Abstract Shape Drawings (K-2)

Students are surprised to discover how much they love this project, and the only tools needed are paper and crayons!  (My 2nd grade also uses markers.) It's a terrific introduction to abstract art.

After discussing the various line types and line directions, students create their own abstract drawings using only marker and crayon (K uses crayon only in my classroom). I give them directions such as, "Draw a horizontal zig-zag line from one side of your paper to the other" (stressing that both ends of the line MUST touch an edge). After they've drawn four or five different lines with ONE marker color, I give them geometric shapes to draw (circle, rectangle, triangle, etc...sometimes we change marker color for the shapes). I also change up the instructions by having them overlap some shapes. Students then use crayons to color the new organic shapes that are created when the lines cross one another. The rule at this point is that every time you come to line you must stop and change colors so that no two side-by-side shapes are the same color.

The result is a class filled with unique and very colorful abstract drawings!

Below are 2nd grade examples. I do this with K-2 and simply adjust the difficulty and number of instructions depending on the age of the children.