Contrastive
analysis of early childhood drawing development with the Sternian emergence of
senses of self and ancient images
From ancient times mandalas have been considered to be
an organizing principle of the soul. This is not by chance as they already
appear in early childhood drawings. In my presentation I offer a new approach.
I contrast and discuss early childhood scribbling with the latest findings of
psychoanalytic developmental psychology as discussed in the oeuvre of Daniel
Stern. This approach reaches beyond the well-known scopes of childhood drawing
development. There are more and more children in the focus of the education and
of child protection whose traumas can be traced back to infancy. Therefore it
is crucial to understand how senses of self emerge in early childhood and to
observe them in the mirror of the nonverbal expressiveness of children’s
scribbling. Knowing these mechanisms may prove to be useful for educators at
the kindergarten and primary school level, as well as for art teachers, special
education teachers, art therapists and psychologists enabling them to gain an
understanding of children’s drawings, to be able to maintain the creativity and
self-expressiveness of the child until adulthood, to prevent the phenomenon of
‘break’ in drawing, which is unfortunately a wide-spread tendency in our
society.
Personally
I think that drawing a line between graphic representation and graphic
self-expression carries high importance. The way of expressing our thoughts and
self is defined by the relationship of the world and our self. The piece of art
itself is a projection of the many aspects of this relation.
Graphic representation is a learnt
process in the first place, imbued with traditional methodology based on traditional
ways of teaching. The social setting serves as a model for children. Its main
purpose is to create a more or less realistic scene of what the drawer
perceives.
These processes can develop in line
with each other in case of children; the former provides the child with
pleasure while the latter is a standard - set by adults - to live up to. As
time goes by these processes may merge.
The self-developing graphic process
- which I am introducing in the following - is going to be outlined through the
work of the American scholar Rhoda Kellogg and my research concerning early
childhood scribbles. Similarly to Kellogg I also compare the very first stages
of children’s graphic development with the ancient ideas of mankind’s culture
of millennia. Rhoda Kellogg’s research on the process of self-taught art is
also set in line with self-development theories based on the latest research
data concerning infants with special attention to the American psychiatrist –
Daniel N. Stern’s extensive theory.
Ancient ideas and inherent expressiveness
The shared
content our collective unconscious carries consists of mankind’s most ancient
and general imagery titled by Jung as archetype.
The
most shocking proof of the relevance of Jung’s theory was found by Rhoda Kellogg,
a world famous American researcher of art of young children. He collected
children’s drawings from different layers of the American society and different
parts of the globe. The collection consists of drawings from the earliest
stages up to the age of fourteen. He processed and documented more than one
million drawings with his colleagues in San Francisco and Washington from the
1950’s. By analyzing drawings of children from the age of one to four he found
that the children cerate the very same patterns at different geographical
spots. He observed that no matter which geographical region is at hand the
development of drawing is similar, same patterns appear independently from
cultural settings and cultural development. Only in later stages can the influence
of a given cultural setting be traced in the drawings. It is more than
astonishing that these early universal scribbles accord with humanity’s most
basic and most ancient imagery. (Sun, Tree of Life, Mandala etc.)
It
seems that the nature of these early shapes, symbols and patterns is universal,
they belong to the human soul and later they give the basis of pieces of art
imbued with personal experiences, cultural influences if we let the child to
adopt the surrounding world. As an inherent ability it helps us to observe and
understand the world, to cope with difficulties or on the contrary to solve
problems. If the adult does not wait for the child to awake to the world –
namely to tune to analogies, to make it possible for the inner subjective world
to adapt to experiences and impacts coming from the outer world – but tries to
force his or her visual forms on the child this inner productive imagination
fades away. The expressiveness itself deteriorates and the graphic breakdown
occurs.
This
sight is based on an inherent ability of perceiving ancient imagery which is
summoned by the human community. It is a natural inner sight, I call it
inherent expressiveness.
Picture 1. Buddhist
Mandala from Tibet
Holy center or “holy home”. Godly power manifests in its center.
Let us turn our attention to the meaning and spiritual
aspects of one of the most significant ancient inner image that resides within
us, the circle-cross, namely the Mandala. This image has been present from the
very beginnings of history, not just in oriental religions but in the art of
the prehistoric man, tribal art, folk art and in Christian symbolism as well.
