Shapes Lines and Dots Cartooning Creativity and Wellbeing for Kids (Volume 1)

Shapes, Lines and Dots : Cartooning, Creativity and Wellbeing for Kids (Volume 1)
ISBN: 9780995361300
Publication Date: 10 October 2016

This is not your typical "how to draw" book for kids.

Shapes, Lines and Dots is about creativity and wellbeing. Being creative has a long list of well documented health benefits. It provides an outlet for emotions, enhances concentration, and improves both stress management and confidence. Shapes, Lines and Dots provides an opportunity for your child to explore their creativity and contribute to their own wellbeing at the same time.

Shapes, Lines and Dots also teaches mindful techniques. Mindfulness has been shown to contribute to good mental health in children. The exercises at the end of each chapter include an element of mindfulness, encouraging your child to observe keenly the world around them and record what they see. To get the most out of the mindful elements of this book, ensure all devices are switched off so your child is not distracted from the act of observing and creating.

Shapes, Lines and Dots is not about producing art with a capital 'A' and you don't need to be "artistic" to benefit from this book. It is all about the process of making something that wasn't there before; putting marks on paper and seeing characters come to life. It's fun, it benefits your child, and it's an activity that you can do together.

What You Will Need

All you will need to provide is a pencil (HB is fine), some coloured pencils, a pencil sharpener, and a good supply of A4 paper. Don't worry about providing an eraser. In my live workshops I don't let anybody rub anything out - there's no such thing as a mistake in cartoon drawing! If a line ends up somewhere accidently, encourage your child to leave it there and turn it into a creative part of the drawing. In cartoon drawing, circles can have flat bits, w...