CHILDREN’S GRAPHICS OR DRAWING: AN EXPRESSION IN STROKES

Many times, we are presented with drawings made by children and we notice
different scenarios taken to paper, colors, geometric shapes, contours or variety of
perspectives. We realize that it is how the child presents the way he sees his
environment, it is a way to reflect his own perspective. As Rodulfo (1993) refers, it is
above all in the drawing that the child most easily expresses his repressed complaints,
his grievances and his hatreds. The drawing springs more directly from the
unconscious and thus manages to hide its true content from its author.
Child drawing began to be studied in a formal way at the end of the 19th
century, since it was an activity that began to form part of the artistic education of
children, so psychologists, artists and pedagogues carried out research on it, classics of
psychology such as Alfred Binet and Edward L, with studies on modern ideas about
children and how to observe things. From pedagogy like Georg Kerschensteiner and
Ovide Decroly, in how the game stimulates the infant and helps in his education, from
historians and art critics like Ernst Gombrich and Herbert Read, who investigate the
history of art and what meaning it has for society, resulting in different approaches,
which were subsequently taken up for the elaboration of academic programs (Santana
and Sthefanía, 2017).
This activity, leads to symbolize that, express and create, are concepts that are
part of the cognitive development of the child so promoting its plastic expression is
fundamental to its growth. But how can we understand the concept of drawing at this
stage of childhood? Well, we understand child graphics or drawing to the capacities
that stimulate and help the development of other skills, such as, for example,
creativity. Citing, again, Rio Laso (2014), the child is not an innate artist, but the role
that the drawing plays in his childhood, is an instrument of articulation and
development of the knowledge of the same. In addition, the plastic expression, offers
the child the possibility to shape his inner world, his dreams, his fantasy and
imagination, as well as to explore new structures of thought, is an activity that is
pleasant to him. In addition, with all these experiences, and through free
experimentation, it has been shown that introverted children are more open to others,
aggressors channel their impulses, etc. (Río Laso, 2014). Many of these skills will be
reflected through development, and that is why it is a nutritious exercise and that it is
necessary to stimulate the child to awaken his creativity or subjectivity of reality.

GRAPHICS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN

Within the course of the child’s development, we find a variety of activities or
acts that have to do with the motor part, since children are stimulated playing with
blocks, with figures, role-playing games, etc. Among the common and everyday acts of
the childhood stage, we find the act of drawing, the first strokes to the last, where the
child tries to create something, have a meaning. In the psychology of childhood
development, the theme of child graphics is relevant since it is a plastic expression in
the childhood stage. To understand this relevance, childhood is the first and most
important phase in the development of physical and psychological aspect of an
individual. In this stage the beginning of the game is reflected, learning, curiosity, the
beginning of discovery and knowledge of the environment, therefore, it is such an
important path, here is where knowledge is acquired to understand a reality
objectively, but if there are internal or external factors, it can be distorted. Many cases
where the origin of trauma is studied from the point of childhood, since this is also a
vulnerable stage. Therefore, in some cases, the drawings are investigated again during
this traumatic period, to check if the child was communicating in a certain way. On the
other hand, it is also presented as the child sees his environment, it should be noted
that it depends on the age and the stage of drawing that is found, but the idea is held
that it is an artistic "language", so, this is a totally expressive action.
According to Delval (1996), drawing is the first concrete material production of
the child, as it implies the possibility of leaving a mark of relative permanence, from
which he begins to realize his influence on the world around him and becomes aware
that it is not only possible to copy reality, but it can also modify it. In other words, the
concept of drawing can be understood as a representation of symbolic character taken
to the two-dimensional character, becoming an attempt or reflection of the reality that
is seen. Therefore, it is not considered a copy necessarily exact, but, being originated
from the inner image of the child, it is more subjective. In addition, according to Faas
(2017), it reproduces more what it knows about the object than what it sees. In
addition, drawing is a manifestation of affective character, this is understood since the
child drawing through his own interest, so it also reflects what pleases or displeases
him, and seek to show what they reflect on the paper to others, there being the
possibility of explaining, to their perspective, which they wanted to draw. On the other
hand, we can say that drawing is also considered a game, since it entails motivation
and enthusiasm, but this, according to Álvarez Valdivia (2020), has a communicative
intention. In addition, the child, whether in the process of accomplishment or at the
end of his task, expresses a critical judgment on his production. These two aspects:
communication and evaluation, make the graphic game has different components to
those of free play.
On the motor and cognition side, this drawing activity involves both
psychological and physical aspects, where it will be seen evolve as the degree of
maturity of the infant is presented. If we talk about the relationship between this
maturing degree and motor skills, specifically fine, because the exercise begins where
the eye, the visual field will be joined with the movement of the hand, this being then
a guide as the child draws, and then, progress, other more complex coordination
characteristics are expressed. The nervous system, as this degree of maturation
develops, allows the relation of oculus-motor movements and, in turn, is stimulated to
improve arbitrary movements and lines, thus, starting with much more ordered and
not so anarchic lines, so it comes close to a copy much closer to the reality that is
presented, or also, the reality itself constructed from the perspectives of the
individual.

