Two Kinds of Visual Art Prodigies: Characteristics and Future Trajectories

Some young children create stunningly realistic drawings that resemble those of adult realist artists. I refer to these children as precocious realists. Some other young children create nonrepresentational paintings that have been mistaken for the works of adult abstract expressionist artists. These children are referred to as abstract art prodigies. Because the clearest sign of giftedness in the visual arts is the ability to draw realistically, we know far more about precocious realists than abstract art prodigies. Here I describe the characteristics these two kinds of visual art prodigies share with each other as well as with prodigies in other domains. I next discuss the cognitive and visuo-spatial skills that underlie the ability to draw realistically, followed by evidence that works by abstract art prodigies are indistinguishable from works by abstract expressionist artists. I conclude by discussing my plans for future research with these remarkable children.