he or she drew. The teacher may ask the child to write about the significance of 23$ in this picture or the black shaded objects in the picture. This information could help to clarify some of the drawing’s ambiguity as well as assist in the child’s writing skills. A child’s art at any age is importance and possesses meaning. It is vital that teachers incorporate art into the classroom because even simple scribbles are considered to be “the building blocks of art, and they are important because they permit a detailed and comprehensive description of the work of young children” (Kellogg, 1970, p. 15). By ignoring a child’s art development, teachers are neglecting to understand the child more fully. Therefore, it is imperative that teachers delve into the realm of the arts to gain a better understand of the discipline and ultimately their students as a whole.
Student Drawing (Figure 1)
Contrary to the beliefs of many, it is stated that “until such time that artistic or visual literacy is valued on the same level as verbal literacy and mathematical numeracy, we have an important task before us in adult education” (Erickson and Young, 1996, p. 40). Unlike the norms of several decades ago, the Conceptual Age has brought forth a greater appreciation for right-brained thinking. Today, “it’s economically crucial and personally rewarding to create something that is beautiful, whimsical, or emotionally engaging” (Pink, 2005, p. 65). Evident in the simple scribble creations of children rests the platform for art to unfold (Kellogg, 15). By analyzing a child’s art, connections can be made to general theories of art development. Therefore, it is imperative that children are exposed to the arts early on, through both art concepts and creations. Likewise, it is crucial that teachers understand some basic principles of art so that teachers can meet the needs of their students. Through this analysis activity, a drawing of a cat (pictured on p. 6) is used to assess the artist’s development as well as make connections to some general theories of art development.
It is known that understanding and creating art parallels the growth of a child emotionally, socially, cognitively, and physically (Erickson and Young, 1996). As children develop, they encounter the six Lowenfeldian stages of artistic development (Erickson and Young, 1996). These phases include the Scribbling, Preschematic, Schematic, Gang Age, Pseudo-Naturalistic, and Adolescent Art stages (Kellogg, 1970). Variations in drawing characteristics, representations of the human figure, and space representation can be attributed to each of these six stages (Kellogg, 1970). Some children progress through Lowenfeldian’s stages in a predictable manner, but there is a great deal of unpredictability and disparity within the age norms of these stages (Erickson and Young, 1996). Often times a child may display characteristics from one or more of these stages.
Upon observing a particular piece of art (pictured below), it appears to be created by a child who shows signs of being in both the preschematic and schematic stages. The picture features an animal with five legs that appears to be a cat with wings. Along the surface of the paper are scribbles in which the cat-like creature rests. Above the image lies what appears to be a sun and sky created with more scribbled lines and shapes. Evident in the characteristics of the images drawn are geometric shapes, an element attributed to the preschematic stage (Brittain and Lowenfield, 1970). The cat’s face in particular features some of these geometric shapes, such as ears which are in the shape of a triangle and circular shaped eyes and nose. Likewise, the sun featured in the top right corner of the drawing is also circular in shape. The human figure representation is also characteristic of the Preschematic stage, because the car is looking directly towards the audience (Brittain and Lowenfield, 1970). In addition, toward the end of the preschematic stage children begin to include hair, similar to the whiskers depicted on the face of the cat in the drawing (Brittain and Lowenfield, 1970).
However, the space representation and drawing characteristics of the Schematic stage are featured in the drawing as the artist demonstrates awareness of the environment (Brittain and Lowenfield, 1970). For example, the child appears to have a grass-like surface below the cat and a sky above the creature which symbolizes the cat in an outside environment. In addition, the child shows no overlapping which is often times apparent in the schematic stage (Brittain and Lowenfield, 1970). The cat has legs which are correctly placed, a characteristic of human representation that is typically evident in the Schematic stage. However, the cat is depicted with five legs rather than four. In the article Learning to Draw: Nurturing the Natural the representation of many legs is described as stemming from a child’s desire to fill space, which in this circumstance is the cat’s body (Wilson, 1982).Therefore, it is evident that there are elements from both the Schematic and Preschematic stage manifested in the child’s drawing.
