Hand it to fourth grade...

...because they did an amazing job tackling these colorful line drawings!

Fourth grade students learned about line as a drawing tool. We discussed two different types of lines that artists use all the time: (1) contour lines and (2) cross contour lines.

CONTOUR LINES show the outline of an object only and appear flat. Think about a coloring book where the interior of an object is empty for you to fill.

CROSS CONTOUR LINES define the outside and inside of an object. They go around the surface and help the artist make the subject look three dimensional. Think about latitude and longitude lines that travel around a globe.

drawing using contour lines (left) and cross contour lines (right)

The students really wrapped their head around an advanced concept and put their new knowledge to work, using cross contour lines to make what started as a contour line drawing of their own hand POP off the page. Way to go fourth graders!