Drawing Games

In grades 3 - 8, we started this year out with some drawing games.  It was a good way to get warmed-up and get used to making art together again.  There was a lot of laughter!

Here are descriptions of a few of the games.  They might be fun for families to play together in restaurants or at other times when you are required to wait around.   These games require only paper and a pen or pencil and make good drawing practice.  (All drawing is good drawing practice!)

Blind Contour Drawing - a classic art school excercise

 To make a blind contour drawing try closely observing your subject and drawing its outlines (contours) without looking at the drawing in the process. 

I Draw, You Draw What I Draw

Sit across from each other in partner groups (or group of three). Similar to a blind contour drawing - the idea is to mimic what the other person draws by watching him/her and NOT looking at your own paper. 

3/4s play "I Draw, You Draw"

6th graders play "I Draw, You Draw"

Exquisite Corpse - a classic drawing game, invented by the Surrealists of early 20th century in Paris and played by many famous artists since then (and a big hit at Open!)

An early "cadaver exquis" by Andre Breton and others (circ. 1920)

An exquisite corpse by Josephine Meckseper, Laurie Anderson, Olaf Breuning, and Nick Mauss

Fold a long piece of paper into four approximately equal sections. Lightly label the sections: "head", "upper torso", "upper legs", "lower legs".

Start a drawing of a figure in the top section of the paper.  Draw a head, neck and shoulders.  It need not be a human head.  It can be any type of head you can imagine.  Extend any lines
that meet the bottom edge of this section down very slightly into the next section.  Fold the top section back so that only the extended lines show. 

FOR THE BEST RESULTS, IN EACH SECTION INCLUDE TEXTURES AND A FULL RANGE OF VALUES.

Trade papers with another player, keeping the top sections hidden.  On the paper you receive, draw an upper torso - shoulders to waist, extending the edges of the body down slightly into the next section and then stopping. Fold the paper so that only that small portion of your drawing shows.

Pass your paper along.   The next player should draw a lower torso and upper legs - waist to knees, extending the edges of the body down slightly into the next section and then stopping, then fold the paper so that only a small portion of the drawing shows. 

Pass your paper along.   The next player should draw lower legs and feet - knees down. Keep the drawing folded and pass it back to the original artist. 

The artist who started the drawing should open up the drawing and add to all parts as needed to bring it all together.