CREATIVE AND PERFORMING ARTS (CPA)

(Art and Craft)

BECE 2204

Art is man’s expressive works. It is a visual way of conveying a message.

Craft is turning of raw materials into desirable finished products.

Art work includes drawing, painting, designing, knitting, modeling, curving among others. Craft work
should not be necessarily beautiful most of them are three dimensional and are movable. Art and craft is
a general language of community.

The objectives and importance of learning creative skills.

 To awaken children’s imaginative and creative talents.

 Develop coordination and control of learners’ muscles.
 Develop eye-hand coordination.
 Express themselves through manipulation of materials.
 Appreciate and use local material/ appreciate nature.
 Develop their observation skills.
 Gain experience in handling different materials and relate them to their daily lives.
 Relate and enjoy them.
 Develop positive social values and identify.
 Appreciate their culture and other people’s culture.

Art and craft activities.

Pre-school children spend most of their time manipulating materials in their environment. This makes
them enjoy sessions of art and craft lessons. However, the way they express themselves in art and craft
depends on their experience, environment and capabilities.

The teacher should therefore facilitate the lessons with this consideration in mind by being flexible,
patient, encouraging and respecting learner’s efforts.

Some of the content/ skills, learners should be exposed to include, coloring, pasting, sticking, panting,
printing, among others.

To develop the above skills the learners should carry out the following activities;

Free modeling, modeling balls, sticks or pre-school class, tearing and cutting indiscriminately scribbling
with figure sticks, charcoal or chalks or pencils, free drawing, coloring shapes and pictures or objects, etc
Stages of artistic development.

During growth and development, children pass through stages in perfecting their psych-motor skills.

Owing to maturing of their muscles, brain and senses. They are able to achieve different results in their
activities at different levels.

Loweneld and Britain 1982 defined the stages in children’s drawing as scribbling, pre-schematic,
schematic and drawing realism. These stages have been linked to chronological age practically. However
, a number of factors internal and external affect a child’s artistic development. Thus , to expect that a
particular child at a certain age should be at a certain stage of development is inappropriate.

A number of theoretical models have been offered over the years to explain children’s artistic
development. While these models may vary for example in the number of proposed stages , they all
propose a similar pattern of development one of progressing from scribbling to realistic representation.
Some of these factors include; social economic factors for example, they seem to have little influence on
the earliest stages. For instance, all children begin drawing by scribbling. Moreover , boys and girls tend
to draw alike at the early ages. Children’s drawings typically show greater development than paintings
because crayons, markers and pencils are easier to control than paint and brush.

However, development in art is not universal and is dependent on the environment in which a child
grows up and is educated.

There are four stages of children’s artistic development;

a) Scribbling,
b) Pre-symbolism,
c) Symbolism,
d) Realism.

It is based on the popular view that the desired end state of this progression is graphical realism.
However, this should not be taken to mean to mean that the drawings that children typically do in
earlier stages are inferior or less desirable to those accomplished in later stage.

1. Scribbling stage (13 months-3 years)

This includes various levels which are;

i. Random scribbling (1-2 1/2 years)

The youngest o children begin drawing by making marks on the surface. These marks do
not have any specific meaning. This is generally known as uncontrolled or disordered scribbling
stages. The scribbles are at first random. The child does not realize that he can make the
scribbles to describe what he wants. The scribbles vary in length and direction. They are based
upon the physical and psychological development of the child.
 These are mostly done on the floors, walls and furniture.
If the proper tools and materials are not provided scribbling is a natural part of the total
development of children in the world over. At this stage, children should be encouraged to keep
scribbling and never be scolded. Otherwise they can lose interest, withdraw and therefore
stagnate. This reflects in their psychological and physiological growth. Then they become more
controlled as the child grows physical and mentally. Parents out to be interested in the
development of the scribbles but should not be at this stage/level expecting anything realistic.

ii. Controlled scribbling (2-3 years).

At this stage the child’s muscle coordination has become more stabilized. He can hold a piece of
wood, small stick and a pencil (if provided) more steadily. Hence he can control the direction of
the lines he is drawing. Children progress from uncontrolled to controlled scribbles. The child
suddenly realizes that the marks being made can be controlled. This is accomplishment for the
child. The coordination between visual and motor development becomes easy for the child thus
enabling him/her to come up with certain clearer images. The child will discover a relationship
between what has been drawn and something in the environment. The children can now
produce circular lines representing the sun, zigzag lines, etc.

iii. Named scribbles. (3 1/2 - 4 years)

This is an important part of children. They start to name their scribbles. E.g. sun, dog, etc. The
child has connected his scribbles to what is happening around him/her. This stage can vary from
child to child. The understanding of scribbles can help both the teacher and the parents
understand their learners/ children better. It is important that the teacher and parents put
model object in class or in the house to stimulate children into drawing.
Taking children outside will also help them interact with the natural objects like trees, cows or
birds within their environment.

