Lines and shapes — Art, 4–6 years
Use marks, lines and shapes to show what you see or imagine. Art, 4–6 years.
Marks can show things
A line is a mark that travels across the page. It can be straight, wavy, thick or thin. Lines and shapes can show a house, a face or an idea, even though the marks are not the real thing.
Why draw with marks?
People draw because words cannot always show a shape, a memory or a feeling. A few marks can share an idea with someone who is not there. Cave paintings and children’s drawings show that humans have long used pictures to communicate and remember.
Drawing a cat
Start with a large oval for the cat’s head. Add two triangles for ears, two small circles for eyes and a small triangle for the nose. Draw curved lines for the body and a long curved line for the tail. Details turn simple shapes into a cat.
It need not look exact
A common worry is that a drawing is wrong if it does not look exactly like the object. That is reasonable: a picture often tries to show something real. But artists choose which lines to keep, and a wobbly circle or unusual colour can still tell the viewer what you mean.
Pictures give directions
Lines and shapes are used on signs, maps, books and screens. A simple picture of a toilet, bus or fire exit can help people understand quickly, even when they speak different languages. Designers make these marks clear so they are easy to recognise.
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