In connection of the publication of this gift book Greenland, Associated American Artists is having a major exhibition of wood engravings and lithographs by Rockwell Kent. Like a few years ago it was happening with this named painter, modern young boys and girls try themselves in creating pictures. The brush in the hand of a four or six year child is more natural than the pencil. Kids use the brush not only with arms but also with their bodies. When a child takes a pencil, he becomes tense – that is why the choice of the brush is very important. And in addition, the paper should be large enough to allow the kid the opportunity of working out his idea on a large scale. The child starts drawing not thinking of color firstly. Then as it is a real experience to watch a child mixing two or more colors and making various designs of stripes, dots, or swirls. Then comes a period of symbolism, showing how the real world of people and things has broken into the child’s consciousness. He represents them by self-devised symbols which appear flat and static. Step by step the child grows toward representation – he tries to express his ideas or imagination through pictures. The young artist doesn’t make any previous drawings – he boldly work with brush and paint, feeling his composition and design subconsciously as he goes along.

From the ages of ten the child may be taken out to the places of interest in the neighborhood or to the zoo or park in order to attract him to the surrounding. Later the child becomes a conscious designer, that is, he considers the elements of design – line, mass, and color. It is very important that he experience them as a need in his own work. From about fourteen or eighteen years of age, the developing artist perceives the true elements of form. A most helpful means of studying form will be found in the analysis of works of painters like Van Gogh or Cezanne – their names are known in the whole world. Be sure to remember famous Rockwell Kent.