2. Pre-schematic stage (4-7years)

The next stage is the pre-schematic stage, where the child makes his first presentation attempts. This
stage starts at 4 years and ends at around 7 years. The child attempts to draw his first symbol. Trees are
represented by a thin line with circles at the top, the typical head-feet representation of a man and any
other object in his environment. Kellogg (1970) points out that this first drawing of humans derived from
the circles and lines that the child can have created in the scribbles. Children may also draw other
objects which are parts of their experiences, such as animals using basically the same forms.

Colors used in their drawings are not realistic and figures tend to be placed randomly on a page.
 3. Schematic stage/symbolic stage (7-9 years)

At about seven years, the child moves into the schematic age in which definite forms are developed.
These forms are used to present the child’s environment. A child will respect basically the same form
again and again, they draw people or trees or birds in the same forms or symbols. Figures or objects are
often arranged on baseline rather than placed at random on the page, however to the paper.

Children in this stage often represent objects in space from a point of view that is much different from
the adult point of view. They may use an x-ray perspective so that the viewer can see the inside and the
outside of the house at the same time.

4. Realism/ representation stage (7-9 years)

At around nine the child enters the stage of drawing realism; the drawings begin to symbolize parts of
the environment in a descriptive way. The child begins to make his drawings much smaller and with
much more details and is no longer eager to share his work with adults. They become increasingly
conscious of details and proportion in what they are drawing. Some children in early childhood
classrooms may be making the transition into this stage. They also show more interest than before in
drawing people in action poses and in costumes.

Given the increased emphasis on realism among children during their preadolescent years, art
instruction that focuses on visual description and observational techniques can be particularly beneficial
at this age. Indeed, most children are quite capable of attaining the realistic quality they so desire in
their artwork. But, only if they receive the proper instruction that enables them to develop the
competences required to do so.

How young children draw does not seem to reflect training. Britain (1969) reported his experiences in
trying to teach nursery school children to draw a square.

Responsibility of a teacher.

 The teacher should help children explore a wide variety of materials.

 A teacher should provide children with a variety of activity.
 The teacher should allow children to explore about colors, shapes and texture.
 Helping children to control their finer muscles.
 Help the learners practice eye-hand coordination.
 The teacher should allow the child to feel comfortable with their ability to express themselves.
Why children should make their own choices.

If children make their own choices;

 They learn to be tolerant.

 Helps them to control their emotions.
 It helps them in decision making.
 They develop imaginations and creativity.
 It helps in increasing their thinking capacity.
 They develop the habit of cooperation and sharing.
 They also develop manipulative skills.
 It reduces biasness.
Etc

Characteristics if child art.

 The pictures they draw are not proportional.

 They have no perspectives.
 Pictures drawn have no baseline.
 Pictures maybe scattered among others.
Discuss and share further.

Integration of art and craft with other subject

The key goal of integrating the arts with other subjects is to reinforce skills and content across
the curriculum through hands-on art and craft activities. When students are making or creating things
that incorporate content from other subject areas, they are better able to integrate and retain what
they are learning.

Integrating the arts with other subjects combines the creative engagement of arts activities with content
from other subject areas, such as math, science, English, literacy or social studies and technology. There
are many ways to integrate the arts with specific content areas.

The following are some of the ways of integrating art and craft with t subjects.

Literacy/ science:

The learners draw and name pictures e.g. animals, insects, living and nonliving things. Learners
can also model, shade or paint etc according to the teacher’s lesson activity.

English/ language:

Language is an art, drawing pictures, matching. When teachers draw children can model, color,
paint or sort objects.
Literacy/Social Studies:

Writing patterns, children can draw and model e.g. homestead, school badge, members of the
family.

Religious Education;

 Children can draw e.g. Jesus on the cross, Jesus preaching.

 Role playing,
 Drawing religious places. E.g. church, mosque.
 God’s creation.
 Drawing people praying. Etc.

Music:

 Singing and dancing.

 Beating the drum.
 Drawing musical instruments.
 Playing instruments.
 Decorating their work.

P.E:

 Children are encouraged to make materials like ropes, balls, dolls, games, singing,
clapping rhythmically.

Why should teachers display children’s art and craft work in their classroom.

 For appreciation and encouragement.

 It helps a teacher to group his/her learners accordingly.
 It motivates the teacher to work hard.
 Develops their talents.
 It is a reference center for both the teacher and learner.
 Children feel that they are valued.
 It helps to control the class.
 Develops competitive attitudes.
 Develop the reading and communication skills.
 It gives parents the assurance and confidence.
 It also help certain the learners curiosity etc

The significance and contribution of art and craft in general

i. Graphics;
Every society needs communication and advertisement like newspaper, road signs, signposts,
trademarks, flags, cinemas, films and photography. Art and craft through graphics contributes
 greatly in the society and improvement of social, political, religious, medical, education and
other sectors of the community.

ii. Commercial and industrial art.

