Running head: AN ANALYSIS OF A PRESCHOOL MASTERPIECE

An Analysis of a preschool masterpiece

Laura Sharp
University of Missouri

AN ANALYSIS OF A PRESCHOOL MASTERPIECE

An Analysis of a Preschool Masterpiece

Art is a wonderful thing throughout our world. It brings joy to people and tells unique
stories through the creativity and imagination it brings. Eisner explains that, the arts help
children learn to say what cannot be said, (Eisner, 2002). Children share a lot of emotion and
sometimes keep it bundled up inside of them, especially younger children. Children who are in
the preschool age tend to throw fits if they are angry, but have trouble expressing how they feel.
When children get the chance to grab hold of a marker a smile comes upon their face, leading
them to tell their story and share their emotions.
In school, teachers have so many curriculums to cover and little time to do it. With all
the work teachers present for children to do, it is understandable to see why children may get
bored or frustrated when going to school, because they do not get a break to do some fun projects
other then doing handouts. School should be fun and exciting for children and art is a great tool
to make this happen. Daniel Pink, the author for the book, A Whole New Mind describes the
difference between the left and right side of the brain. He describes that both sides are very
different but in order to function in a normal world we need both sides. The left side of the brain
tends to be more logical and cognitive based, while the right side of the brain focuses on
creativity and emotion. Pink states, logic without emotion is a chilly, Spock-like existence.
Emotion without logic is a weepy, hysterical world where the clocks are never right and the
buses always late. In the end, yin always needs yang, explaining that to function in a normal
state of mind we need both logic and emotion to be in a normal state of mind (Pink, 2005-2006,
p.25).
For a long time the right side of the brain was hidden in schoolwork through textbooks
and work sheets. But since the recent decade it is starting to gradually appear. It is important to

AN ANALYSIS OF A PRESCHOOL MASTERPIECE

introduce this emotion and creative based side into school to help students express their feelings
through their work, and to overall make school more fun and unique. Even though the right side
of the brain is starting to make an image in school, some people are still thinking that having, a
strong tilt toward the left, is more useful, approach for students in school (Pink, 2005-2006,
p.27). While it is true that the left side of the brain is beneficial, it does not mean that it is
anymore beneficial then the right side of the brain. Like pink said the two go hand in hand and,
yin always needs yang, and we need the right side of the brain to be incorporated in school for
the sake of the children to be able to express their emotion and creativity (Pink, 2005-2006, p.
25).
As children grow they naturally learn how to express themselves through art in more and
more detail. According to Brittain and Lowenfeld this growth is apart of six different stages,
starting with the scribbling stage, which is between two and four years old, next is the
preschematic stage, which is between the ages of four to seven year old, following after this
stage is the schematic stage, which includes the ages of seven to nine year olds, next is the gang
age which is students between the ages of nine and twelve, next at the ages between twelve to
fourteen years, they reach the pseudo-naturalistic stage, and finally the last stage that is reaches
is adolescent art. Through out all of these stages teachers are able to understand the emotion and
capability that the student is at. Through my case study I interviewed a preschooler named,
Hunter (pseudonym) from a preschool that I work at. He is four years old and at the
preschematic stage from observing his artwork.
Method
When I started my study I first asked Hunter if he would like to do some art with me. All
excited he agreed. I knew that Hunter loved art, which is why I chose him for this study. I then

