Lowenfeld and Brittain’s 'Pseudo-naturalistic stage' and its applicability to Maltese students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to research the already established theory of artistic development in Victor Lowenfeld and W. Lambert Brittain’s book called Creative and Mental Growth. The main aim was to examine whether the characteristics of the fifth stage, the Pseudo-Naturalistic stage, are applicable to the artworks of Maltese youngsters. The second aim of this study was to find out whether art students use realism as a measure of artistic success, as their theory suggests or whether contemporary students and educational approaches to art focus on other aspects of visual and material culture and social issues. Seventy-four drawings of eighth and ninth grade students were analysed using a checklist containing characteristics which are found in the fifth stage of Lowenfeld and Brittain’s theory. Three art teachers were also interviewed in order to be able to understand better the artistic development of that age group and in order to be able to compare the teachers’ perspectives with the youngsters’ drawings. Results show that students follow numerous characteristics found in the artistic development theory, such as drawing characteristics, colour, design and pattern characteristics, as well as subject matter. The results also indicate that students nowadays are critical of their drawings. In contrast, it was found that students who followed Lowenfeld and Brittain’s ideas regarding light and shade, the representation of space and the representation of the human figure, were in the minority.