Theories and techniques for fostering creativity are described because all students, regardless of intelligence or talent, have artistic ability that should be developed. Four basic visual viewpoints have been identified: the expressive colorist, the hands-on formist, the neat observant designer, and the pattern-oriented draftsperson. These visual thinking patterns influence how a child will learn best and what teaching approaches will succeed most. With the aid of 80 illustrations, the different perspectives can be identified. The materials and methods that work best with each thinking pattern are outlined. Most positive results occur when students are allowed to pursue projects in their own innate style. Most professional artists carry two viewpoints but one is always predominant and can be identified using these techniques. (KM)