How to draw a 3-d rectangle or cube

3-d shapes in art are called form. There are two kinds of form like there are two kinds of shapes- geometric and natural or organic. The 3-d shapes in Math currently being used by teachers are called geometric constructed forms, using art terms. Young children, generally, do not visually perceive 3-d forms. They visually perceive flat shapes. As they grow older they become more visually attuned to forms. When they can see forms, that’s when art teachers begin teaching how to create the illusions of 3-d forms. So now how do we teach the 3-d shapes/forms that Math and geometry standards dictate?

Apparently we can teach how to create geometric forms, particularly the cube or rectangle. Here are two methods and illustrations.

1. Draw a square or rectangle on your paper. Draw another square or rectangle the same size but overlap the first square or rectangle like a Venn diagram. Connect the corners with lines- upper right to upper right, upper left to upper left, lower right to lower right, and lower left to lower left. Erase inside lines.
2. The second way is to draw a horizontal line somewhere on your paper. Draw a square or a rectangle under the horizontal line. Draw a point or a dot on the horizontal line. Draw 3 diagonal lines from the dot on the horizontal line to 3 corners of the square or rectangle. Draw a horizontal line above the top of the rectangle/square between the top two diagonal lines. Draw a vertical line from the end of the previously drawn horizontal line down to the bottom diagonal line. Erase the diagonals between the dot and the 3-d shape.
3. Illustrations of both methods:

Young children love drawing the cubes but when they draw from their imagination, they will still draw houses etc. with flat shapes. In time they will want to draw the other side of a house or will want to know how to make something look 3-d.  Mizz Mac

More of Mizz Mac’s lessons can be found in her store at www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/Gena-Mcwilliams.