(Picture 1.) In Medieval Christian pieces of art it appears in the halos of
Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit. (Picture 2.)
It represents wholeness
and unity, the basic relation of space and time, the recurring pattern that
defines the world, just like the permanent change of the seasons, parts of the
day, the process of aging, death and afterlife. “Mankind has always wanted to
express some kind of unity since the dawn of history. Humanity used the symbols
of quaternity and the circle-cross to do so. (C.G. Jung)
According to Jung the
Mandala is a symbolic manifestation of the Selbst. The term Selbst represents
the total psyche that incorporates all that is spiritual. It also means the
center of the whole that holds the structure together hence it can be
understood as deep self. The Selbst is the symbol of the personality’s
archetype and wholeness. At the same time it is the image of God within us, the
Imago Dei, through which we are able to contact and sense God. The very purpose
of life is to establish a link with the Selbst, to reach it. The Selbst and its
symbols constitute the archetype of God.
Picture 2. “The Throne of Mercy” Polish gothic panel-picture
Face of the Holy Father
representing God’s personality in the middle of the circle-cross
Early
child scribble development process, presentation of the evolution of inherent
expressiveness
The scribble of a young child
is of course not a purposeless jumble, but a creative process of a coherent,
dynamic structure. The self-development process at the age of 0-6 months recurs
in the life of the child at the age of 2 and 2.5 years which is facilitated by
ancient visual symbols and ancient imagery, because once the sense of self came
into existence it remains active, functional and develops. It means that with
the aid of the basic ancient visual symbols the child remodels the
self-developmental process. It may be particularly true because symbolic
playing appears almost at the same time with scribbling and drawing. Symbolic
playing can be seen as a form of remodeling as well.
The scribbles of young children at the age of 1-2 convey
messages, these are not hodgepodges but show some kind of structure. In my
opinion three subcategories can be observed. (Rhoda Kellogg breaks down these
subcategories into another twenty basic scribbles.)
Such a subcategory
is the so called nest scribble
(Picture 3. 4.). It summons protection, the uterus and love that feed life for
the child.
Picture 3.– Tünde’s (1.5 years
old) nest scribble
Perceiving the world in unity
Stern
describes the emergent sense of self
as the first sense of self (from the age of 0 to 2 months), which is a
body-self formed by amodal perception
and vitality affects. The amodal
perception does not detect different
stimuli as separated sounds, visual images and touch but rather as a
perceptional unity, impressions of global abstracts, shapes and time patterns.
In this sense, with amodal perception the baby sees the world as a whole. It
means that the infant understands the world as a united entity, adapts
experience as such to different modalities. The child forms it from the very
beginning and applies abstract representations of perception. These
representations however are not spectacles, scenes, sounds or touches but
shapes, forms, time patterns and intensities, the global characteristics of
experiencing the world. Shapes like the nest scribble or the circle-cross are
capable of displaying such global unity since the circle is the symbol of
unity.
Picture
4– Fanni’s (1.5 year old) nest scribble
Characteristics of the individual can be seen in the
first scribbles.
Picture
5– Borka (1.5 year old) flowing scribble
Expression of vitality affects
Picture
6– Little boy (4 year old)
The next basic pattern is the so called flowing scribble. Scribbling like this generates temper in the
child and evokes the act of penetrating the world. In some cases a child may be
so high-tempered while drawing such scribbles that the paper gets torn.
(Pictures 5. 6.)
The passionate, highly intense, sometimes purposeless and dynamic worlds
of the flowing scribbles represent the vitality affects. In experiencing
vitality affects, perception and bodily feelings dominate at the same time. On
the contrary everyday feelings and emotions – joy, fear, anger - (categorical
affects) have content. Vitality affects constitute a more ancient, unconscious
vital layer of emotions. They rather have a form than content and do not attach
directly to joy and agony like the hedonistic categorical affects. Vitality
affects refer to the formal nature of motion which is inseparable from some
kind of mood. They make up a channel for interpersonal micro-communication
running its course just in a split second. The elemental rhythm as crying or
laughing becomes louder or quieter, the motion of hugging or pushing away, the
glance of eyes are all vitality affects giving the very core of all human
communication.
