Originally published in 1998, this book traces the development of artistic talent from early childhood to adolescence through a series of studies that look comparatively at development in talented and less talented populations. It presents a model of artistic talent that attributes individual differences to the figurative abilities of talented children. The model proposes that artistic talent results from the continual coordination of heightened figurative abilities with conceptual processes throughout a period critical in semiotic development. The studies focus on the development of form, spatial relationships, and composition. Milbrath's theory is richly supported by original examples of children's artwork.

Review of the hardback: 'An intriguing theory …' Janine Spencer, The Times Higher Education Supplement