Children's Drawings (Penguin Psychology)

This book offers an illustrated introduction to understanding and fostering children's drawing. It examines step-by-step discovery of proportion and perspective, the typical early "errors" - the tadpole figures, chimneys sliding off roofs, the huge "air gap" between ground and sky - and explains why children often depict not what they see, but what they know is there. Art, argues Maureen Cox, can be used or abused in assessing personality and diagnosing problems. As long as we believe drawing is a mysterious "gift", only very highly motivated children will make progress. She concludes by suggesting how parents and educators can help foster the talents of both ordinary and exceptionally gifted children.