AN ANALYSIS OF A PRESCHOOL MASTERPIECE

asked him if he would like to draw a landscape, self-portrait, or family picture. I had to explain
what landscape and self-portrait was for him. Hunter chose to do a landscape, featuring his
house. I provided Hunter with a blank piece of white paper and some markers. I was allowed
by the head teacher to give him 15 minutes to draw the picture for me. As Hunter started to draw
I observed and took notes, while also keeping a conversation going. Through out the drawing
time I asked Hunter what certain things were. He always kept referring back to the phrases of, I
like drawing, and this is my mom and baby, reflecting back to him mom just having a baby a
few months ago. By the end of our
drawing time he had created a beautiful
landscape masterpiece, including details of
family and imagination.
Findings
Hunter took the entire time given
to him to do his drawing. The first thing
that he told me about his drawing was his mom and baby brother. At first I thought that his mom
was holding his baby from looking at the people in the top right side of the picture, but when I
asked him if it was his mom holding his baby brother he corrected me saying that it was his
brother in the swing and his mom was standing next to him. Then I went on to ask if the
centerpiece that was in the middle of the picture was his house and he explained to me that I was
correct. Then he went on to explain that all the green lines and scribbles resembled grass,
sticking up. I then asked him what the colorful shape was in the grass. I thought maybe it was
rainbow grass, but he explained to me that it was a rainbow next with a rainbow egg inside. He

AN ANALYSIS OF A PRESCHOOL MASTERPIECE

did not really explain much more about it, but when he first told me about his facial expression
beamed of happiness, so I knew that the rainbow egg was important to his art piece.
As I watched Hunter draw his landscape I observed how he used his drawing abilities for
different objects, which related back to the preschematic stage that he is in. Hunter showed the
drawing characteristics for the preschematic stage because his house represented shapes such as
a triangle for the roof, and a square for the body, and a rectangle for a door. If these shapes were
not there, they would, lose their meaning, (Brittain & Lowenfeld, 1970, p. 475). Hunter also
fits perfectly into this stage because one point of this stage described, objects drawn are not
related to one another, which resembles the rainbow egg randomly placed in the landscape, but
with no meaning to why it was there.
The placement of Hunters mother and baby brother looks as if they are floating in
the air, next to the house. This placement can be described in the space representation category
for the preschematic stage as well. Brittain and Lowenfeld describe this as, objects seem to
float around page, (Brittain & Lowenfeld, 1970, p. 475). The authors also explain that during
this category of this stage children tend to turn the piece of paper, while drawing, which Hunter
did while drawing his landscape.
Finally Hunters drawing also reflected the right representation of the preschematic
stage when representing the human figure. At the preschematic stage children are able to draw
body parts such as arms, a head, and legs. Hunter was able to draw arms and legs in the proper
spots on his mother and brother, as well as being aware of the size proportion between the two of
them by making his brother a lot smaller than his mother. Hunter was enthusiastic about his
work and joyful to be around. I was able to write down thoughts and observations I saw, while
also asking questions and reflecting back to see what stage he was at.

Figure 1: Hunters drawing

AN ANALYSIS OF A PRESCHOOL MASTERPIECE

Conclusion
If Hunter wanted to show all the characteristics for the preschematic stage he would need
to be able to learn a couple more skills. If I wanted him to do this I would ask him questions
about adding hair to his mother, or challenge him to use space in his drawing more in depth.
Hunter left out the hair in his drawings and hands and feet. I believe that Hunter is at a great
point of his stage in art, and he really does not need to change anything. I think in some aspects
he is above average in his artistic skills for how young he is since he is able to draw a landscape
of a house and relate the mom and the baby back to the house. I love seeing his enthusiasm for
art and how excited he was to do this study for me.
After I did this case study I have gained a better understanding of a preschoolers stage in
art and also learned how important it is to incorporate art in school. It makes such a positive
impact on children and with out it, children would not get to express their emotion on certain
topics. With out emotion students live in a dull world, and we do not want our future children to
be living with out creativity and joy, like Elliot Eisner says, education can learn from the arts
that open ended tasks permit the exercise of imagination, and the exercise of imagination is one
of the most important of human aptitudes, (Eisner, 2009, p. 7).

AN ANALYSIS OF A PRESCHOOL MASTERPIECE

References
Eisner, E. (2002). The Arts and the Creation of Mind. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Eisner, E. (2009). What education can learn from the arts. Art Education, 6-9.
Lowenfeld, V., & Brittain, W. L. (1970). Creative and mental growth. New York: Macmillan.
Pink, D. (2005-2006). A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule The Future. New York,
New York: The Penguin Group.