Picture7 – Fanni (one and a half year old)
Evocation of
timeless existence
The third basic pattern of scribbles is the dot. Drawing a dot may be
very intensive, the child just ‘thrusts’ the pencil at the paper, sometimes
making it slip leaving a dynamic mark. (Pictures 7. 8.). Another method is
drawing the dot for a very long time, making it denser, or making tiny circles
carefully in the grasp of timelessness.
8th
picture – Fanni (one and a half year old)
Dots compressed into a core with extreme
concentration.
In the moment the realm of
timelessness becomes dense. The child experiences the moment in both ways of
representing a dot and at the same time the personal singularity is summoned.
The research concerning the experience of the moment and its therapeutic use
plays a very important role in Stern’s work. According to Stern the present
moment is the duration when the smallest meaningful entity – gestalt – is
constituted from the elements of perception. Abstracts and narratives derive
from these primary psychic experiences.
Picture 9. Steve’s drawing (1.5 year old)
Different types of scribbles are randomly placed next
to each other.
Different
types of scribbles can be drawn on separate sheets of paper according to mood,
emotional state. They can appear on the same sheet of paper as well; however in
such cases placing the scribbles is random. (Picture 9.)
Picture 10.
Steve’s drawing (2 year old)
Different
types of scribbles start to develop some kind of relation.
The
next step is when the different types of scribbles start to connect to each
other and some form of relation appears. (Picture 10.) The reappearance of the
next stage of self-development is expressed at his point. This experience is
defined as the core sense of self
and its emergence occurs at the age of 2-6 months in the infant’s life. It is
based on four types of experiences. These are called self-agency,
self-coherence, self-history and self-affectivity.
Self-agency is the
experience of effectiveness namely when the individual personally experiences
that he or she is the conductor of acts. Without this the control over inner or
outer happenings could not be felt; hence we would not perceive acts, deeds as
our own. When it is insufficient the experience of control fades away. This
type of experience manifests in the act of scribbling, drawing since the child
sees the mark of the pencil on the sheet of paper. The child stops drawing when
the instrument does not leave any mark. The experience of creation makes young
children immersed in drawing.
Picture
11.– Fanni (1.5 year old)
As an intrinsic motivation the child focuses on the
center of the nest scribble. Experience of unity with spiritual center.
Picture
12- Fanni (1.5 years old)
Drawing nest scribbles sooner or later reaches a certain point when the
child starts to concentrate on the middle and marks it. (Pictures 11. 12.). Self-coherence refers to experiencing
unity during which the individual sees himself as an organic whole. This unity
has an outer border and the inner cohesive center of action. Without these, the
bodily experience would be fragmented, we would suffer from depersonalization;
borders between selves would grow dim just like in a psychotic state.
Inside the circle-cross the circle expresses self-unity, self-coherence hence
it is the symbol of wholeness, permanence and undividedness. The outer border
of our physical unity is represented by the arc of the circle which is also the
outer border of the sign itself. The inner center of action is marked by the
spot where the lines cross. (Pictures 13. 15.) The aforementioned
centralization can be traced while seeking the center of the nest scribble
before the real circle-cross structure would appear. (Pictures 11. 12.) First
the young child seeks the limits of the individual in nest scribbles born out
of gesture-like emotions; later the quest for the inner center takes place in
drawing small circles and dots in the middle.
13th
picture - Borka (one and a half year old)
Birth of Mandala
Picture 14. - Fanni (1.5 years old)
Birth of the
circle-cross
Picture
15. Steve (2 year old)
Birth of the circle-cross
Fourthly the three basic scribble patterns become one and represent the
symbolic unity of the world, namely the Mandala. (Pictures 13. 14. 15.)
The Mandala shapes gradually become clearer and come to life creating
infinite variations. (Picture 16.) In the circle itself the nest scribble
appears, the lines in the circle are flowing scribbles; the intersection of
lines gives the irrational dot. The dot itself is not separately drawn though
it is still there because of the crossing lines. It is there though it is not.
In this sense the dot symbolizes the transcendent beyond our world. The
transcendent imagery is again an archetype based on inherent abilities.
When analyzed verbally the term transcendent becomes highly complex and
theoretic. It is impossible to explain the principle of god to a three or a
four year old child who does not possess the ability of verbal thinking.
