Stephanie Kempfer

Art Research paper

Art for Children
Michelle Livek
March 10, 2015

Art allows children to show personality and creative solutions to problems. It teaches
children to be more accepting, understand diverse cultures, and see multiple perspectives. These
lessons can have lifelong affects. The purpose of this investigation was to analyze a childs
artwork. As future educators, it is important to understand the various art making stages among
children and where our students fit within the stages. Stages can reveal to the teacher different
strengths and alternative ways to teach a child who may be struggling. Children could be
struggling emotionally, academically, or just struggling with school in general. Art work can give
insight to a childs feelings and allow a child unique opportunities to express those feelings.
Based on my five-year-olds drawing, she is in the preschematic stage. Knowing my student is in
the preschematic stage tells her educators that she enjoys using symbols to make representations,
she has floating objects, and she is developing schemas.
For this project I had the opportunity to witness the artistic process of a five-year-old
child. I work at a day care in Columbia, Missouri. While at work, I was in the five-year-olds
classroom. Here the children come from a variety of places. Some students are full time at the
day care, the others come from 3 different elementary schools in the Columbia area. After snack
time, a group of five to seven children went to the art table. At first, I did not even ask the
children to make something specific. I just watched the children draw and create whatever they
wanted. As a pleasant surprise, the children started to create work and asked if I would like it. I
happily said yes. Art work ranged from self-portraits to trees and hearts. The artwork I have
decided to analyze is from a five-year-old girl. For this paper, I will refer to her as Elizabeth.
This little girl is advanced in her communication stills and on track for reading and math. She
decided to make a gingerbread house with Christmas lights. Then, on the inside of the house, she
drew both her and I.

Analyzing this drawing provided me with the opportunity to determine the stage of my
artist. Based on the childs drawing, I would say she fits into the preschematic stage. This stage is
usually for children who are four to seven years old and it is their first time making
representations (Kellogg, 475). Children typically produce symbols with familiar shapes. These
shapes include objects like circles, squares, and lines. Children often produce floating objects
and space surrounds the child (Salome and Moore). Children will place their people, flowers, or
the object they are drawing in the center of the page; paying no attention to the space around the
objects. Elizabeths drawing has clear, but distorted, geometric shapes for things, objects that
float around and surround the child, and the people are smiling/looking at the viewer. The next
few paragraphs will discuss each of these aspects, in detail, and how Elizabeths drawing meets
the expectations for the preschematic stage.

When looking at Elizabeths drawing, a stand out feature is the geometric shapes that
make up her creation. This characteristic is a key aspect of children in the preschematic stage.
When I asked why she made the body and head a circle, she stated circles are the closest shape to
what our body looks like. Elizabeth recognizes various shapes and is relating them to her known
schemas. Additionally, circles are a relatively easy object to build off. When making a person, it
seems logical to use circles as a base. To further this concept, children in this stage tend to begin

their drawing with what is more important to them (Lipoff, 2011). Elizabeth began her drawing
with our heads. She made her head first, then mine. She made the heads first because she realizes
the head is a main part of the human body and, for her, most important. Most children in the
preschematic stage find geometric shapes to be a good starting point for artwork. They are
relatable and can easily represent other things, like bodies and heads. Elizabeth, being five years
old, used circles, squares, and triangles in her drawing.
Another characteristic for artist ages four to seven is producing floating objects with art
that surround the child. When Elizabeth began her drawing, she started with herself. After
drawing the people, she drew the gingerbread house. When looking at the drawing we can see
Elizabeth is almost center of the page. Within this age range, children find themselves to be the
most important character. This is evident because Elizabeth not only draws herself first, but also
centered. This idea of Elizabeth being centered is a normal part of this developmental level and
age group (Lipoff). When producing people and other symbols, children in the preschematic
stage tend to float around the page. Elizabeth is no different. The people are in the center of the
page though the floor of her house is clearly drawn on the bottom of the page. Elizabeth doesnt
yet have the concept of a base line to develop from, though this will come at a later stage in her
artistic development.

Students at Elizabeths age believe they are most important. This belief shapes artwork.
Elizabeth designed her artwork so that the people are smiling at the viewer. Both of the people
that Elizabeth drew show this aspect of a preschematic artist. Within this stage, children are full
of expression. They know what a smile looks like and therefore a majority of their people drawn,
have smiles (Lipoff, 2011). Children who are at this age tend to be egocentric and think about
themselves first (Saome and Moore, 2005). This is part of the reason children have their
characters facing the viewer. When drawing, they want their characters facing them. They do not
yet grasp the concept that two characters could be looking at each other, and not the viewer.