DRAWING IN EDUCATION
On the educational side, citing Rio Laso (2014), drawing is something that
children acquire and that allows, in turn, to expose complex ideas about their own
world. In turn, children learn by watching how other children draw and little by little
they will discover the drawing themselves.
It must be understood that the drawing or the free expression offered by this
activity results in a space where subjectivity is taken to the paper with respect to
reality. Therefore, we should not leave aside these activities of plastic expression, since
many times, or in some cases, this stage of artistic stimulation is left aside in certain
stages or not stimulated enough. In addition, a visit is provided to how the child
creates a balance between drawing and the demonstration of his personality and
emotions, remember that it is also a communicative expression. It can even influence
self-esteem, since, by wanting social recognition and achieving it, it reinforces the
feeling of understanding and acceptance. To add, Echevarría (1992) makes us
understand the first traces as "the first graphic manifestation of the child and is
considered as a projective test of personality".

BACKGROUND IN THE STUDY OF CHILDREN’S DRAWING

We know that children’s drawings, at one point in history, were carried out as
an object of study. One of the first to study graphics in an evolutionary way was
Georges-Henri Luquet, who started from the observation of the plastic expression of
his daughter Simmone. And to mention that, his outstanding works were "Los dibujos
de un niño" (1913) and another called "El dibujo infantil" of 1927. One of the
noteworthy mentions of Luquet regarding how he understands what child graphics
offers is: "The child draws to have fun. The drawing is, for him, a game that
intersperses among the others. In any case, it should be noted that it is a quiet game,
which does not require companions, and to which he can give himself when he is
inside, at least as comfortably as outdoors." (Luquet, 1913, cited by Saínz, 2002 p.
175).
Among the variety of authors who carried out the linkage of artistic action with
childhood, and in turn, evolution, Burt (1921), studied visual and visual expression and
then, detach stages such as: scribbling, line, descriptive symbolism, realism, visual
realism, repression and artistic rebirth. In the Garabateo (2-3 years), the drawing is
presented with strokes, rather people drawn as "sticks". They try to copy what they
see around them and these strokes are more localized, they have an intention to form
or reproduce parts of an object. Then, the Linea stage (4 years) is presented, here the
scribbles are observed as oscillations, in addition the child combines or unites the parts
of the human figure. Later, the Descriptive Symbolism (5-6 years), the boy or girl
presents in the drawing the human figure with disproportionate parts. It follows with
Realism (7-10 years), at this stage, the child begins to add or link reality to the drawing,
adding more details to them, it is more symbolized what is presented, for example, the
addition of drawing clothes or ornaments. Then, appears the visual Realism (10-11
years), where the boy or girl understands the realism much more detailed, we mean
the dimensions, whether in 2D or 3D, in addition, the appearance of silhouettes or
contours begins, the changes of position of the human figure, either face or profile. An
improvement in technique is expressed and perspective is applied. Then we find the
stage of Repression (11-14 years), where the drawings are expressed with a more
advanced or slow elaboration. There is much more mastery in the geometric
construction of figures. It may even be that the presence of human figures diminishes
in the drawings of this phase. Finally, the artistic Renaissance (14 years - onwards), in
the latter refers to the interest in drawing with more details, you can even look for a
certain meaning in them, in addition, it presents the development of more elaborate
method of drawing, the search for professional techniques, such as the play of lights,
more difficult perspectives, etc. It should be noted that, in some cases, this stage is not
fully reached.