However, it is very interesting that by listening to fairy tales, and the Christmas
story, by perceiving the attributes of a given religion the child recognizes
and understands the transcendent being. The only way it is possible is that the
principle of the transcendent is an inherent preverbal image that is recognized
by the child during exploring the world.
The other factor symbolized by the irrational dot of the Mandala’s cross
is also mysterious. It is the expression of our inner self. Perceiving
ourselves and our existence is as mystic – if we think about it – as the
inherent image of God.
Picture
16. - Fanni (two year old) Variations of
Mandala
Self-history is
about experiencing the continual and historical aspects of the self, in other
words we change, things happen to us, still we remain the same. If it is
insufficient, dissociative disorders may emerge. In Picture 16. self-history is
symbolized by the change of the crossing lines. A dynamic pattern of motion
evolves; every single Mandala is slightly different – just like changes in the
world alter things. However, it will always be a circle-cross and this represents
the permanence of the individual self.
Self- affectivity does not connect to particular objects but to the self without which
experiencing joy of life would not be possible. We live through patterns of
emotions that go hand in hand with other self experiences. Lack of affection
can be seen for instance in depression, certain schizophrenic disorders etc.
The way I see it the sense of the core-self is symbolized by the
Mandala.
Self-affectivity
may manifest in art of young children. While drawing a Mandala, the child
creates circle or diagonal shapes in different angles in random positions. Due
to the peculiar pattern and the strange relation of lines, emotions and
different feelings are generated in artist and observer as well. /Pictures 15.
16/. (For instance vertical and horizontal diagonals imply tranquility, but if
the lines lean they bring forth dynamic emotions in artist and observer too.) Qualities of emotional inner patterns are
stirred by the graphic happening. Self-affectivity appears before the creation
of the complete circle-cross in experimenting with flowing scribbles, circle
nest scribbles and dot scribbles together. As Picture 10 indicates, by these
scribbles emotions come to perfection.
All
these feelings and emotions together as a united entity give the sense of
core-self just like the parts of the Mandala become one in the circle-cross.
As for further construction of
circle structures children prefer to place dots, shapes in the four spaces marked
by the lines. (Picture 17.) Analogies of this can be seen in ancient art and
folk art as well. Beautiful examples of these can be seen on Transylvanian
wooden plates. (Picture 18.) Different appearances of these often symbolize
time, changes of nature, the permanent cycle of spring, summer, autumn and
winter. Other examples can be found in Japanese and Chinese ceramic art.
Picture
17- Fanni (2 year old) Mandala
Picture
18. Plate from Korond by AntalnéPáll -
The circle-cross as a model or space and time
Picture
19. – A three year old child’s sun shape with rays
The Sun as the ultimate energy
source of life and ancient image symbolizes spirituality and deities. (For instance
the gospel calls Jesus the Sun of justice.)
The isosceles of the cross pushes out of the
circle, multiplies and forms sunrays in the child’s drawing. (Pictures 19. 20.)
Picture
20- Fanni (2 year old) "The
Sun"
The Sun
is an important image for all young children. It is not just a cosmic object or
natural phenomenon but dwells as a living person in the child. The Sun has got
a face. (Picture 20). It is not by chance that the face is formed by dots
spreading out form the center of the Mandala. (Picture 23.) They emerge from
that center which later brings forth ideas of the self and God based on the
similarities of these ideas. Personality brings these ideas together. This is
one reason why the Sun is endowed with personal characteristics, for instance a
face. With this impersonation evocation of the subjective sense of core-self
begins as a continuation of the earlier stages. In light of Stern’s statement,
namely the self experience also exists when the person who controls the self is
imaginary, I draw your attention to the fact that the core of the idea of God
roots in the evolution of the subjective sense of self.
Picture 21 Steve (3 year old) Birth of the Sun
Picture 22 Carved kobak (Somogy County, Hungary) Ancient symbol of the Sun
In
Picture 21 the little boy marks the face of the Sun with a small isosceles
cross. Analogies for this can be found in ancient arts, folk art, for instance
in Transdanubian shepherd art on the bottom of the carved kobak. Picture 22
clearly shows the vertiginous sunrays marked by triangles. The sun is divided
with an isosceles cross. It is one of the ancient signs of the Sun.