Other experts could say a variety of things when looking at Elizabeths artwork.
Depending on what aspect gets analyzed, variation could occur within the meaning. However,
most individuals who analyze childrens artwork would agree that art creation can determine
where a child is developmentally (Wilson, 1982 p. 40). They believe art work can help determine
self-esteem, strengths, and weaknesses. I believe most experts would agree with my conclusions
regarding Elizabeths drawing.
A big finding we determine when artist are in the preschematic stage is that they have not
fully developed a schema. However, through the years of exploring and creating, these children
will develop schemas and increase in cognitive abilities. Through art work, early artists can
develop new ways of communicating, develop fine motor skills, and enhance visual
representations. The multitude of skills a child learns within the creation and development of art
work, gives reason to include artwork in the class day. Art work goes hand-in-hand with core
subjects. Art work can not only help children remember information longer, but students will
enjoy learning and develop critical thinking skills. Utilizing art work is helpful for the teacher as
well. The teacher can see where childrens strengths and weaknesses are, where they are
developmentally, and incorporate multiple core subjects into one project. This investigation
specifically enhances the importance of including art within the classroom. There is so much a
teacher can learn about a student just from one drawing. Imagine how much a teacher could learn
about a student from a richer project.
When working with young artist, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure the
creations will be meaningful. Elementary Education majors should understand the importance
and the variety of developmental traits we can analyze when looking at a simple drawing. By
analyzing artwork, we can grow to understand a childs culture and what they find important.

Additionally, we can compare artists of similar ages to see what difference and similarities we
can find. By looking at and analyzing a childs artwork, preservice teachers grow to understand
the importance of art integration and the selection process for age-appropriate work.
As teachers, we have the ability to shape and mold the future in a positive way. With
more and more testing, creativity needs to be built into lessons to ensure our future generations
become well rounded individuals. When children create while learning, they utilize both the right
and left side of their brains. The left hemisphere analyzes the details; the right hemisphere
synthesizes the big picture (Pink, 22). When children are able to create they not only are given
information to understand the lesson, but art allows them to understand the big picture and how
various subjects relate. Art integration allows children to see there can be multiple perspectives
to one problem (Eisner). No child is going to create the same art work, thus allowing for a class
discussion on diversity and multiple solutions to a problem. Additionally, art allows children to
see various forms of communication. Students can communicate using visual images created on
a median (Eisner). Through art, young artists can communicate mindsets, emotions, perspectives,
and solutions. Lastly, artwork can enhance lessons in any domain. By providing an art
assignment, children are more likely to be engaged and remember that lesson. Most teachers do
not feel there is enough time in the day to design an art integrated classroom. However, based on
all of the valuable skills and information gained from art work, it is crucial our future classrooms
are integrated with meaningful art projects.

References
Mizzou publishing book:
Eisney,E. W. (2002). The arts and the creation of mind. New Haven. Yale University
Kellogg, R. (1970). Analyzing childrens art. Palo Alto, CA: National.
Wilson, M., & Wilson, B. (1982). Teaching children to Draw. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:
Prentice Hall.
Online Sources
Lipoff, S. (2011, April 26). Early Childhood Development and Kids Art Activities. Retrieved
February 23, 2015, from http://www.funderstanding.com/theory/childdevelopment/early-childhood-development-and-kids-art-activities/
Salome, R., & Moore, B. (2005, January 1). THE FIVE STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT IN
CHILDRENS ART. Retrieved February 23, 2015, from h
htp://my.ilstu.edu/~eostewa/ART309/Five_Stages.htm

A Childs Drawing Analysis Research Paper: Rubric

Name_________________________________________

Date____________________

_________/20 pts.

Discussion of drawings/artists contained clarity and

thought, analysis and reflection

_________/10 pts.
and quotes-

Referenced/cited drawing theories/development concepts

4-5 references (APA style)

_________/10 pts.

Professionally used grammar/spelling conventions

_________/10 pts.
child

Discussed/suggested guidance and drawing/art plans for

artists, explained how this experience assisted future

teaching ideas

_________ /50 pts. TOTAL