Every drawing starts with a line. A line is the mark your crayon makes when it moves across the paper.
Some lines go one way and never bend. They are straight. Some lines bend, like a smile or a rainbow. They are curved.
Key idea
A straight line does not bend. A curved line bends.
Why it works
When you know the names of lines, you can see them everywhere: the straight edge of a door, the curved top of an apple. Artists look for these lines and draw them.
Worked example: Let's look
Is the top of a rainbow straight or curved?
- Picture a rainbow in the sky.
- It bends like a bridge.
- A line that bends is curved.
Answer: Curved.
Common mistake
A straight line drawn by hand wobbles a little, and that is fine. It is still straight if you meant it to go one way. A curved line bends on purpose.
For the grown-up. Go on a line hunt around the house: the straight edge of a table, the curved handle of a cup. Let your child trace each one in the air.