Drawing Basic Shapes in Art
Kindergarten · Art · Study Guide
Learn how to draw basic shapes and how artists use shapes to make pictures.
Shapes are all around us! When you look at the world, you can find shapes everywhere. Artists use shapes to draw and create pictures. Learning shapes helps you become a great artist.
Some basic shapes are the circle, square, triangle, and rectangle. A circle is perfectly round, like the sun or a ball. A square has four sides that are all the same length. A triangle has three sides and three corners. A rectangle has four sides, but two sides are longer than the other two.
When you draw a person, you might use a circle for the head and rectangles for the body and arms. When you draw a house, you might use a square for the walls and a triangle for the roof. Artists combine simple shapes to make complex pictures.
You can practice drawing shapes every day. Start with big shapes, then try smaller ones. The more you practice, the better you will get. Soon you will be able to draw almost anything using basic shapes!
Key terms
- circle
- A round shape with no corners or straight sides
- square
- A shape with four equal sides and four corners
- triangle
- A shape with three sides and three corners
- rectangle
- A shape with four sides where two sides are longer than the other two
- sides
- The straight lines that make up a shape
- corners
- The points where two sides of a shape meet
Flashcards
- Circle
- A perfectly round shape with no corners or straight sides
- Square
- A shape with four equal sides and four corners
- Triangle
- A shape with three sides and three corners
- Rectangle
- A shape with four sides — two long sides and two short sides
- Sides
- The straight lines that form the edges of a shape
- Corners
- The points where two sides of a shape meet
- How many sides does a square have?
- Four sides, all the same length
- How many corners does a triangle have?
- Three corners
Questions
How many sides does a triangle have?
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
Show answer
Answer: Three
A triangle has three sides and three corners.
A circle has corners.
Show answer
Answer: False
A circle has no corners. It is a smooth, round shape with no straight sides.
Which shape has four equal sides?
- Circle
- Triangle
- Square
- Rectangle
Show answer
Answer: Square
A square has four sides that are all the same length.
A ___ is a round shape with no corners.
Show answer
Answer: circle
A circle is a round shape with no corners and no straight sides.
Artists use shapes to make pictures.
Show answer
Answer: True
Artists use basic shapes like circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles to create all kinds of pictures.
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