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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

3 year old daughter only using the colour black in all paintings and drawings?

16 replies

milkyway2007 · 29/01/2011 23:52

My DH doesnt think its a big issue, and he joked to take her to a psychiatrist today, but I think it is worrrying.

She has so many crayons and a palette of paints, but she always chooses the colour black to paint her pictures.
I bought her a painting book so she could paint in pictures of mermaids, but the only colour she uses is black.

She knows all her colours and can pick them all out, even indigo and violet! And when I ask her what her favourite colour is, she always says pink. So why does she use black in all her drawings?

I think its worrying me because children should like bright colours, but she doesnt seem to want to colour using any other colour.
She is a very very lively and talkative and happy child - she is always singing and dancing and even acts out scenes from cinderella and other cartoons by herself. She can also use the laptop to play games on cbeebies too.
I just dont understand why she is using
black for everything.

Is it just a phase? Am I being silly, or could this be an underlying problem? I know it sounds like a silly thing to worry about, but I have been quite depressed in recent months - I just had my fourth miscarriage, and I wonder if its affecting her subconsciously and making her sad?

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DirtyMartini · 30/01/2011 00:00

Sorry to hear about your miscarriages.

Why do you think it is a problem for her to have a strong preference for black; would you be worried if it was, say, blue?

I doubt that she connects sadness to the colour black; it is probably just a phase. DS used to quite like black but has outgrown the stage where he reached for it every time (he is 3.5). I think he just liked the strong contrast of it.

If she is otherwise happy I would try not to get hung up on it as you risk making it an issue for her when it isn't.

Lozz30 · 30/01/2011 00:17

I wouldn't worry children have their own little quirks, its probably just one of those things. Maybe u could try removing the black paint & crayon to see if she picks some colours? xxx I doubt she's picking up on ur sadness, you've been through alot & sound like a fantastic mum x

Original poster

milkyway2007 · 30/01/2011 00:19

Thank you for a reply - I think with every miscarriage I get more protective over her. You're right - if it was the colour blue I wouldnt have thought twice.
Thats made me feel a little better - thank you.

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MrsShrekTheThird · 30/01/2011 00:26

I don't think the black is significant for a young child. your mood might be reflecting a bit, but try not to read too much into it. Has she had her 3yo eye test yet? (weirdy question) some children just like the strong colours. Maybe as someone else has just mentioned, disappear the black for a bit and see what happens? Or spend some good fun time messing with colours with her. Have a ((hug)), I had loads of mcs and the mental torture is hideous, I really feel for you. My ds1 had a 'phase' of mixing colours and ending up with shitty brown pictures every time but it was the process of mixing that he liked.

shitmagnet · 30/01/2011 00:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

milkyway2007 · 30/01/2011 00:45

Yes, she has had eye tests since she was 1.5 after I had a scare about retinoblastoma - it turned out to be nothing, but they have seen her every 6 months at the eye hospital since.
Its nice to hear that other children her age are using black too - feeling more reassured now and wont try to get worried when I see her black pictures! :D I think she likes it also because the black crayon glides easier than the other colours, so maybe she thinks black is easier to use...making sense now :D

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MyNameIsInigoMontoya · 30/01/2011 20:59

Our DS (also 3) IS obsessed with blue... and until very recently all his paintings etc were in blue only for a long time. I was very happy when he suddenly started to use other colours again just a week or two ago! So I would just see liking black as a variation on that.

Also, outlines and pictures to colour in are usually in black (as is writing in books), so maybe that's where she has got it from?

KenDoddsDadsDog · 30/01/2011 21:01

I used to just colour or paint the whole piece of paper blue when I was little. My mam said the nursery were worried about me but apparently just a little quirk!

blinks · 30/01/2011 21:04

both my girls did this about the same age- straight for the black... it's got nowt to do with anything morbid/underlying so don't fret pet.

pigleychez · 30/01/2011 21:04

My 2yr old DD went through a phase like this and coloured every face in her colouring book in black.
It soon past and in the next book they were all red!

WimpleOfTheBallet · 31/01/2011 07:10

My DD does it too....she turs 3 in March...she does it because she lies the look of t on the white I think. She kknows colours too and can coour within the lines....so I think it's one of those weird toddler things!

Brillbryant · 01/02/2011 18:14

I think perhaps because it's bold and stands out? My daughter (5) often does this and I just think she's being a bit lazy. She'll grab nearest thing to her which nearly always is a ball point pen or black marker....don't forget to enjoy the pictures she's drawing!

Original poster

milkyway2007 · 03/02/2011 23:16

Oh, thank you for all these reassuring replies!
pigley - thats what my daughter does!! All the faces are coloured in black!!

brill - yes she also loves ball point pens - and I only ever use black - as thats my favourite colour to write in, so I guess I kind of encourage her in the black thing!

Thanks again to everyone. Lovely replies!

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Tikkabillajive · 03/02/2011 23:24

Oh yes my DD went through this phase too. I remember looking at the Farrow and Ball colour chart with her and asking which colour she would choose to have on her bedroom walls and she went straight to the blacks and dark browns. I think, like others have said, that those are just the ones that stand out against white and therefore make the most interesting, dramatic marks on the paper. Don't worry, I can practically guarantee that in a year's time she obsessed with pink!

Your dd sounds fab, and what you wrote about her took me back to exactly how my dd was at that age! I'm really sorry you've been through such an unhappy time.

hellymelly · 03/02/2011 23:30

My 3 year old started out liking black,and biros,recently she is getting more and more into colour.She is very perfectionist and picky about her drawings and I think the high contrast is what she liked definitely.Now she can colour in to her own high standard she is using the really strong colours to fill in her drawings.She is 3y9m.

DownyEmerald · 05/02/2011 14:56

I used to get a blue painting from playgroup every time. It was always a juice machine. Lovely blue paint, all over. Occasionally a dap of orange - "its the carrots".

It was a phase. But it went on a long time!

Drawing isn't really her thing, but the other day she drew a house, with windows, a door and everything. It's on the fridge. But I kind of miss my blue juicers.

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