Inherent in the teaching profession is the duty of every teacher to meet the unique needs of all students in the classroom, including art. Likewise, “we believe that preservice elementary art teachers and classroom teachers need some knowledge of stage theories of children’s development- with attention given social and cultural factors- in order to have a place to begin when trying to understand their students” ( Luehrman and Unrath, 2006, p. 67). Consequently, it is crucial that classroom teachers develop a basic understanding of art, such as the stages that accompany a child’s artistic development. In the article Making Theories of Children’s Artistic Development Meaningful for Preservice Teachers it is emphasized that, “The more a teacher knows about their students, developmentally and personally, the better able they are to provide a proper and appropriate education for them, making sure they are not left behind” (Leuhrman and Unrath, 2007, p. 11).
From this analysis of a child’s drawing, a great deal of knowledge has been gained in regards to the stage of development of the artist. From this knowledge, a teacher can make better decisions for each individual student. For example, this child’s teacher may seek to move the child from the Preschematic stage completely into the Schematic stage. The teacher can alter instruction in a way that lends to a better awareness of perspective and space, something lacking from this child’s drawing. The teacher could also expand upon the child’s thinking by questioning the significance of the “23$” in the picture. The teacher could also question the child about the significance of the black shading in the picture.
Today teachers face harsh demands to meet standards and match curriculum objectives, leaving teachers with a big decision on the necessity of art in the classroom. However, by utilizing art integration teachers can ultimately increase student learning. For example, this teacher could encourage the child to write about what he or she drew. The teacher may ask the child to write about the significance of 23$ in this picture or the black shaded objects in the picture. This information could help to clarify some of the drawing’s ambiguity as well as assist in the child’s writing skills. A child’s art at any age is importance and possesses meaning. It is vital that teachers incorporate art into the classroom because even simple scribbles are considered to be “the building blocks of art, and they are important because they permit a detailed and comprehensive description of the work of young children” (Kellogg, 1970, p. 15). By ignoring a child’s art development, teachers are neglecting to understand the child more fully. Therefore, it is imperative that teachers delve into the realm of the arts to gain a better understand of the discipline and ultimately their students as a whole.
Student Drawing (Figure 1)
Works Cited
Brittain, W.L. & Lowenfeld, V. (1970). Creative and Mental Growth. New York, NY.
MacMillan Co. pgs. 474-479.
Eisner, E. What Education Can Learn from the Arts {Lowenfeld Lecture, 2008 NAEA National
Convention New Orleans, Louisiana}. Art Education, 62 (2), 6-9.
Erickson, M. & Young, B. (1996). What Every Educator Should (but maybe doesn’t) know.
School Arts, 40-42.
Kellogg, R. (1970). Analyzing Children’s Art. Palo Alton, CA: National Press, 15, 19, 25, 78, 85,
109, 122.
Luehrman, M. & Unrath, K. (2006). Making theories of children’s artistic development
meaningful for pre-service teachers. Art Education, 6-12.
Pink, D. (2005). A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future. New York, New
York: Penguin Group
Wilson, M. & Wilson, B. (1982). Learning to Draw: Nuturing the Natural. Engle Cliffs, NY, 39-
47.
Brittain, W.L. & Lowenfeld, V. (1970). Creative and Mental Growth. New York, NY.
MacMillan Co. pgs. 474-479.
Eisner, E. What Education Can Learn from the Arts {Lowenfeld Lecture, 2008 NAEA National
Convention New Orleans, Louisiana}. Art Education, 62 (2), 6-9.
Erickson, M. & Young, B. (1996). What Every Educator Should (but maybe doesn’t) know.
School Arts, 40-42.
Kellogg, R. (1970). Analyzing Children’s Art. Palo Alton, CA: National Press, 15, 19, 25, 78, 85,
109, 122.
Luehrman, M. & Unrath, K. (2006). Making theories of children’s artistic development
meaningful for pre-service teachers. Art Education, 6-12.
Pink, D. (2005). A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future. New York, New
York: Penguin Group
Wilson, M. & Wilson, B. (1982). Learning to Draw: Nuturing the Natural. Engle Cliffs, NY, 39-
47.