that's a very cool chart, Amy.
DD5 is a funny one with art - it's pretty solid work - quite careful, but not extraordinary... she does find it really enjoyable, though - and that's the main thing!
however, the work is remarkably detailed and does have some odd features which i guess aren't very typical for her age.
she always wanted to make accurate drawings, so she did a lot of copying images from books - we have a hilarious picture she copied from a Richard Dawkins book she loves - it's actually a fish, but the caption says My 185-million-greats grandfather.
i guess because she's spent a lot of time staring at pictures to get them right, she also includes a form of perspective by making objects that are farther away proportionately smaller. she has nearly always coloured in the negative space behind her subjects - for example, the sky would be filled in right down to the horizon line and the floor or grass would come up to meet it. she also began shading objects last year - for a 3D effect. the other thing that's happening now is that everything is getting a texture - wood grain, patterns on fabric, etc.
but like @polarbear said - i think it's more a function of the way her brain works than actual talent at this point. the requisite 10,000 hours later, though... it might really turn into something, who knows?
