The Kramer Art Assessment was created by Edith Kramer with the help
of Jane Fields in the Albert Einstein Medical College, Department of
Psychology in the Bronx. This assessment is meant for children ages 4-15 but
could theoretically be used for anyone, however Kramer urges that they
would need to be childlike or adventurous enough and open to create
symbolically with the materials. The assessment is intended to give clues
about developmental level, personality, and ego strength, and ultimately
offer some suggestions for interventions moving forward and what kind of
support is needed. It can also be used to observe areas of weakness or
danger but Kramer notes that these negative observations rarely contributed
to the big picture. This assessment is meant to be non-intrusive and as sort
of an introduction to therapy and what is to come, as it should be given
before sessions begin. This session lasts an hour to an hour and a half. To
start the child is asked to draw a picture of their choosing using a soft pencil,
eraser, and am 8-1/2 x 11in piece of bond paper. When they are finished,
they are given a choice between poster paint or clay. All three materials are
encouraged to be used at some point, but Kramer also notes that is the child
is really immersed in one specific medium to not push them. The paints
should be set out in an ice cube tray or similar. In each compartment there
should be black, red, orange, ultramarine blue, turquoise blue, and purple.
Yellow and white should get two compartments each. Green and brown are
left out because they can be made by mixing and orange and purple are
included because it is hard to achieve these colors using this type of paint.
Additionally, an empty tray for mixing, a 18x24 in gray paper, and various
sized bristle brushes should also be available. The paint should also be filled
when needed so the child feels like the materials are abundant. For the clay,
ceramic clay and tools are provided, these tools can be improvised items like
popsicle stick, etc. A container should be available for mixing slip and
another for water. Hand lotion, aprons, newspaper, sponges and anything
else that is needed should also be available. Normally you would have to fire
the ceramic before it can be painted but Kramer allows the child to paint on
the wet clay as it may yield important information. After the session is
complete a detailed protocol should be written immediately. There are no
formal guidelines on how this should be written or how the evaluation should
be made but Kramer makes some suggestions on how to organize it. She
says it’s helpful to focus on specific area of functioning and look at what
each material is supposed to cue in on. Drawing being controlled expression,
storytelling, and fact/fantasy. Paint being affect and mood; paint should also
theoretically loosen defenses. Clay gives clues on regression and integration.
During the evaluation the artwork should be considered as well as behavior,
sequence, and conversation. There may also be another art therapist or
intern in the room during the session to take notes.
Overall, this assessment is very casual in the way it is administered.
The art therapist should remain in the art therapist role rather than an
assessor and encourage the client and help when needed but it is pretty
client led and should feel like a regular art therapy session. I do like the
variety in materials and the free choice aspect, but I almost wish it had more
structure since it is an assessment. She does say that everyone
administering this should do so in a similar way for replication and evaluation
purposes but also says that each session is vastly different based on the
client so it kind of contradicts. I do like that its casual so that it doesn’t feel
like a test, but Kramer also noted that this isn’t always the case. She gives
an example of a girl who was cautious and therefore her session did not offer
much insight. Additionally, so notes it may not work for any older individuals,
I interpreted this as they would not be as willing to spontaneously engage
and therefore the assessment would essentially be null and void. I would also
be curious as to whether different paint could be used so the clients could at
least mix orange in addition to just green and brown. An hour and a half also
seem like a long time for a child to be in session, but I have obviously never
administered this assessment nor been in an individual art therapy session
with a child.
