Analyzing Childrens Art
by Rhoda Kellogg
Category: Art

In her book entitled "Analyzing Children's Art" Rhoda Kellogg discusses many drawings made by young children. She has studied hundred of thousands of drawings produced not to hang in a museum or gallery but rather to express very youthful thoughts and feelings. These expressions were produced by hands making drawing movements while holding a pencil, pen, crayon, or brush. Often the art of older children is made by looking at a physical object and trying to draw or paint a reasonable facsimile of that object. The art of much younger children isn't produced by looking at an object and then trying to draw or paint an imitation of a model. The younger artist is just moving his or her hand in expression of an urge or a feeling from within the body itself. Rhoda Kellogg discusses these drawings and calls them "the basic scribbles."