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‘If the practice of ART is a process of
bringing into being – the “making visible”
of mental images, then drawing is an
important way of gaining knowledge and
insight into both life and ART.’ Graham
Collier, 1972.
For me, this sentiment encapsulates the
essence of what drawing has been about
from prehistoric times through to the
present day, across all cultures and all ages.
The distinctly human practice of mark-
making, drawing, was in fact the precursor
to written language, serving the powerful
purpose of uniting Man and the world. The
evolving art of visual story telling through
drawing continues to reflect the importance
of this means of communication.
Communication is of course at the heart of
all mark making. The innate human desire
to listen, receive and express meaning
has long driven and motivated us to share
observations, wonderment, questions,
investigations, plans, experiments,
mastery of techniques, manipulation and
coordination of materials, thoughts, ideas
and emotions. Responsive/reciprocal
communication, verbal, visual or otherwise,
supports and reinforces our relationships
with others close to us, with our immediate
community and with the wider world. The
impact on our sense of identity through our
relationships will manifest itself through
our sense of wellbeing and belonging, and
in turn affect the way in which we make our
own unique contributions to life, the ways
in which we explore the world, and discover
our own ways to express ourselves .
As an Early Childhood Teacher I am in
a privileged position of witnessing the
developing pattern of mark making, familiar
to all children. As with all other forms of
Art, visual communication contains its own
unique set of elements that make up ‘The
Language of Art’. These may be considered
the ‘tools’ of the trade, which may be
manipulated to both create Art, and to
understand Art.
The elements of Art comprise of:
● Line
● Colour
● Composition
● Texture
● Pattern
● Shape/Form
● Balance
● Mass/Volume
Any one or all of these elements or visual
symbols can be employed in such a way as
to construct a personal narrative, which then
has the ability to be ‘read’ by an audience.
Thus, any kind of mark making or drawing
carries meaning that is significant to the
viewer and it is meaning and connection that
people are seeking when they are reading a
visual image.
These elements can be effectively taught
to young children through a socio-
cultural approach to teaching. Central to
this approach is Lev Vygotsky’s notion
of ‘scaffolding’, where children’s learning
is supported through guided and shared
participation alongside both teachers and
peers. Common scaffolding techniques
include the following:
● Observation
THE
MAgiC
OF DRAWING
ESTABLISHING A ‘DRAWING CULTURE’ THAT SUPPORTS AND DEVELOPS
CHILDREN’S CURIOSITY, IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY.
BY ROD EALES
December 2017
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