During which stage of artistic development do children begin to develop a visual schema?

The preschematic stage is characterized by children starting to create drawings that reflect their understanding of the world around them. During this period, which typically occurs between the ages of 3 and 4, children begin to develop a visual schema, meaning they create a framework or plan for their drawings based on what they have observed. They start to bring together their imaginative ideas and incorporate recognizable objects or figures into their artwork, although their representations might not yet be realistic or proportional.

In this stage, children may still focus on simple outlines and basic colors, which indicate the beginnings of cognitive organization of their visual experiences. Their drawings may include symbols for people and objects, but the representations still lack the complexity seen in later stages, such as the schematic or pseudorealistic stages, where more refined and accurate representations emerge.

The other stages represent different developmental characteristics where children revisit visual representation skills. In the scribble stage, children engage more in the act of scribbling without a definitive visual schema. The schematic stage follows the preschematic stage and is marked by more deliberate and recognizable representations and structures, whereas the pseudorealistic stage features more advanced detailing and realistic representation of forms and objects.