Simple Shapes combine to make Complex Shapes

The musty smell of old library books in the humid heat of Houston summers almost nauseated me as a kid. But it didn't keep me from hauling a tall pile of books home from the public library. Ed Emberley books were probably some of my favorites. What a delight to discover that he is still publishing books and children are still learning to draw from these simple instructional texts.

Ed Emberley teaches drawing in a squential and very logical approach. A bottom row explains the simple marks or shapes that you, the artist, will add. The top row shows the growing combination of shapes that are creating some fun charcater, vehicle, or other complex drawing that most children would shy away from attempting because of the complexity.

Last week I adapted his instructions to draw a locomotive with my third graders and a swamp creature with my fourth graders. They loved it and seemed surprised that they could accomplish such complex drawings one simple shape at a time.