Portraits in Precocity: Gifted Child Artists Dazzle Their Audience [Slide Show]

Young Picassos and budding Rembrandts reveal an artistic mind-set at early ages

UNCOMMON DENOMINATOR: No one can predict whether Arrian (left), Rocco (right) or any other child will choose to pursue a career in art. Nevertheless, studies of artistically gifted children are revealing commonalities in their visual processing, hunger to look at art and desire to produce original works themselves, among several other telling signs. Left: Rebecca, Arrian's Mother
Right: Nigel and Amanda Roth
DRAWN TOWARD SCIENCE: Some children appear to use art as a tool. Rocco Roth, for example, may draw as a way to study biology—he may become a scientist instead when he grows up. These drawings of a land crab and a triceratops were done at age six. Rocco Roth
TEEN TALENT: Eleven years later, at age 16, Howe drew these portraits of Steve Jobs and Oprah Winfrey. See more of her work on her Web site. Samantha Howe
HORSE SENSE: A typically developing child and a gifted child artist, both age five, set out to draw a horse. The drawing at right, by Samantha Howe, conveys a mastery of basic depth cues that the other artwork lacks. Left: Betsy, From the collection of Ellen Winner
Right: Samantha Howe
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PREHISTORIC PERSPECTIVE: Arkin Rai—a precocious artist—composed this scene with dinosaurs. Note how the dinos in the foreground obscure the creatures in the background. Most children do not discover this effect, called occlusion, until age eight or nine. Check out Arkin's recent works and videos. Arkin Rai
FRAME OF MIND: At age three, the differences between precocious artists and ordinary children become even starker. Typically developing children often draw abstractions, such as this depiction of a person as a stick figure. A drawing by three-year-old Grace, at right, portrays a more naturalistic scene of two people dancing in elaborate outfits. Left: From collection of Ellen Winner
Right: Grace, Three-Year Old Artist
MODERN START: A talent for nonrepresentational art, rather than realism, may also manifest in life's early days. Arrian drew the composition shown here when he was two years, three months old. He devoted five days of continuous effort to produce this artwork. His methodology, focus and meticulous care set him apart from his peers. Watch Arrian draw in this video. Arrian, Two-Year-Old Artist
APPLES OF THEIR EYES: At age two years, two months, two children attempted to draw apples. The typically developing child drew an apple as a straight line, as most children of this age do. The artistically gifted child made an effort to capture the fruit's contours. From the collection of Ellen Winner
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