Activity 16: Curved Lines

In Activity 15 you looked at where curved lines were used in Holmwood House and you drew a circle outside.

Another curved shape used often in gardens is the ellipse, which looks like a flattened circle, e.g.:




Draw an ellipse outside

You will need three people, a piece of string or rope 12 metres long and a piece of chalk.

Two people, A and B, stand three metres apart each holding an end of the string.
The third person, C, holds the string taut with the chalk and then walks round keeping the string tight, and marking with the chalk on the ground. This will make an ellipse. You might have to practise first.

The size depends on the length of string and how far apart the people in the middle stand.

Try A and B at different distances apart and use different lengths of string. See if you can make different sizes and shapes of ellipse.

You can do the same thing on paper with two drawing pins, a small length of thin string, or thread, and a sharp pencil.