This is closely related to graphic art linked with illustration, publication and advertising. In
commerce, science and technology, the community has great gains and all round the world. ,
e.g. designing and printing of money is an art while plates, cups and motor vehicles, trains,
airplanes, machines and equipment used in surgery, medicines, agriculture and industries are
examples of art and craft.

iii. Crafts;
Domestic life all over the world depends on craft, like houses or buildings, pottery, furniture,
carpets, textiles and many others.

Functions of Art and Craft in Uganda today

i. Provision of growth and development.

Art and craft promotes growth and development among pupils, students and adults of
intellectual, physical, social, perceptual, esthetic and creative education.

N.B; A child of one year scribbles. A four year old draws only the head of the human figure. And as the
child grows the learner increasingly includes details like; legs, feet, neck, chest and stomach. A drawing
of tall details is an indication of intellectual awareness, growth and development.

ii. Provision of jobs for citizens;

Art and craft develops skills that can benefit individual learners and groups to earn a living from
the crafts and art pieces that they make and create.

iii. Art and craft are foreign exchange earners.

They boost the tourism industry by attracting tourists in the country who eventually buy some
art pieces too. The foreign currencies brought in by tourists helps strengthen the country’s
economy and capacity.

iv. Occupational and therapy treatment.

They are also a form of occupational and therapy treatment. Art and craft are used in mental
hospitals for treatment of patients.

v. Art and craft help in the preservation and conservation of Uganda’s culture.
Through the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Culture, Ugandans appreciate the beauty and the
value of traditional art and crafts. This helps to discover and preserve the good elements in
them and to develop and improve on the modern art and crafts.
What do learners gain from learning art and craft?

a) Art and craft develops Intellectual growth and development in a learner. (mental abilities)

b) Physical growth and development.

Art and craft is similar to physical education in the development of the body growth and
coordination. During the exercises in art and craft the learner undergoes physical exercise in the
way she/he lifts and handles materials, equipments, guides the lines, and controls his/her body.
Eventually and gradually the muscles of the body are developed and coordinated.

c) Emotional growth and development.

In exposing learners to art materials and tools, emotional and physical environment where by
they develop their emotions, control and those emotions will not injure them. This education
leads to growth and development to their emotions. These assist learners to achieve social
integration. Art is a strong medium, of self-expression. It is a visual language through which
pupils can learn to express their emotions, moods and personal feelings.

d) Perceptual growth and development.

As learners draw, point or produce a craft piece, they use more than the sense of sight. They
respond to their work through all physical senses sight tastes, hearing smell and touch. This way
they increasingly develop sensitivity to and awareness of their surroundings.

e) Social growth and development.

In art and craft, individual learners are thought as an individual in a group. During the creative
art lessons, learners show materials, ideas, feelings.
Learners from each other and learn to appreciate each other’s work. The conditions of working
help in establishing and strengthening learners’ sense of discipline.

f) Aesthetic growth and development.

The learners are able to appreciate beauty. They do sensitivity to beautiful things especially in
drawing, painting, modeling and other creative activities. This leads to good and harmonious
feelings. It leads to the feeling of warmth towards learners. Learners are helped to distinguish
between good and bad, order and choose, evil and righteous and beauty.

g) Creative growth and development.

This is developed among learners when they are given an opportunity to work independently
and originally.
The learners explore and experiment. They create through emotional freedom and fearlessness
in subject approach and in the use of various media or materials.
 Learners who have been retarded in their creativity by rules, dogma, and force resort to copying
and tracing methods. They adopt styles of others as a sign of lost confidence in their own
original power to create.

h) Development and growth of the sense of volume.

By the sense of volume here refers to the feeling of space and solidarity. This is developed
through modeling, curving in wood and stone. Sculpture, pottery, etc
Why is Art important in early childhood development?
It is no secret to pretend that children love art; as soon as toddlers/young children can group a
cray on their little hands, they are busy scribbling away on coloring pages and sometimes even
the nearest wall or door. As kids get older, the level or artistic ability grows with them.
Including art as an important part of young children daily routine can have an enormous impact
on your child's growth.

Challenges that hinder teachers from teaching and planning to conduct art and crafts lesson.
 Lack of teaching material.
 Varying interest and attitudes of the learners.
 Lack of enough classroom space.
 Lack of creativity capabilities by both teachers and learners.
 Poor interpretation abilities of the syllabus.
 Time allocation between lessons.
 Lack of school support.
 Underdeveloped skills of learners to manipulate.
 Poor teaching methods and skills of teachers. Laziness of both the teacher and learners.
 Ignorance of the teachers.