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Lesson 10 of 10
  • Year 11

Drawing skills: drawing with 3D

I can create a 3D drawing using wire or other materials to represent line, contour and form in space.

Lesson 10 of 10
New
New
  • Year 11

Drawing skills: drawing with 3D

I can create a 3D drawing using wire or other materials to represent line, contour and form in space.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Drawing can move beyond paper by using materials like wire and string to construct “lines in space”.
  2. 3D drawing develops understanding of form, balance and structure.
  3. Materials can be manipulated to suggest contours, proportion and movement.

Keywords

  • Contour - the outline of a shape or object

  • Form - the 3D structure or volume created through arrangement of materials

  • Construction - the process of assembling parts to create a structure or artwork

  • Armature - a supporting framework that gives stability to a sculpture

Common misconception

3D drawings must look exactly like 2D sketches.

3D drawing explores form and space - it’s about expressing line, contour and movement in three dimensions, not replicating flat sketches.


To help you plan your year 11 art and design lesson on: Drawing skills: drawing with 3D, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Encourage pupils to think of their material as a pencil line moving through air. Remind them that simplicity and expressiveness often communicate form more effectively than complexity. If working with wire, pupils should wear goggles to protect their eyes where possible.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Wire (thick and thin), string, pipe cleaners, or paperclips. Goggles to protect eyes. Cardboard strips, masking tape, scissors, pliers (if needed for wire). Sketchbooks, pencils, erasers, sharpeners.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
What does "contour" mean in art?

The 3D structure of an object
Correct answer: The outline or edge of a shape
The shading inside a drawing
The colour of the object

Q2.
What is meant by "drawing in 3D"?

Making a drawing look realistic on paper
Correct answer: Using materials like wire or string to make lines in space
Adding lots of shading and tone
Using a computer to make 3D models

Q3.
Which of these could you use to make a 3D drawing?

Pencils and rubbers
Correct answer: Wire, string, or cardboard strips
Only paint and brushes
Computer software only

Q4.
Why might an artist use wire instead of pencil for drawing?

To save money on paper
To make drawings heavier
To erase mistakes more easily
Correct answer: To create 3D lines and forms that exist in space

Q5.
What is the main difference between a 2D contour drawing and a 3D contour drawing?

2D drawings are more realistic
Correct answer: 3D drawings use physical materials to represent line in space
2D drawings always use colour
3D drawings must be digital

Q6.
True or false? 3D drawing is only about copying a flat sketch in another form.

Correct Answer: False, Incorrect, Wrong

Additional material

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