2-4: Graphic aspects of early human figure drawings

Perspective

If early drawings of very different contexts of their production are compared, any setting of aspects to be considered is biased: It is a consequence of the understanding of pictures as such, the understanding of picture development in ontogeny, the concrete visual experience concerning drawings and paintings, the method of investigation, and so on.

However, with regard to the present study, we do not discuss the problem arising from such a bias. We simply question what happens if the graphic aspects, claimed as basic above all for contexts of picture production of North-America and Europe, are investigated looking at all drawings of all contexts of the present archive: Are these aspects are relevant for all contexts, i.e., if they prove to be cross-contextual, as is to be expected on the basis of our research described in Part 1?

Thus, we do not attempt for a comprehensive delineation of all characteristics of early human figure drawing with a full description and systematisation of cross-contextual and context-related aspects. We only attempt for a documentation of the cross-contextual character of some graphic aspects that are very often described in the literature (for an overview, see Golomb, 1993, Schoenmakers, 1996) and termed as follows:

• "Tadpole" drawing model
  
• "Transitional" drawing model
  
• "Conventional" drawing model
  
• "Face-only" drawing model
  

As precursory aspects are mentioned in the literature:

• Non-figurative aspects
  
• Possible pre-forms related to the representation of humans
  

However, we also included two aspects which, in the literature, are described as context-specific: 

• "Chain-like" drawing model
  
• Stick-figures
  

These aspects are described below in the order of consideration. Illustrations are given on the basis of the drawings investigated.

Non-figurative aspects

Graphic appearances without recognisable analogy formations related to humans. Excluded are pre-forms (see below). In most cases, these aspects concern graphic qualities occurring very early in the graphic development.

For some typical examples of the present collection of drawings, see:
>> Illustration

Possible pre-forms

Preliminary or parallel formal appearances which may be in a relationship to upcoming types of the depiction of humans independent of wether or not they are verbally assigned as humans, such as closed forms with enclosures or main frames with one appendage or several radially distributed appendages.

For some typical examples, see:
>> Illustration

Type I: "Tadpole" model

So-called "tadpole" type of human figure drawing, i.e., a main frame with two orientated appendages (legs), sometimes also including depictions of arms and face characteristics. In order to term the aspect more neutrally, for this study, we term this graphic manifestation as Type I, i.e., the first type of visually recognisable human figure drawing in the graphic development, described in the literature for drawings of children of Europe and North America.

For some typical examples, see:
>> Illustration

Type II: "Transitional" model

So-called "transitional" type of human figure drawing, including indications of a graphic articulation in head and body. Included are also clear articulations of head and body, but only partial depictions of legs and arms. In order to term the aspect more neutrally, for this study, we term this graphic manifestation as Type II.

For some typical examples, see:
>> Illustration (in-between type I and type II)
>> Illustration (explicit variants of type II)

Type III: "Conventional" model

So-called "conventional" type of human figure drawing, with an explicit differentiation of head, body, legs, and arms. In order to term the aspect more neutrally, for this study, we term this graphic manifestation as Type III.

For some typical examples, see:
>> Illustration (in-between type II and type II))
>> Illustration (explicit variants of type III)

Type IV: "Face-only" model

So-called "face only" type of human figure drawing, i.e., depiction of only the face in the sense of a pars pro toto representation. In order to term the aspect more neutrally, for this study, we term this graphic manifestation as Type IV.

For some typical examples, see:
>> Illustration

Type V: "Chain-like" model, unenclosed graphic arrangments

Configurations of depictions of single attributes without enclosings, or in terms of a a "chain-like" series or in terms of another unenclosed arrangment. In order to term these aspects more neutrally, for this study, we term these graphic manifestations as according to Type V.

For some typical examples, see:
>> Illustration

Stick-figures

Humans depicted as stick-figures. This kind of a drawing model can further characterise the second and third types mentioned.

For some typical examples, see:
>> Illustration

Other types of human figure drawings, aspects not classified

Whenever we could not attribute a drawing model to one of the models of the above categories, we assigned it or to the additional category of other types of human figure drawing or to the category of unclassified graphic aspects.

For some examples, see:
>> Illustration

Other analogies

Other depictions than humans were assigned to the category of other analogies.

Look at

Drawings which may be of special interest beyond the question of investigation were assigned to the category of "Look at".