The Complete Guide to Children's Drawings: Accessing Children‘s Emotional World through their Artwork. Michal Wimmer

Чтение книги онлайн.

      Figure 1-27:Asking questions about the drawing: What grows on the tree? Why is that man sad?

      In older ages, you can ask your child about what is hidden in the drawing, and not only about what is clearly visible. For instance, if he drew a house with windows, you can ask him who lives in the room the window’s in. This will start a fascinating and imaginative conversation. You can also use the drawing as a stepping stone to the world of knowledge and riddles: How do clouds form? Why can’t we fly? How do we know the fruits on the tree are ready to eat?

      You will not always get answers to your questions – some children will prefer philosophical questions while others will prefer concrete ones, all in accordance with their age and character.

      Nevertheless, note that questions such as, why didn’t you draw daddy, or why are you big and mommy small, are unnecessary, and will usually not produce an informative reply. In general, you should avoid overwhelming your child with questions so as not to pressure him.

      When you want to give your child a compliment, say things you really mean. Saying things like “this is the most beautiful drawing in the world” is clearly problematic in that sense – it is too demanding. It is better to say, “this is a wonderful gift… this is the most beautiful gift I have ever received”. You can also refer to emotions related to the act of drawing: “I’m so happy that you drew for me… I love it when you give me your drawings… I’ve noticed you enjoy drawing very much…”

      When you give a compliment, it is important to encourage the creative process and experience, rather than the final outcome. You can be proud of the drawing and show it to the entire family, but at the same time you must be attentive to your child’s reactions and make sure your pride does not make him feel under pressure to perform. Sometimes the best compliment is to keep the drawing near your bed or in your briefcase.

      When lots of drawings fill the house and there is no room for new one, you can ask your child how he would like to distribute them among relatives, as special, personal gifts. Grandpa and grandma will surely be happy to receive a decorated album of drawings. Another option is to put several drawings one next to the other (on the table or on the fridge) and photograph your child as he presents them. You can then place the photos in an album, so that the drawings will not be forgotten.

      In different periods of his life, every child needs a different approach to his artwork. Sometimes he likes a kind word or expects a profound conversation, and sometimes he would prefer a dramatic reaction and applause. When there are several children in the house, it is important to attend to each child’s drawings individually, without comparisons. If you use the same compliment with everyone, it is liable to be perceived inauthentic.

      Intervention in Children’s Drawings

      “Daddy, draw me a castle with knights and fire breathing dragons!” The child asks, and daddy complies. He does his best to draw the most lavish castle, with the mightiest forts and bravest knights, spending time and effort on sketching the wall and windows. Finally, he presents the drawing proudly to his child. The child smiles, hangs it in his room and… stops drawing! From now on, he prefers doing anything but drawing. After a while, whey you ask him in passing why he’s not drawing anymore, he answers with quiet frustration: “Because I can’t draw as nice as you…”

      Parents often find themselves sitting next to their child while he’s drawing. The child is completely engrossed with the task: his tongue protrudes, his eyes are open wide and all his muscles are geared to a single objective – his masterpiece. He has been doing it from the moment he learned how to grab the drawing tool, and beyond the sensory experience involved this artwork is a reflection of his rich inner world. Therefore, no intervention in the drawing process can be considered minor; by necessity, it will have a profound impact on inner psychological processes.

      There are ways of intervening other than drawing the castle for the child. Some parents start intervening already early in the scribbling stage, in order to help their children advance to the structured scribbling stage, in which the “doodles” become familiar geometric forms such as circle, triangle or square. However, when the children are not mature enough to move on to this stage, they will try imitating forms that are beyond their skill level or worse, give up and stop drawing.

      Children will stop drawing for other reasons as well. For example, when they are not only forced to wear an apron but also have to listen to lectures about neatness and orderliness, or when they can only draw during certain hours of the day, the natural process is obstructed and they no longer express themselves freely.

      The drawing surface and tools can also deter children. Some dislike drawing on large pages, while others have sensitive skin and avoid rough surfaces. Broken crayons are not necessarily a problem, because often it is easier for children to manipulate the smaller pieces. However, markers that no longer draw or pastel crayons that require strong pressure could tire out children and make them abandon drawing altogether.

      It is also important to notice the supply of artistic materials available to the child. If there are plenty of coloring books at home, or if the kindergarten teachers spend considerable time with the children on coloring decorations (for holidays, or whenever the teacher draws a certain shape and invites the children to color it), the child could overemphasize the need to color within the boundaries. He will be busy with the figures and shapes available to him, at the expense of creating original drawings.

      The drawing subject may also be significant in cases of refusal to draw. For example, when a child grows in a difficult family reality, he will tend to avoid family drawings or consistently omit one of the family members. In such a case, there is of course no point in asking about the omission.

      Another example for intervention has to do with the adults’ attitude to the finished product. For example, when you ask the child, “What is this drawing? Why is the sky all red?”, or when you artificially identify familiar objects in what is clearly an unrecognizable scribble (“this looks like a flower, and this looks like a heart). Such an attitude communicates to the child that he has to draw recognizable elements that mimic reality. Next time he draws, he might “force” the drawing to be more realistic, and when asked about it, he will try to explain what he drew in a way that would please the adults around him.

      Finally, when you talk with the kindergarten teacher you have to remember that the child is also listening. Saying things like, “She’s already four years old and still doesn’t draw houses!”, can make the child feel frustrated and stop drawing altogether.

      Why, then, do adults intervene?

      Some adults intervene because they fear their child is not drawing at an age-appropriate level, because of some developmental problem. By intervening, they “teach” the child to mimic age-appropriate patterns and abilities. Note, however, that just like copying from other children, it is easy to identify children who “fake” when they draw, using similar indicators used to identify fake handwritings. Namely, when children use elements that are out of sync with their inner development, their drawings will have a hesitant and inconsistent quality. Thus, studying an adult design and mimicking it could help the child produce a drawing that may look impressive, but a professional observer will easily identify it as fake.