How to Master the Etch a Sketch

Co-authored by Mark Weiser

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

The Etch-A-Sketch is widely known as a children's toy, but did you know that it could be used for much more? Etch-A-Sketch is becoming increasingly popular as an art form. With just time and practice, you could draw almost anything on an Etch-a-Sketch.

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First, don't be intimidated by any of the pictures in this article, none of them were actually created on an Etch-A-Sketch, and some would actually be impossible to create on one. We've just photoshopped some illustrations as a guide. Start with the classic red Etch-a-Sketch. There are many other models including miniatures, color variations, and upgraded ones, and all work exactly the same. The left knob controls the horizontal lines. Turning it clockwise will make the cursor move right, counter-clockwise will move the cursor left. The right knob controls the vertical lines. Clockwise: up, and Counter-clockwise: down. You should practice until you can control the direction with little thought.^{[1]
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This can be done by turning both knobs evenly at the same time. But ensure that they move together otherwise you will end up creating a circular shape, which you don't want. The combination of their directions will guide the cursor in a diagonal line. This will take diagonal lines all the way from one corner to the next in all directions. With practice it will get straighter.^{[2]
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Start with triangles. Get to the point where you have control over the cursor. That is the trick: control. The hardest shape to make is the circle. You must carefully direct the cursor using all four diagonals in a circle motion. If you can make a fairly large perfect circle, you will have much more capabilities with your drawings.^{[3]
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Try to draw still life. Set out fruit and try to draw the shapes. try to draw plants or flowers. Find things with odd curves or shapes, and try to draw them on the Etch-A-Sketch.
You can do this by simply starting at the left, filling in the area you want by moving the cursor up and down while slightly moving it to the right until the area is shaded. You may read more about shading in sketching, then try to imitate some shading styles. What you do is up to you.^{[4]
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Buildings are a good start. You can easily draw the square structures, but then try to draw two dimensional buildings with façade details. Try a city-scape. Get pictures of buildings online, and try to make replicas of them. Draw a farm building. Draw bridges, or anything structural and simple.
Practice making depth. Draw trees, grass, animals. try to put together a picture with multiple things happening. Also try to start developing tricks to damage control; the ways you can cover up or lessen the impacts of mistakes. Sometimes, shading over or over-tracing can make some mistakes disappear, but also know that some attempts simply need a good shake.
Draw faces and portraits. On the Etch-A-Sketch, you can not draw completely separate objects, so you must find ways to connect them, whether making subtle extensions or using the border to transport the cursor. The eyes and the nose are the hardest, but using the design of the hair and the eyes, you can easily work with what you have.
Be creative. This is a new medium to master, so there are no rules to break.

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How do I make the lines more visible?

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Go over them a few times by moving the controls back and forth. That will help darken the line.

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How do I make a circle?

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Turn the right knob slowly up and down while gradually moving the left knob side to side. It's tricky, but with practice, you will get used to it.

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When I draw a face, how do I draw the eyebrows not connected to the eyes?

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You could connect it with hair by making it so that the hair is covering part of the eye and eyebrow.

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Tips

If you shake the Etch-A-Sketch, it will erase, so be careful with your finished work. If you think it is too valuable to erase, there are several things you can do. You can get a digital camera and take pictures of your works, or you can find a safe place to display your art, such as on a bookshelf. You can get mounting tape and mount your piece to the wall. Or, do as most Etch-A-Sketch artists do-buy a new Etch-A-Sketch, and pretty soon, you could have a portfolio of Etch-A-Sketch work.

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Sometimes when making detailed work, you can lose track of where the cursor is. This can be easily found by moving the knob for a short distance back and forth until you notice the movement on the picture. If you are in the middle of a drawing and wish to take a break, by using a fine tip marker and circling the location of the cursor, you can easily pick up from where you left off without having to worry about finding the cursor again.

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When you have completed your masterpiece, drill a small hole in the base and drain out the excess aluminum powder. This is the substance that causes your picture to "erase" when the Etch a Sketch is shaken.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

When I first started, I liked to draw straight stairs going from the bottom right corner up to the top left. This just helped me get the hang of the knobs. When you get good at this, try doing it faster.
Make sure to keep it in a safe place during and after drawing so it doesn't erase by mistake!

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Warnings

Be careful when you drain the aluminium powder, as it can stain clothing, etc. It is, however, non-toxic.

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When taking a picture of a finished work, turn off the flash to avoid a glare. And make sure to use the "Macro" focus settings on your camera

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Make sure you store your finished work somewhere that is visible, but safe. It is very easy to lose a work just by having the wrong placement.

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