Drawing as a means of self-expression: a case study

ABSTRACT

When children are five to six years old, they express emotions and thoughts through drawings. This case study investigates how a six-year-old child perceives his family, friends, and himself through drawing as a tool of self-expression. This study was conducted using document analysis as a qualitative research method. Demographic data and other information regarding the child were collected during the initial interview with the family. Drawing activities with the child began in the second session and continued through the third and fourth sessions. Both before and after each drawing session, the mother was interviewed. Once the child finished his drawings, he was asked about the pictures he drew and this information was later compared with the information given by his mother. Examining these pictures showed that the child was communicating life events and experiences to the researcher through his drawings.

KEYWORDS:

• Emotions
• drawing
• self-expression

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Zeynep Çetin graduated from Hacettepe University department of child development in Ankara in 1991. She completed doctorate education in 2002. She works on issues of art and creativity in early childhood and babies development.

Nimet Güneş graduated from Hacettepe University department of child development in 2012. She completed master education in 2017. She works art and creativity in early childhood.