ABSTRACT
Children operate as ‘artists’ from a very early age using different materials for personal expression and as a way of exploring and making sense of the world in which they are growing up. This process of development needs to be supported by parents and teachers in a variety of different ways, ranging from encouraging free and imaginative expression to exploring the work of other artists and putting children in touch with conventions which will enable them to develop their confidence and skills in visual thinking, problem solving and drawing as a means of communication. For, as Norman Freeman (1980) emphasizes, ‘children are not simply creatures expressing their essence through drawing, they are also novices who are learning how to draw’. This book is designed to provide teachers with an easily accessible and enjoyable approach to supporting children in their engagement with the drawing process.
