In the analysis of spoken language, it is a commonplace to distinguish between the literal meaning of what is said and the intention or the “sense.” The first comprises the domain of semantics, the second the domain of pragmatics. If we apply this categorization to drawing, we might say that the analysis of how people represent objects and events they have been asked to portray lies squarely within the semantics of drawing. As we will see, however, one is obliged to conduct any inquiry into semantics with an eye on both the impact of formal executive processes and the social context of the drawing act, matters that are not themselves semantic.

The drawing task and its social setting

The task given to adult subjects in this investigation was simply to draw common objects. The 25 subjects were university undergraduates and junior staff of the psychology department who drew among them 100 common objects. Each subject was given a booklet of A4 paper, each page of which was divided into quadrants with a title typed in each: “ball,” “bell,” “belt,” “bow tie,” and so on. Each group drew a little over 50 objects.

Before describing some of the features of their drawings, I should like to comment on the broader context of the task, since the outcome cannot properly be understood simply in terms of the narrow specification of materials and instructions.