In the collage portrait, symbolic representation is part of the art process. For young children, symbolic representation happens when a child transforms a birthday candle into an eyebrow while constructing a face. The symbolic representation in the collage technique is part of the creative play scenario-playful exploration of materials, trial and error, and the use of flexible thinking are at work. Using symbolic representation in art play is an important step toward moving children's thinking from the concrete to the abstract representation of words. In the art process children move from the concept of a real face(the concrete to a work of art that symbolizes the real thing (iconic representation. This process lays the groundwork for children to reach higher levels of symbolization-for example, when the word face the abstract represents a real face. Art offers children an important experiential bridge, helping them move from the concrete to the abstract world of words. For preschoolers, the playful collage technique with peer interactions and teacher guidance opens up multiple opportunities for symbolic representation and language development. Loretta Novotny teaches a Head Start class in which most children are African American and from families with low incomes. She engaged the children in a study of faces as part of a larger "All About Me" project.