Google Draw Art

By Linda McClure on March 14, 2019 • ( 0 )

Digital media creation is an amazing skill to teach kids. Not only are there many careers in graphics, but giving students the option to create their own graphics for their school work promotes creativity and independence. You do not need to be an artist to create clipart on the computer and you do not need expensive software! I have taught these skills to 11-year-olds, but older kids and adults love learning how to create their

own clipart. Here is a simple lesson in Google Draw.

Find a copyright free or Creative Commons image to copy. Pixabay is a good source. If you use Google images, be sure to change the usage rights to “reuse with modifications.” When you search, use the term “vector or clipart”. For example, I want to draw an owl so I am going to search “vector owl” “owl clipart” or “owl with shapes.”

Source image in right corner. My drawing of the owl.
Put the source image in your Google Draw document.
Using the shapes menu, build the animal. If you need to change the order of the shapes, right click on the shape and select “order.”

Shapes menu in Google Draw

With students, I guide the owl drawing first. We all draw the owl, and the students learn how to use Google Draw colors, lines, and layering. Next, I teach the students how to search for an image of their own and they copy the clipart. The goal is for them to get good enough to become inventive.