This study investigated preschool children's awareness of the nature of pictorial representation and their understanding of their own efforts to depict. Seventy-six subjects participated in drawing sessions held at 2-week intervals throughout the 8-month school year. Children's spontaneous comments during small-group drawing sessions were audiotaped and transcribed by an observer. With respect to the children's own drawing, coding categories used were "naming,""describing,""evaluation," and "planning." The final coding category was "reacting to a peer comment." Evidence was found of an approach to drawing which is increasingly reflective with age, even within the narrow range of 3 to 5 years. Subsequent fine-grained and qualitative examinations of children's comments revealed numerous aspects of children's awareness of the nature of pictorial representation and of their own problem-solving struggles. Two such aspects are discussed: the children's awareness of the "audience," or those who will potentially view the drawing, and the children's consciousness of the handling of space and sequence in drawings. Additionally, as part of a continuing investigation of the influence of social context on representational awareness, five event categories typical of peer interaction during drawing sessions were identified. Illustrative examples of children's interaction while drawing are appended. (RH)