Creating a collage also means acquiring other skills, especially for young artists such as this one. As he makes decisions about which pieces of fabric or textured paper to use, he is discovering the nature and complexity of possible choices in the world, just on a smaller scale. This experience is important for physical, visual and spatial development as well as social and verbal growth.
The act of exploring within the collage process encourages this artist to experiment with color, line, shape and size. Placing materials in different areas and at different angles on the paper allows him to take it one step further, as he creates a design with these basic elements of art. Developing such visual-spatial relationships, such as eye-hand coordination, the artist learns to further understand and label such important concepts.
Artmaking lets children convey what they may not be able to say with words. Involvement with a rich variety of materials, and growing mastery over how to effectively use them, instills confidence and pride in the creators. These boys are both remaining very focused as they work on their individual pieces, but are also finding a way to relate to each other and a reason to talk and reflect together afterward.
As the artist tears the materials and glues them down, onto the perfect spots that he has found for them, he is refining his small muscle movements. This will assist him in learning to control a pencil and write, which is key for further problem-solving in school and communicating through written word.
After the artists work for a period of time on their creations, it is interesting to look at them as a group. It is amazing to see how collage enables them to explore materials so spontaneously, yet also to become more in control of their actions, expressions, and final creations. This moment of making a connection between the physical world (of things and events) and the inner world (of feelings and meanings) is a magical thing to observe.
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