23rd
picture -Fanni (two year old) „Birth of
the Sun or the Man”
Picture 24- Fanni (2 year
old) Evolution of
visualizing a man from a circle-cross
Picture
25- Fanni (2 year old)
Tadpole figures
Visualization of human beings is
born out of other variations of Mandalas. (Pictures 24. 25.) First the vertical
line leaves the circle, turns into legs and hair while the horizontal line
becomes arms. (Pictures 24. 27.) The quadratic structure is not altered; it
does not multiply at the arc of the circle like in the case of summoning the
Sun. (Picture 23). Arms and legs may emerge from the amoeba-like nature of the
circle as continuance of the lines. (Picture 25.) Dots that stay within will
become eyes, nose, mouth, and so the tadpole figure is born. (Pictures 24. 25.)
As a next step the tadpole figure
divides into two circles form which other circles emerge making visualization
of heads, the body and different limbs possible. (Pictures 24. 26)
Picture
26- Fanni (2 year old) Evolution of
visualizing a man from a circle-cross.
At this point it is undecided what will the shape at
the left side be, Sun or tadpole figure.
Picture
27- Fanni (two year old) Stages of
visualizing a man.
Picture
28.-Fanni (two year old) Earlier
pictorial stages like the Sun also plays a part in the process. Observe how
sunrays transform into eyelashes and nails.
In pictures 26-28 we see the different stages and results of this
process. Many transitional images appear in one drawing exemplifying how the
child experiments with new forms.
Picture
29- Fanni (2 year old) Interpersonal
sense of self, the subjective
sense of self till 7-15 months.
The subjective sense of self appears from the age of 7 months and
intensely develops to the age of 15 months. At this stage the infant discovers
that he and the other, different subjective world possess intentions, emotions
and experiences that can be shared with each other. The subjective self
develops during the mother’s so called affective (emotional) tuning. It is not
a conscious process and the formation of this experience manifests in
insignificant expressions, movements, sighs or sounds.
During the tuning the already
mentioned vitality affects play an important role. It also means that the
exploration of our self is only possible through relations with other persons.
As Attila József the famous Hungarian
poet says in his poem It is not me who
shouts: “In vain you bathe in yourself, Only in someone else can your face
be washed”
As it has been pointed out the
subjective self emerges during the mother’s emotional tuning to the child. She
usually unconsciously mimes and follows the infant’s actions. Emotions the
mother shows resemble the infant’s action though not similar to them so the
child experiences similarities and differences in this interpersonal
relationship. This is shown in the tadpole figure where on the one hand the
figure symbolizes him, the Sun represents the other. (Picture 29.) Besides the
nurturer the child may evoke God in drawings of the Sun. In the Hungarian word
for God – Isten – an ancient expression, “ős-ten” hides. It means “ancient
other”, the “ancient you” who was the very first individual, no one existed
before him. “Is” is an older form of
“ős” (ancient), while “ten” is an
archaic form of the personal pronoun “te” (you). God is sometimes called the Ancient of days in the Bible (Daniel 7,
9). We also address God as thee (you) in our prayers as a reference to an
intimate relationship. The search for personality is an amazingly strong part
of development. When children go to kindergarten everything gets impersonated,
for example they draw clouds with eyes, nose and mouth.
Picture
30.- Fanni (two year old) „Processing
the Balloon experience”
Fanni’s balloon drawing proves that children often define themselves in
human shapes. (Picture 30.) It also underlines the fact that in early drawing
development the evolutionary stages of sense of self are reflected by these
symbolic graphic representations. In Fanni’s drawing we see many variations of
her. Figures hold balloons in the picture; at that time she was fond of
balloons, when spotted some in the street she had to have one. The possession
of balloons imbued her without worldly happiness. She attached the balloons
filled with gas to the balloon man’s wrist in order to prevent them from flying
away. All the depicted balloon men are representations of her.
According to Zsuzsa Gerő (1974) actual experiences can be traced in the
drawings full of tension of emotions. The objective
self also appears in these drawings meaning that the child refers to
himself in a visual verbal form. However, it is related to the next stage of
sense of self development, namely to the sense of verbal-self from the age of fifteen months.
Picture
31- Fanni (two year old)
„Animal and Sun”
Connecting graphic representations of the Sun and humans often lead to
the birth of animals. (Pictures 31-33.) Sun-rays are integral part of early
visualization of animals. Rays outline an amoeba-like structure forming the
body or its parts of the animal. Interestingly in one of the drawings the original
sun-shape meets a spiral. The first recognizable graphic representation of
animals may appear at the age of two, almost simultaneously with the appearance
of the Sun and humans.
