Harvard Project Zero provides a series of technical research reports which study artistic creation and comprehension as a means toward better art education. The emphasis of the research is to improve art education through a better psychological understanding of symbol systems and media of art and through better understanding of the perceptual,…

Reports two studies. The first study compared adults and children (aged four, six, and eight) on ability to sort paintings according to artist, a conceptual task that can reveal cognitive organization. The second study compared three groups of eight- to nine-year-olds using slightly different procedures. The results showed strong developmental…

This paper argues that a major objective of art in the schools is to enhance visual perception and that there is a close correlation between school achievement and visual perception scores. Children's art growth is discussed, and it is argued that dittoed drawings and coloring books are harmful to this growth because they promote a narrow and…

This book explores the relationships between movement and painting in order to better understand the nature of any relationship between dance and the visual arts. It begins with a look at early movements made by the infant and how these develop with the child's increasing sensory awareness and muscular control. Some comparisons are sought between…

Reviews research about young childrens' focusing on the ability to transform a perceived scene into another representation. Reports on a study of 109 children and 18 college-age students on their ability to mold a lump of clay into a three-dimensional figure. Finds that cognitive maturity alone does not automatically lead to competence. (CFR)

Responds to Claire Golumb's research on the cognitive development of young children's ability to create representations of reality using visual arts. Asserts that young children must find acceptable pictorial substitutes when producing representations. (CFR)

Provides an overview of the research literature concerning the development of graphic art skills, relevant instructional methods, and the specific use of visual models as an instructional method. Pertinent findings, relevant methodological issues, and major conclusions are all discussed. Briefly addresses the viewpoints of gestalt and learning…