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

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, wobbly bits, and even corners

How it Works

Each drawing is constructed using simple steps, adding shapes and lines and dots in sequence to create over fifty different characters. The drawings get progressively harder as you work through the book, but there are no difficult constructions requiring lightly drawn frameworks or guidelines. Drawings of this nature will be introduced in a second volume.

Encourage your child to attempt the creative/mindful exercises at the end of each chapter. Even better, make some time to do the activities together.

Turn off your phone. Grab a pencil. Let's get creative