Purpose: This article examines the power relationships between researcher and participants, children and adults, drawing on the theories of transgressions and resistance in power, during a research project concerning children's experiences of the visual arts. Design/methodology/approach: Data were gathered conducted in two Scottish primary schools by employing visual and arts-based methods, and the article discusses the role they played in revealing acts of power between participants as well as providing insight of a child's world. Findings: The article concludes by emphasising how these methods revealed a network of power acts which supported children to transgress, resist and reveal their world to the adult. Research limitations/implications: The role of reflexion on the part of the researcher is key when undertaking research adopting participatory methods such as visual methods. Originality/value: The article contributes to the ongoing discussions concerning visual methods research and their use in participatory research, and illustrates the complexities of power in this field.