Picture
32.- Fanni (two year old) „An animal”
Picture
33- Fanni (two year old) „An animal”
Picture
34.- Rhoda Kellogg’s circle diagram,
showing the evolution of different shapes from the
original Mandala.
At this point we must underline that
all the aforementioned shapes and images derive from the ancient circle-cross,
the Mandala. In this sense it can be
understood as the singularity breaking into the building blocks of our world,
in other words the process represents genesis. (Picture 34.) Since Rhoda
Kellogg noticed it; many scholars have paid attention to this matter. Workings
of the self come to perfection by the symbolic act of creation. What appears
here is one of the godly attributes of humans, namely the ability of creation.
This is the core of visual creativity.
Picture 35. – Steve – „Quadrant
construction”
The
cross in the circle almost begs for becoming a square. /Picture 35./ The opportunity
is not missed and the child starts to construct structures, grids and
experiments with dimensions. This is the birth of the house shape. /Picture 36./
Picture
36- Fanni (two and a half year old) „Birth
of the House”
Later
in drawings of older children – who go to kindergarten –the circle-cross
structure is still present, however it does not manifest as an individual sign
but as an integral part of a composition /Pictures 37 and 38/ hence making the
visualization of human relationships possible. The absent parts of the Mandala
sometimes return as some kind of dark underworld in the art of young children.
(Picture 38.)
Picture 37– the
circle-cross as graphic compositional scheme
Picture 38.- Fanni (five year old)
The
bottom part of the circle-cross as the underworld with underground tunnels and
a small digging animal occasionally exploring the surface appears in the
drawing.
Picture
39- Fanni (five year old). The bottom part of the circle disappears, completeness
gives way to fragmentation.
The reason why the circle-cross within the child transforms is that
during growth, socialization the self gradually secedes from completeness and
gets lost in the aspects of mundane reality. The remaining half-circle turns
into a hill and cave but can be a rainbow, a house etc. The bottom half-circle
disappears. Somebody lives both in the cave and under the rainbow too. Drawings
of caves also represent protection, the uterus and summons the warmth of
motherly care. It may also mean the idea of the nucleus state. (Picture 39). It
does not cease to exist, still the Mandala changes and completeness sinks deep
into the subconscious, leaving fragmentation on the visible surface. I would
like to remind you the already mentioned concept of amodal perception. Stern’s
concept means that the infant sees the world as whole and this experience stays
for a long time. In our culture however
the experience of completeness fades and during to the socializing process
fragmentation prevails. „All that is complete has broken” says the poet Endre
Ady referring to our era.
Picture
40. - Fanni (six year old) “Princess”
Preparation for the female role.
Picture
41- Fanni (six year old)
Princess wearing an apron with a flower, the symbol of
maternity.
Young
girls love to draw princesses in order to express their awakening femininity
hence they prepare for becoming a mother. (Picture 41.) Attributes of the
mother appear in the ’hair-tent’ as a symbol of protection and they are also present
around the elbow in forms of stars, little suns and flowers. (In Picture 40
Fanni depicted a uterus on the princess’ apron.) These give the dual concept of
maternity. Not just motherly attributes appear in these images but another
role, namely the seductress. Young girls like to be pretty; development of
their self-judgment carries high importance. Self-confidence needs to
strengthen, knowing one’s values are of high account in adult age.
Picture
42.- Szabi (6 year old)
“Battle Mech”
Young boys depict warriors, unconsciously strengthening their masculine
identity.
Similarly to the princess figure, little boys also have their own images
in order to strengthen their masculinity. These are usually warriors, heroes,
robots, soldiers etc. They utilize more dynamic, aggressive images,
unconsciously preparing for becoming a man. (Picture 42.)
Scribbles of the self development process are cornerstones of a spiritual
journey which connect, though not necessarily coincide with cognitive
development. Children of this age are capable of copying any graphic
representations in order to meet the requirements set by adults, but after the
task is done scribbles become top priority again. It shows that the dual functions of drawing -
the practical everyday imagery and the artistic self-expression - appear at
quite an early stage.
István Platthy
art therapist
www.csontvarystudio.hu