Back to Draw a StoryAdministering the Drawing Task
Copyright 1981/1982/1989/1991 by Rawley Silver, reprinted with permission
from its original publication.
No portion of this work may be copied without written consent by Rawley Silver.
The following are excerpts from
Silver, R. A. (1991). Stimulus Drawings and techniques in therapy, development, and assessment. Sarasota, FL: Ablin Press.
Administering the Drawing Task
Remove the stimulus drawings in Part Three and cut them into 3" x 5"cards. In addition to the cards, provide each respondent with a sheet of paper 8 1/2" x 11" and pencil with eraser. Some therapists prefer colored chalks and large sheets of drawing paper.
Present the stimulus drawings spread out in clusters of people, animals, places, and things. In presenting the task to groups of children or adults, it is useful to spread the cards on one or two long tables. In presenting them to individuals, it is useful to limit the cards to two of the four categories at first. Individual presentation is recommended for children younger than seven, for children and adults who may have difficulty understanding directions, and for those who are being examined clinically.
You might say, "Here are some drawing ideas that you may find interesting. Choose two or more and imagine something happening between the subjects you choose. When you are ready, draw a picture of what you imagine. Make your drawing show what is happening. Feel free to change these drawings and to add your own ideas."
After drawing has started, minimize discussion. Avoid interruptions, including your own. When the drawings are finished, initiate discussion to clarify meanings and intentions. Ask such questions as: "what are your subjects doing?" "What are they thinking?" "How do they feel?" "What happened before?" What will happen later?"
page 71.
Copyright 1991 Rawley Silver
Materials: Drawing paper 8 1/2 x 11 inches or larger; pencils with erasers, colored chalk, or marking pens; the 50 stimulus drawings, removed from the last pages of this manual, cut apart so that they can be handled individually.
| Objectives | Procedures |
| 1. to provide structure and support for those who may
need them as an introduction to art therapy. 2. to stimulate conscious and unconscious associations for insight into emotional needs and opportunities for follow-up. 3. to provide opportunities to relieve tensions, ventilate anger, express fears indirectly, and fulfill wishes vicariously. |
Present the SDs spread out in adjacent groups. You might say, "Here are some drawings you may find interesting. Do you think you can draw a picture using two of these picture ideas? Try to think of something happening between the drawings you choose. Then when you are ready, draw a picture of your own. Make your drawing tell a story. Show what is happening. Feel free to change these drawings and to use your own ideas." |
| 4. to build self-esteem and sense of achievement | Minimize talk while drawing is in progress. Avoid interruptions, including your own. |
| 5. to provide a record of emotional projections available at any time for discussion or review, or for evaluation on the rating scale, page 5. | After response drawings are finished, ask for titles and initiate discussion. |
page 72.
*Caution: Psychotherapy is the province of mental health professionals. If someone without professional training attempts to use psychotherapy, harm may result. Consequently, techniques of intervention and interpretation are beyond the scope of this manual.
Copyright 1991 Rawley Silver
Materials: Stimulus drawings in the categories of People, Animals, and Things presented in adjacent groups, the name card of each group surrounded by the appropriate drawings. Reserve the drawings of Places as indicated below.
At first, paper and pencils with erasers. Later on, painting pastels, clay, or other art materials.
| Objectives | Procedures |
| 1. to bypass language deficiencies in developing ability to form concepts, particularly the concept of a class or group of objects. This concept is said to be fundamental in mathematics (Piaget, 1970) and possibly reading (Bannatyne, 1971). | ask students to look over the array of SDs, select one from each group, and imagine something happening between the subjects selected, then show what is happening in drawings of their own. |
| Although concepts are usually developed verbally, they can also be perceived and interpreted through visual thinking and drawing. | when response drawings are finished, ask for titles, and initiate discussions about the form and content of the drawings. |
| The ability to form concepts involves making selections and combining them into a context, such as selecting words and combining them into sentences. The drawing tasks involve selecting images and combining them into narrative pictures. | ask each student to return the SDs to the groups "where they belong". |
| 2. to develop ability to select. Disturbance in this ability is associated with receptive language disorders (Jakobson, 1964). | scramble the SDs and present tasks such as "find the ones that belong together", or "this drawing goes with this one. Can you find another that belongs with them?" |
| 3. to develop ability to combine as well as concepts of space which are also said to be fundamental in reading and mathematics. | add the SDs in the category of Places. in the time reserved for discussion, point out spatial relationships such as foreground and background. |
| 4. to develop creativity and ability to represent |
show appreciation of originality and expressiveness |
| 5. to reinforce these experiences. | introduce other art materials. |
page 73.
Copyright 1991 Rawley Silver
Materials: Stimulus Drawings, paper, pencils, and the scales for rating emotional content or cognitive skills.
| Objectives | Procedures |
I. to evaluate response drawings for emotional content concepts of self, attitudes toward others, or clues to conflicts and concerns that may not be verbalized. |
score response drawings as indicated in the scale on page 5. |
2. to evaluate response drawings for cognitive and creative skills. These techniques may avoid the stress often associated with testing by using drawings rather than words as the principal instruments for receiving and expressing ideas. |
score response drawings as indicated in the scale on page 7. |
| 3. to assess individual progress or the effectiveness of therapeutic or educational programs. | date, number, score and photocopy first and last response drawings as well as other key drawings. Score and examine for changes. |
page 74.
Copyright 1991 Rawley Silver
