The importance of understanding children's Creative thinking.
Children & Visual Representation Drawing and Painting
Children show all the issues and problems they are experiencing in life through their paintings. In creating this art, they are displaying and developing their own identity.
In the research for this project, reviewing children’s book illustration styles and the stories of the illustrators, it became clear that all of the good illustrators were inspired by kids to see the world through their eyes.
In our normal life, we do not have such power of full perspective as children have.
Children are not painting to create art, but they are painting to express themselves. They are using the vocabulary of drawing in substitution for the “vocabulary of words” that they have not learned yet.
1. Front Angle View
Until about the age of nine, the most important aspect of child painting is the front view angle.
This viewing angle is the first angle that children use in their paintings.
This viewing angle is the first angle that children use in their paintings.
You can see that the human face and the images of home in their paintings are always a front of view.
An interesting point in the child’s paintings: They use different positioning of an object to create the depth of the image, but all the objects are still front view. Children apply this method unconsciously in their drawings. This may be related to intelligence because some children come to this stage earlier than others.
2. The Transparent Viewing Angle (X-ray)
Along with the physical development of children, their drawings become more realistic. As children approach seven years of age, they are becoming aware of the elements they use in their paintings. They draw more than just external reality; they also depict what they have previously learned about an object. They draw their mental image of an object, which is not necessarily the same as their visual observations. This type of view in a child’s painting is termed the “X-ray” or “Transparent” view.
Glyn V. Thomas, in “An Introduction to the Psychology of Children’s Drawings,” believes that this view emerges at five to seven years. Anna Oliver Ferraris in “Kids and Concepts” believe it happens between the ages of seven to nine. In general, although researchers agree that this transparent view in all children’s art develops instinctively as part of their learning process, we cannot say with certainty at what age this occurs.
<N. H. Freeman>
As children subconsciously search for learning, they naturally pick up quickly what is more important for them. This motivation leads them to use the x-ray technique because it frees them to paint the most important things that they can see or imagine.
For example, when children want to paint a house, both the inside and outside of the home are equally important to them. They see both parts together, and their paintings show the components inside the house even though they are painting the outside. This discovery for a child is very important.
After they learn that a tree has roots, children’s paintings of trees will include the roots even though they are underground and not visible to them. Their paintings reveal the knowledge that they have regarding the object.
3. Multiple Aspects
Children’s scribbling gradually develops into geometric shapes. The use of geometric shapes in their drawings develops according to the child’s physical and mental progression.
Until children develop sufficient recognition of perspective (depth of field), they create images in a painting with multiple angles to show all directions.
Adults will show the depth of the images by using different sizes of objects, but the size means something different to a child. Children use size to draw more attention to an object or to indicate its importance.
The child’s inability to show the depth does not worry them. They just produce works with several angles.
Because a child wants to visualize what they imagine, and perhaps because of their inability to draw the direction of shapes and elements, they will apply the angle of vision to their depictions.
So, combined viewing angles for children are the result of them using their imagination to show their thoughts. It is important to note that, in their paintings, children most often use a combination of two angles: top and front.
4. Inverted Angle (Rotation)
The child combines all objects and creatures in their picture, each from its best angle and with all their features. There are no boundaries for the child in doing this; they are just drawing what they see or imagine. This makes the relationship between the elements and their size in the child’s painting deserving of special consideration.
According to research, children aged 6-7 years understand the characteristics of volume and environment. They can illustrate a residential lane; after they have painted the front of all the houses in the lane, they will turn the paper around and paint the back side of each house.
Children unlike adults do not place themselves out of sight but at a desirable point. They imagine themselves in the spirit of the landscape.
The child does not realize that the paper has two sides. Because of this lack of proper understanding, he gains the ability to show individuals and objects in this collection from different angles; each so that they are best observed and understood.
5. Viewing Angle from Above
Another point of view that is used in children’s drawings is the viewing angle from above. The child uses less of this angle than other angles.
The reason why a child does not use this point of view may be a lack of understanding of this perspective. In their world, they are generally looking at most things from the front.
Illustrators sometimes use the “from above” angle in children’s books. Children often become curious about this new perspective and it may enhance their imaginations.
6. Viewing Angle from Below
The angle from below is used less by children than other angles. This is not because they do not understand that perspective. The reason that they choose to not use it is that, from this view, objects can appear overly great and intimidating. They do not like that feeling.
7. The Close-Up View
Children also use this feature in their drawings. In the adjacent example, the child is showing himself unlocking a door. Like a photographer, he combines the composition of himself and the door.
8. Long Distance (Far Away) View
Children use this view to be able to include more elements in their paintings and to have more space. This allows them to look further around themselves to include more objects.
9. Visual Metaphor and Expressive Imagery
When children draw or paint metaphorically, they are using images to suggest an idea or emotion beyond the specific object depicted.
Museum of Contemporary Visual Art & Collections of Child Art.
Discover the power of creativity at the Museum of Contemporary Visual Art! Our collections of child art showcase the vibrant imaginations of young artists, offering fresh perspectives that inspire visitors of all ages. Visit us today to experience art through the eyes of both established and emerging artists!