‘Etch A Sketch’ Inventor Dies at Age 86 [Survey]

Before there were video games, iPad's and Nintendo DS, years ago there was a hand-held magic screen. Do you know what I'm talking about? Back in the 1950s the Etch A Sketch ruled the world and is still around today. I remember having several of the Sketch pads growing up. Unfortunately, Andre Cassagnes, the man who invented this remarkable toy has died. The toy inspired countless children through the years including myself. Cassagnes died at the age of 86 in France.

The Etch A Sketch is marketed by the Ohio Art Company and according to the company's president Larry Killgallon says "His invention brought joy to so many over such a long period of time."

I always wondered as a kid how the game was made and I am guilty of taking them apart to see what made them work. Well, in case you don't know, the developer Cassagnes was at one time an electrical technician who got the idea by peeling a decal off a light switch plate.  He noticed that graphite clung to the thin sheet of plastic and was easily marked with a pencil. From there, the Etch A Sketch was born.

The popularity of the toy faded somewhat in recent years due to video games, but it saw an increase in sales after being featured in the first two 'Toy Story' movies.

Enjoy some amazing Etch A Sketch art below as we pay tribute to Cassagnes' legacy.