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There are many theories about children’s art, each provide explaination for why children produce art. According to the cognitive theory, children draw what they know. The distortions a child draws in size, shape and form are believed to represent the child’s level of thinking.
The psychoanalytic theory claims that children draw what they feel and that their art is a reflection of deeper emotions. The cognitive development theory of Piaget’s relates children’s art to their ability to understand the permanent existence of objects. Unless children understand that objects have a permanent existence they have no image through which to evoke the past and anticipate future.
Finally, the more comprehensive theory, perceptual delineation theory, believes that children draw because of several factors. These factors are a child’s readiness, psychological environment, ability to handle information and manipulate the art materials.
There are three developmental levels in art that are of concern to the preschool period are scribble, basic forms and pictorial stages
Stage wise characteristics developed in children at a glance
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Stage
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Age range
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Motor control
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Purpose of art work
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Characteristics of the stage
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Role of the
care giver
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Random/
disordered
Scribbling.
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1½ to 3 years
(toddlers)
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Lacks of good motor co-ordination and hand-eye
Co-ordination.
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Scribbles for pure physical sensation of movement.
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- Lacks direction or purpose for marks.
- Does not mentally connect own movement to marks on page
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- Provide Wide, good quality crayons and
Large paper should be given to the child to allow room for wide arm movements
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Controlled scribbling
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Young pre-school
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Improving motor control and hand-eye co-ordination
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Scribbles with control
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- Explores and manipulate materials
- Tries to discover what can be done and explores color, texture, tools and techniques.
- Often repeat action
- Makes marks with intention and not by chance.
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Basic forms
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3-4 years
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Has more developed motor control and hand-eye co-ordination.
Has control over direction and size of line
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Enjoys mastery over lines
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- Masters basic forms: circle, oval, lines, rectangle and square.
- Discovers connection between own movement and marks on page.
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- Ask the childe to draw oval or circle followed by the rectangle or square
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Pictorial stage
(first drawings/ stage)
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4-5 years and above
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Has most advanced motor control and
hand-eye
co-ordination
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Communicates with outside world through drawing.
Expresses personality and relationship to symbols drawn.
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- Combines Basic forms made in prior stage are put together to make up symbols
- Names drawing as a form of true communication, Children can now communicate in their environment.
- A child’s art work is very individual and expresses the child’s own personality.
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- Ask the child to draw the human form, birds, flowers and animals and name them.
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Participants