Processes of Painting

Paint.  We love it.  In fact, “I want to paint!”  is one of the most commonly heard phrases at the Preschool House, even while so many other enticing phrases fill our day!  Joking aside, we use paint several times each day, most often at the children’s request.  There are, of course, reasons for this.  And while those reasons may vary among the Tumbleweed Preschoolers, it’s worth considering at least a few of them to take a closer look at this artistic medium that the kids so enjoy!  

Agentic Capacity

For those of you who read anything I write, you will probably guess that what I value most about paint is its capacity for exploration and creation, especially that which gouges societal values placed on what is “good” and/or “beautiful.”  It stretches the boundaries of these perceptions because of its sensorial and aesthetic qualities, qualities which are hard to replicate with a washable marker or even a pencil. What I mean is that unlike these more precise writing/drawing instruments, paint and paint brushes allow for a more abstract process, one that is less product focused and more process focused.  For example, in the picture below, the first thing that OP and CKP did was to gather some paint with their brush and to practice making brush strokes, noticing the texture and hue of the paint, while also taking note of the particular brush marks their utensils create.  Similarly, in the picture of CKP and HR, they each first mixed water together with the dry power to make the paint before using the material to create.  In this way, the entire process is more about the material itself and the child’s relationship to that material than it is about some predetermined pictorial outcome.  

Opportunity for Connection

Simultaneous to the childrens’ agentic relationship with the paint is their relationship to one another.  While they choose what/how/where they paint, they have a shared value which is the material and process of painting itself.  As in most relationships, this shared value serves as a point of connection, while the differences in how this value is manifested serves as a point of provocation.  In other words, they have divergent ideas about their shared value(s).  As they enjoy the comfort of one another’s company, they are challenged by one another’s perspectives.  

Sensory Benefits 

This picture of CS and JA at the top of the post is also an example of the relational aspect of paint.  However, instead of painting alongside one another, they took turns, cleaning the various materials that they used over the course of their artistic processes.  In the midst of this, each of them were exploring the sensorial properties of the paint, especially in its relationship to the feeling of soap and water.  Not only that, many children receive tactile sensory input from this process, which aids in their mental/emotional regulation.  This is not always the case, as other children may feel overwhelmed by this sensory experience and become dysregulated because of it.  Whatever the case is, what is important is that we are following the children's lead.  If they are spending a long time with the paint/soap/water and it seems to be a calming experience for them, then their bodies probably need it.  However, if the child is adverse to those feelings and/or is becoming more agitated by the experience, then it is most likely a dysregulating experience.  The child’s body knows what it does/doesn’t need, and most of the time all we have to do is watch their relationship with the material(s) unfold.  

But paint doesn’t necessarily need soap and water to feel good.  On the day that TH and OS painted their hands, they spent more than 30 minutes carefully painting their hands, washing their hands, painting them again, washing again, etc.  When they decided to transition from their paper to this, I was a little hesitant, but then I remembered that their bodies knew more about what they needed than I did.  And thus, the tactile play continued on, and needless to say, TH and OS were thrilled.  

There are certainly more aspects of painting, our relationship to it, and its derived benefits that have not been touched on here.  What is important for us to remember is that this material, this beautiful, messy, “feel good” material, is more than capable of offering the children a variety of experiences that are apt for agentic creativity, connection, and sensory input.  These are reasons why so many of the children herald, “I want to paint!,” and we are grateful for it!