Drawing Development in Children 4/5/16, 5:33 PM

Perspectives

Drawing
Development
in Children

Viktor Lowenfeld
Betty Edwards

2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 2 years 3 years 4 years 6 years 8 years 10 years 12 years

Viktor Lowenfeld Scribbling The preschematic stage The schematic stage The gang stage: The dawning The pseudo- naturalist
Creative and stage realism stage
Mental Growth First conscious creation of form The child arrives at a "schema," a
First occurs around age three and provides definite way of portraying an The child finds that schematic generalization This stage marks the end of
disordered a tangible record of the child's object, although it will be modified no longer suffices to express reality. This spontaneous activity as child
scribbles are thinking process. The first when he needs to portray dawning of how things really look is usually are increasingly critical of th
simply records representational attempt is a person, something important. The schema expressed with more detail for individual drawings. The focus is
of enjoyable usually with circle for head and two represents the child's active parts, but is far from naturalism in drawing. end product as they strive to
kinesthetic vertical lines for legs. Later other knowledge of the subject. At this Space is discovered and depicted with create "adult-like" naturalist
activity, not forms develop, clearly recognizable stage, there is definite order in overlapping objects in drawings and a horizon drawings. Light and shadow,
attempts at and often quite complex. Children space relationships: everything sits line rather than a base line. Children begin to and motion are observed
portraying the continually search for new concepts on the base line. compare their work and become more critical mixed success, translated to
visual world. so symbols constantly change. of it. While they are more independent of paper. Space is depicted as t
After six adults, they are more anxious to conform to dimensional by diminishing t
months of their peers. size of objects that are furth
scribbling, away.
marks are
more orderly
as children
become more
engrossed.
Soon they
begin to name
scribbles, an
important
milestone in
development.

Betty Edwards The The stage of Pictures that The Landscape The stage of The stage of The crisis period
Creative and scribbling symbols tell stories complexity realism
Mental Growth stage By five or six, children develop a The beginning of adolescenc
After weeks of At four or five, the set of symbols to create a At nine or ten years, The passion for marks the end of artistic
scribbling, child begins to tell landscape that eventually becomes children try for more realism is in full development among most
Random
a single variation repeated children, due to frustration
scribbles begin children make stories or work out detail, hoping to bloom. When
the discovery of problems with her endlessly. A blue line and sun at the achieve greater drawings do not "getting things right." Those
at age one-
top of the page and a green line at do manage to weather the c
and-a-half, but art: a drawn drawings, changing realism, a prized goal. "come out right" (look
symbol can stand basic forms as the bottom become symbolic Concern for where real) they seek help and learn the "secret"
quite quickly
for a real thing needed to express representations of the sky and things are in their to resolve conflict will become absorbed in it.
take on
in the meaning. Often ground. Landscapes are compose drawings is replaced between how the Edwards believes that prope
definite
environment. once the problem carefully, giving the impression that by concern for how subject looks and teaching methods will help
shapes.
Circular form is expressed, the removing any single form would things look-- previously stored children learn to see and dra
Circular
becomes a child feels better throw off the balance of the whole particularly tanks, information that prevent this crisis.
movement is
picture.
first because it universal symbol able to cope with dinosaurs, super prevents their seeing
is most natural for almost it. heroes, etc. for boys; the object as it really
anatomically. anything. Later models, horses, looks. Struggle with
symbols become landscapes, etc. for perspective,
more complex, girls. foreshortening, and
reflecting child's similar spatial issues
observations on as they learn how to
the world around see.
him.

Copyright 1985 and 1987 Susan K. Donley, All Rights Reserved

Adapted from teacher inservice training materials for early childhood, art education, and special education workshops.

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Drawing Development in Children 4/5/16, 5:33 PM

Art by Susan Donley •

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