Does a drawing embody the form and focus of what the artist actually sees, or instead, is it only after seeing the finished drawing that the artist knows the true meaning of his or her visual experience? It is the knowledge of the visual experience that drives the representation of it. Knowledge of the visual experience is present in varying degrees, contains the defining characteristics and distinctive features of what is seen, but may not be readily accessible in its entirety at all times. To study this concept, the perceptual and cognitive activities of two children were recorded as they made drawings on paper attached to a computer digitizing board. Analysis of verbal and visual protocols synchronized in real time allowed inferences to be made about the artists' judgments as they drew. It was found that the most powerful force guiding the evolution of a drawing is not the concept of the representation of what is seen, but rather the sense of organization and balance of that representation on the picture surface which inspires the artist to give form to meaning. (DGM)