Attention and perfection in the plastic arts comes through play first. Here are a few examples of fun activities to practice with the family or to fill some time at a birthday party. You only need a few sheets of paper and a selection of markers or pencils (and an optional eraser). May the best one win!

The riddles

• The word to be guessed: the first player draws an object or a word. The one who guesses the answer gets a point and takes the next turn.
• Who is it? In the same spirit, guess a relative or a celebrity from his characteristics.
• What does he do? Guess a trade from separate elements (e.g. mason = trowel + house)
• Half a word: draw an object and hide half and have the others guess it.
• The riddle: a classic, reserved for older children.

Graphics games

• Geometry obliges! Pull a word from a hat (e.g. house), a shape from another (e.g. circle). Everyone draws the subject using only the shape defined, as many times as necessary.
• Mini bac in drawing: define categories (everyday objects, animals, nature, etc.), choose a letter of the alphabet… Everyone illustrates his proposals.
• Alphabet-number drawing: reproduce an object using only numbers or letters of the alphabet.
• S.O.S. memory: draw a series of colorful forms or a quantity on a square of paper; each player has10 seconds to observe and must reproduce the best.
• Calligram, a favorite of Guillaume Apollinaire and suitable for older children: illustrate a word by how you write it.

Progressive drawings

• Sequence of events: draw an object on a band of paper, fold it to hide three quarters of it. The next player draws an image from this base.
• Monsters: Along the same idea, the first player sketches the top of the head, concealing the major part. In turn the others will do the rest: the bottom of the face, body, legs and finally tail. Gales of laughter guaranteed!
• The changing detail: select two objects, draw the first. The next player reproduces it by modifying a item… and so on until obtaining the second object. Complicate the difficulty by tossing two dice to define a maximum number of steps.