Children's Painting

United Arab Emirates25 May 1988Draft

The concept of arts education developed from mere implementation of artistic works and acquiring of skills to a comprehensive education for the pupil that possesses him with vast experiences and at the same time could furnish him with all forseeable basics of full character development. The pupil through educational activities and art study can develop his potentialities for research, shouldering of responsibility as well as his growth mentally, sensually and morally. This comprehensive new outlook affirms that art study through education is a means and not an end. It is a means for building up of the fully grown citizen who is able to exercise life through the style and initiative of the artist who can adapt himself to the fast changes around. We have realised through witnessing children drawings the symbols by which they express themselves and reflect their reactions, thoughts, impressions and distinguish their styles from those of elders expressing themselves in the language of plastic arts. In childhood this embodies high values of abstract arts. Some of these values are acquired spontaneously in planning stage at the age of 2 to 5 years approximately; others are aimed at for the same abstract values -when the child in his blank paper draws lines, areas, colours, and figures that have no indications in nature.