Drawing with Mark: Let's Go to the Zoo!/Zoo Stories

Gr 1–4—This series is dedicated to teaching children how to draw real-life objects using three basic shapes: a circle, square, and triangle. Each episode begins with a trip to a themed location: an airport, museum, or zoo. Mark Marderosian, professional illustrator and host of the program, introduces the audience to possible subjects, and then selects one to illustrate in the "magic attic" (where all the drawing takes place). Each program follows a basic format: a field trip, "fun facts" related to the theme, a step-by-step drawing demonstration, an animated segment, and a list of books that relate to the episode's theme. In "As the Wheels Turn," Mark introduces higher level concepts of dimension by drawing a tire and showing how parallel lines and shading can be used to create depth. In "Let's Go to the Zoo," he displays the concept of action lines and how they can be used to create a stick figure upon which the drawer can layer the three basic shapes to create animals. Each DVD offers scene selection, which allows viewers to repeat specific segments with ease.