CHILDREN S DEVELOPMENT IN DRAWING. Theories and Implications for Practice

Transcription

1 CHILDREN S DEVELOPMENT IN DRAWING Theories and Implications for Practice

2 A number of the images in this presentation are from a book called Heidi s Horse by Sylvia Fein

3 Heidi s first drawing at age 2

4 2 years, 6 months

5 3 years old

6 3 years, 6 months

7 4 years, 2 months

8 4 years, 2 months

9 4 years, 3 months Tadpole

10 Heidi s first horse at 4 years, 3 months.

11

12 Four years, 9 months

13 Four years/10 months; 5 years; 5 years/6 months; 8 years/8 months

14 Heidi s Horse Drawing, Age: 9 years 4 months.

15 Heidi s horse drawing, age 13

16 THEORY #1: STAGE THEORY Theory #1: Stage Theory. v Drawing development can be characterized as fitting into several large and distinct stages v Children s drawing abilities develop more or less spontaneously and universally

17 VICTOR LOWENFELD

18 CREATIVE AND MENTAL GROWTH Analysis of two expressive types of individuals: haptic and visual Discussion on developmental stages based on the investigation of the psychological significance Exploration of Child art and appropriate art activities for each stage of development. Assessment of individual progress in seven areas of growth: emotional, intellectual, physical, perceptual, social, aesthetic, and creative.

19 SCRIBBLING STAGE (2-4) Ø First marks are random and uncontrolled Ø Often accidental discovery of mark making and her/his own influence over the mark Ø Enjoyment of motor activity in arm and wrist as opposed to trying to depict something

20 PRE-SCHEMATIC(AGES 4-7, EARLY CHILDHOOD) Ø Marks grow increasingly deliberate and controlled Ø Exploration of a range of kinds of lines and marks Ø Exploration of repetition and pattern

21 SCHEMATIC AGES 7-9 Ø Creates symbols to represent objects in the world. Ø Initially may use the same symbol to represent many things, but gradually begins to differentiate the symbols Ø May not be concerned with naturalistic or realistic proportion, color, size Ø May use strategies like: filling in the space Ø Use of a base line, and/or a sky line Ø X-ray pictures

22 6 years old

23 X-ray bus X-ray pants

24 DRAWING REALISM, AGES 9-11 v Schematic generalization no longer suffices to express reality. v More detail for individual parts, but is far from naturalism in drawing

25 PSEUDOREALISTIC AGES v Strive to create "adult-like" naturalistic drawings v Increased interest in detail, proportion, the depiction of movement, perspective, and showing a variety of viewpoints. v Space may be depicted as three-dimensional

26 QUESTION For how long do most people continue to develop in their drawings more or less spontaneously?

27 One of these drawings was completed by an adult with minimal drawing experience. The other was completed by a 12 year old. Can you tell which is which?

28 ANSWER Without specific instruction, most people s spontaneous drawing development stops at about the stage of a 14 or 15-year-old.

29 PERIOD OF DECISION/ CRISIS, AGES Natural development will cease unless a conscious decision was made to improve drawing skills

30 CLASSROOM ACTIVITY Understanding Children s Drawing Development Stages

31 2-4 Stage, Realism, Ages 9-11 stage, First marks are random and uncontrolled Often accidental discovery of mark making and her/his own influence over the mark Enjoyment of motor activity in arm and wrist as opposed to trying to depict something Marks grow increasingly deliberate and controlled Exploration of a range of kinds of lines and marks Exploration of repetition and pattern Creates symbols to represent objects in the world. May not be concerned with naturalistic or realistic proportion, color, size May use strategies like: filling in the space Use of a base line and/or sky line X-ray pictures Strives to create "adult-like Naturalistic drawings Increased interest in detail, proportion, the depiction of movement, perspective, and showing a variety of viewpoints Space may be depicted as threedimensional

32 SOME CRITIQUES OF STAGE THEORIES (BY ANNA KINDLER & OTHERS) v Over emphasis on naturalism; neglect of the range of intentions and purposes that children have for drawing and art making: storytelling, play, showing what is known; recording; kinesthetic pleasure; making special/embellishment. v Assumes a step-by-step linear progression; v Neglect of generic and individuate tendencies; v Neglects diversity within age groups v Neglects socio-cultural context in which art making is learned: cultural values and children teaching other children v Focuses only on the graphic manifestations and neglects simultaneous verbal and gestural production (art making as a pluri-media event).

33 THEORY #2 Drawing development can be characterized as occurring in multiple tiny steps and adjustments. It is better described as organic Growth & fortuitous Discovery. (Wilson, Hurwitz, & Wilson 1987, p.21)

34 SUBJECT MATTER MATTERS Sometimes Children become keenly interested in learning to draw one kind of subject matter, practicing until they feel they have mastered it. They may become extremely skillful at drawing that particular subject, but may or may not be skillful at drawing other things.

35 INFLUENCES FROM EDUCATION AND INSTRUCTION A 9-year-old who has likely had some drawing instructions A 9-year-old who has likely had less drawing instructions

36 INFLUENCE FROM CULTURES, TRADITIONS, & COMMUNITIES Girl s drawing from China Girl s drawing from US

37 INFLUENCE FROM POPULAR MEDIA v Wilson claims because of manga models, Japanese children draw differently from children in other cultures and far more skillfully than most (Wilson, 2002, p. 54) v When Wilson and Wilson (1977) interviewed 147 American teenagers about source of the graphic images shown in their pictures, they found that nearly all of these sources could be traced to media.

38 v Increased influence of popular culture and media images

39 PEER INFLUENCE Sometimes Children Teach each Other to Draw

40 Drawn by a 9 year old girl

41 Drawn by a 7 year old boy

42 Drawn by a 7 year old boy

43 Drawn by a 7 year old boy

44 Sometimes children are each other s best teachers.

45 CLASSROOM ACTIVITY II What influences children s drawings v Media v Peers, families, friends, relatives, or anyone in the community v Culture, history, tradition v Education and instruction v

46 WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS FOR PRACTICE?

47 Wilson, Hurwitz, & Wilson argue: Drawing development can be likened to a process of organic growth where at times a new image emerges slowly from a previous one, and where at other times images change abruptly through a change discovery in the accidental lines and shapes one has drawn. Drawing development is dependent on individual abilities and traits, including the desire to draw, visual memory, observational and motor skills, inventiveness, and aesthetic preferences.

48 From: Brent Wilson, Al Hurwitz, & Marjorie Wilson s Teaching Drawing from Art Finally, how one draws is affected by the opportunity to learn and apply drawing skills, the amount of encouragement to draw and the type of drawing instruction one receives.

49 WHAT WE MAY DO v Provide art skills and techniques instructions to children v Provide increased instruction on realistic style of drawing skills when children study in the later elementary grades v Encourage young children s scribbling v Encourage children to learn art from peers, families, and friends v Encourage children to learn art from popular media (copy schemas from cartoons, e.g.) v Respect children s choices of symbols and schemas when depicting their subjects and encourage unique expression v