Children broaden their experience with forming lines by using a variety of art instruments. For children who don't have the skills to hold a pencil, offer them a paintbrush or crayon for creating lines. Show the class diagonal, horizontal and vertical lines and invite them to practice making lines on a blank paper. Once the children have finished, arrange the individual drawings in a way that the lines all connect as a group bulletin board display.
Have a discussion with students about shape and form, and introduce the concepts of two-dimensional and three-dimensional. Stock examples in the science center of flat shapes, such as squares and circles, and forms, such as spheres and cubes, and ask the children to sort them. Comparing forms, like pine cones and books, provides students with examples of organic and geometric forms.
A two-dimensional work of art that presents depth, exemplifies the element of space. To convey this to the students, show the class works of art by M.C. Escher and point out how the drawing does not look flat. Demonstrate to students how drawing one object large and the other small, and connecting them with a line creates an element of space. Sculpting clay or craft dough serves as a way for preschoolers to create their own three-dimensional art.
Distinctions made between colors include hue, value and intensity. Mixing paint allows children to experiment with different hues or shades by blending the primary colors -- red, yellow and blue -- to produce the secondary colors, orange, green and purple. Add white or black paint to these hues to adjust the value, or lightness versus darkness. By further experimenting with color-mixing, preschoolers learn that bright shades, such as yellow, add to the intensity of some colors.
Explore different textures in the art center by giving the children a range of materials to work with. By painting on construction paper and then on foil, students observe the ways that different textures produce contrasting outcomes to their artwork. While using crayons on sandpaper, children learn that the gritty texture makes it difficult to produce lines. Vary the mediums in the art center to further expose preschoolers to new textures. By crunching leaves or sprinkling sand onto a collage, children add texture to creative designs.