ASSESSMENT IN PSYCHOLOGY
In the area of psychology, child graphics is evaluated to see the development of
the child and also adolescents, as it influences many aspects as mentioned above.
According to Álvarez (2020), these tests observe the evolution of child psychographics
analyzing various aspects of their graphic expression. The main ones are: the outline
and the content, two aspects that are very visible and eloquent in children’s drawings.
This evaluation generally has clinical intentions. However, they can be of interest to
teachers, because along with other observations help to understand and stimulate the
development of psychomotor skills that the activity of drawing involves. In making the
evaluation towards the child’s graphic gesture, movements are observed, when
making the scribbles, more oscillating and more rotating, this is called a gesture of
centripetal bending, which this term can be linked with the meaning of the concept of
centripetal force, which is a net force acting on an object to keep it moving along a
circular path. Then, according to Prudhommeau (1951), in these lines are observed
straight or slightly curved lines and the predominance of the right gesture to left and
from top to bottom for curved or oblique strokes. In horizontal paths, instead, a
progression is observed from left to right, in a gesture of extension. This gesture is
affirmed from two years and three months of age.
Within the content presented in the children’s drawings, two points of view can
be exposed, the favorite themes that the child presents and the contents that they
contribute when they are suggested to represent specifically a theme or an
experience. According to Álvarez Valdivia (2020), the results are of great value, both
for psychologists and for teachers and family members close to the child. In relation to
the first, we know that all children prefer to draw some subjects on others. This can be
simply related to age, gender and socio-cultural context. The spontaneity of the
themes seen in children’s drawings reveals children’s attitudes towards people and the
situations with which they come into contact. Beyond the supposed clinical interest,
this observation allows us to appreciate their interests and their particular way of
looking at the world and society.

CONCLUSIÓN
Child graphics is very important in the development of the child as it stimulates
a variety of motor skills, in addition to improving concepts such as creativity, freedom,
creating a new means of expression. This theme leads us to know the diversity of
stages that are presented as children develop until puberty and later, being the pre-
teen age a decisive point where you choose to continue with the improvement of
artistic techniques or simply leave it as a stage already lived. It is a medium where the
child expresses himself freely, where he lets his imagination or his point of view of
reality fly, thus becoming in the course of development, in an aspect much closer to
something realistic.
According to Wallon (2008), "everything that intervenes in the movement of
the hand, everything that modifies and alters, will have a consequence on the drawing:
the environment, the enthusiasm or tiredness of the child, the problems..." Therefore,
for him, drawing means a mode of expression for children and only secondly, it is a
means of communication. He also points out that "the drawing is used by the child as a
language, and therefore, it can also be read." Therefore, there are many benefits for
the child, this activity should be stimulated from the early stage, and more in the field
of education where the drawing is not opaque or included, remember that it increases
the imagination, creativity and reflects the concept of freedom by understanding that
it is a way of bringing the reality that they observe with images internalized and own to
paper or any other platform where he embodies his hand and pencil.
La actividad de expresión plástica es fundamental, dentro del desarrollo del
niño se nutre de muchas habilidades y adquiere para incrementarse de forma motora y
psíquica. Por ello, debe ser una actividad presente en los ámbitos educativos y
familiares, hay tantos beneficios que ofrece que serán pilares para llegar, por ejemplo,
una autoestima óptima. Además, a través de ello conoceremos las distintas etapas que
el niño enfrentará a medida que va creciendo, y así, identificar los elementos claves
que se manifiestan en cada etapa del grafismo infantil.
Finalmente, cito a Wallon (2008) donde destaca que la importancia que tiene el
dibujo infantil es que todo dibujo es proyectivo ya que permite al niño desarrollar su
conocimiento a la vez que expresar lo que siente, aunque algunos temas son más
propicios para esta expresión, sobre todo si el niño escoge él mismo.
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