Stations of artistic development (Viktor Lowenfeld) (2023)

Stages of artistic development have been studied and named by many people; Viktor Lowenfeld, Marianne Kerlavage and Judy Burton, who are leaders in this field. While there are many factors that affect a child's rate of development, these stages attempt to define a developmental pattern that most people tend to reach.

2-4 years:scribbled

• kinesthetic activity
• Includes: mandalas, bars, pops and open shapes.
• transition: closed forms

Four distinct behaviors can be observed during the doodling phase: manipulation, uncontrolled marking, controlled marking, and planned/named marking. Markup in the scribble phase is usually random. Artwork at this stage includes bursts, slashes, mandalas, and open shapes. Creating art is more about kinesthetic movement and material manipulation than what is put on the page. Also, children at this stage can recognize specific colors, but they rarely choose colors for specific purposes. By the end of this step, the markers become more organized and the children are more involved in creating their artwork. The transition scale for this phase, in addition to naming the doodles, is the creation of closed shapes.

Due to the rapid development of sensory and motor functions at this age, progress at this stage is faster than at others. As children develop, they will begin to make connections between their actions and the trails they leave behind. Children at this stage are also beginning to understand the notion of right and wrong along with other simple words and phrases, allowing them to communicate verbally as they create their art.

4-7 years:preliminary scheme

• Early understanding of symbols.
• Includes: nature, paper filling, floating shapes
• Transition: Tadpole People

Artwork in the pre-sketch stage indicates a child's tendency to draw representatively. The images begin to resemble symbols, but these can only be understood by the child. The drawings created in this phase often deal with elements of nature and occupy the entire paper.

From then on, the letters and numbers will appear as elements in the children's drawings. Colors may also start to look more realistic than they do in artwork by younger artists. Also, drawn shapes float and there is no discernible baseline. The referent of this phase is the creation of tadpole people (figures without a neck and arms that sprout from the head).

Children at this stage find it difficult to distinguish between fantasy and reality and create an alternative view of the world around them. They are able to regulate their own behavior and can comply when sharing is necessary. Also, different personality traits emerge at this age as they begin to compare themselves to others.
7-9 years:Scheme

• art for communication
• Includes: facial features, improved figure rendering
• Transition: baseline (actual or implied)

The graphics created during the schematic phase are used as a visual communication tool. Young artists develop specific schemes to represent objects. Children at this stage are still more interested in the process of making art than the final product. A key feature and reference point at this level is the use of a baseline (visual or assumed) or simply a more organized space. The child may also start to show depth in his drawings at this stage. Furthermore, the colors used are based on the actual appearance of the item and were not chosen at random.

Around this age, children develop thought processes similar to those of adults, although they are not yet able to think abstractly. Motor skills and hand-eye coordination are well developed at this stage, allowing children to create works of art that others can easily understand. Figures are created by contouring or stacking shapes, and what is created is more symbolic than realistic. Although both the face and body are accurately drawn, everything can only be seen from the front. The challenge of larger shapes is solved with fold-out drawings, X-ray drawings, multi-angle drawings and panoramic views. After all, the themes of children's drawings at this stage revolve around narratives.

9-11 years:wake up realism

• Art as a creative outlet.
• Includes: Details, Identifying Clothing, Retreat Space, World Creation
• Transition: Consideration of application of design principles

The art of emerging realism marks the transition from purely symbolic art to art as a creative outlet. Children at this stage are focused on developing an art skill and are often frustrated in the process. Artists can start by depicting their subjects from multiple angles, and often multiple baselines are shown. Color is true to life in the designs for this stage, but elements of fantasy and illusion can be incorporated into the shape of the world design.

Often at this stage young artists create certain aspects of a piece in great detail and divide up the remaining space with concise symbols. The details of the piece, rather than the objects as a whole, are considered identifying features, and much of the artist's approach is guided by this ideal. Also, at this stage, artists start resizing objects based on their location, giving the illusion of a recessed space.

Children at this stage have the ability to think logically, which allows them to find multiple ways to solve problems. Individuals develop personal sets of rules and govern themselves based on these rather than those established by adults. In addition, children at this stage place a high value on their social interaction and often compare themselves negatively with others. One facet of emerging realism is the gang stage, in which performers struggle to fit in with their peers.

11-13 years:the age of reason

• Ideas in search of shape
• Includes: proportions, three-dimensional space, realistic colors.
• Transition: material understanding

At this age, children begin to think abstractly. Coordination and physical growth often get out of balance at this point, hampering the artist's ability to create what he thinks he should be able to. Also, at this age, children begin to favor same-sex friendships over opposite-sex friendships, which is often related to self-esteem issues.
During the Age of Sanity, many children drop out of formal art education. More attention is paid to the final product than the creative process, and young artists are often dissatisfied with their artwork. Artists at this stage of development will pay more attention to the proportions of elements in their work, creating a three-dimensional space and using realistic colors.

At this stage, artists prefer to draw from observation rather than imagination. There is an increase in experimentation with materials and concepts. Artists were also very interested in portraying the human figure at this time. This phase was also sometimes referred to as pseudonaturalistic, as a reaction to the "adult" naturalism of his drawings.

14-17 years:The decision period

• Art motivated by meaning
• Includes: emotional inspiration, social issues, and skill enhancement
• Transition: personal voice

During this developmental phase, young artists begin to make art with an adult perspective. While it is possible for all young artists to continue to this point, one must want to improve their artistic skills. By interpreting the world through a creative process, teenagers begin to approach their work as a mature artist would. The themes of artworks at this stage vary according to the artist's interest and can range from extremely realistic to abstract. Artists at this stage are often motivated by social issues, emotions, or perfecting their own techniques, which can result in individualistic styles.

Artists at this stage may experiment with different means to achieve a single goal. Space, color and design elements are well understood at this point and used to create innovative artwork. Teenagers are able to draw pictures from memory rather than observation. The belief that each person is unique in body and mind is evident at this time and often dictates the teen's emotions.

17 years or older:adult

• mature artist
• Includes: Focusing on individual goals, promoting personal voice.
• Transition: Continuous improvement of prior knowledge

As a continuation of the decision phase, this phase includes artists who continued to participate in the creative process. In this phase, the individualistic style is developed and the skill is continuously improved. Creating artwork at this stage involves introspective reflection to create pieces that reflect the artist's personal voice.

As in the previous stages, reaching this level of skill depends on the artist's willingness to continue dedicating himself to art. Not every adult will have the foundation to perform at the level a mature artist is capable of.