Analyzed two sets of Japanese children's artworks, one in the graphic narrative style, the other, school art in the "high" art tradition. Argues that art derived from popular models provides children with important ways to investigate meaningful dimensions of the world and to experiment with life's major themes, dimensions of meaning…

Discusses study of the development of children's drawing as infused with Western cultural values. Suggests that changes are needed in the images used to describe development, especially the use of developmentally ordered stages. Maintains that the light spectrum is the most promising reconceptualization of artistic development because it captures…

During a visit to Williamsburg Elementary School (Williamsburg, Iowa), this author was introduced to J. C. Holz, a 10-year-old boy who had already exhibited the characteristics of a prolific artist. During one of the interviews with J. C., the author encouraged him to have a solo exhibition of his work at the University of Iowa. The exhibition was…

Traces the influence of visionary and perceptual schemas in discussions of child art in psychology, education, and art history. Considers recent accounts of artistic achievements of autistic children and views that young children can draw in perspective. Argues that Luquet has been misinterpreted; he was beginning to define a new theoretical space…

Considers the importance of scholarly discourse on art and human development and maintains that basic questions need exploration: (1) what is developing psychologically? (2) what are the indicators of development? (3) what indicates development has been constrained in some way? and (4) where does art theory belong in scholarly discourse on child…

This second article in a series on children's artistic learning reviews the developmental process of symbolization and symbol representation by young children and analyzes the symbolism in works by three boys. Practical teaching considerations are discussed. For part one of this series, see the September, 1980 issue of this journal. (SJL)

Frames a developmental psychology of art by contrasting the structural orientation of the study of drawing and the functional orientation of the study of artistry. This model maintains that graphic symbolization emerges with early mark-making, children's representative art is guided by perceptions of affordances, and children continue to engage in…

Outlines the patterns and processes of visual representation which occur during early childhood and suggests some differences that may be apparent in relation to the young gifted child. Stages of development are described and the use of children's drawings as indicators of giftedness is also outlined. (Author/CR)

Although many clinicians use drawing tasks to assess children who have been exposed to family violence, few professionals are aware of current research in this area. Professionals should be apprised of the graphic indicators of child abuse in drawings, reliable art-based assessment tools, and legal and ethical principles surrounding the use of…

Focusing on appropriate methods and criteria for identifying giftedness in elementary visual arts students, the study consists primarily of an annotated bibliography divided into three sections: childhood visual art development (9 entries); selected identification procedures and instruments (25 entries); and identification techniques in the…

This paper considers the psychological aspects of children's drawings. The utility of the Draw a Person Test (DAPT) for different types of pscyhological research is discussed, and the non-intellectual and cultural factors of the DAPT are described. Suggestions on the administration, scoring, and interpretation of drawings are given. The next two…

Responding to children's natural interest in creating art, early childhood educators have historically given the visual arts an honored place in the curriculum. Even in the 1980s and 1990s, as the push for earlier academic skill development increased, art continued its centrality in programs for young children. This chapter offers teachers theory…

This article, first in a monthly series of six, presents a theoretical overview of artistic development in young children during the prerepresentational stage and draws implications from this for teachers on intervening in a child's artistic development through dialogues. (SJL)

This paper reviews the literature on projective drawing tests and child sexual abuse, focusing on children's drawings as an associative tool for memory. The use of the event drawing series, which is a series of seven drawings by a child that graphically present the child's thinking about a specific event, is discussed. (JDD)

Dicker-Brandeis saw the principal aim of teaching to be liberation of concealed sources of children's creativity, development of fantasies and imaginations. Article explores play and art and Dicker-Brandeis's role in these activities. The value of art and play in the lives of children, particularly in a world of fear and death, is validated by the…